Picture Gallery

The Western Sitar

Part 1: The Traditional Sitar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two traditional styles

 

1- VILAYAT KHAN STYLE SITAR
Sitars in the 'Vilayat Khan Style' (Gandhar-Pancham)

possess only one sound-box and a plain classical ornamentation.

They are mostly equipped with 11 resonance strings and 6 strings for playing,

of which two are melody strings with a range of three octaves.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2-RAVI SHANKAR STYLE SITAR
Instruments in the 'Ravi Shankar Style' (Kharaj-Pancham)

have two sound-boxes and rich ornamentation.

They are usually equipped with 13 sympathetic strings and 7 playing strings,

4 of which serve as melody strings comprising a range of four octaves.