r/Sitar

2.5K archived posts · Jun 2013 – Sep 2026

Sitar: An Indian String Instrument

r/Sitar

The sitar is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. It is named after a Persian instrument called the setar (meaning 3 strings). The sitar derives its distinctive timbre and resonance from sympathetic strings, bridge design, a long hollow neck and a gourd-shaped resonance chamber.

Created Oct 29, 2010

3KMembers (last snapshot)

2.5KArchived posts

Welcome to r/sitar; a place for everything about the sitar and it's related instruments such as the various veenas, surbahar, sarod, dilruba/esraj, tanpura, or the many other instruments used to play South Asian classical music. Feel free to post whatever you want as long as its relevant.

FAQ

Buying

Rain City Music - Seattle based store providing quality instruments and accessories from India

The Ali Akbar Khan College of Music Store based in Berkeley

The Worldwide Motherlist

Beware eBay sitars, if you find one you are interested in you can post it here or here to see if it's legit.

Guide #1 Guide #2 Guide #3

Tuning

Top strings with piano keys

Sympathetic strings Remember: notes are not 'static' as in western music, sharp/flat is implied with which raga is being played!

Tutorial

Buckingham Music Mega-Tutorial

FRIENDS & RESOURCES

r/icm - Indian Classical Music
r/AnoushkaShankar
Swarganga - Indian Classical Music Foundation
Chandrakantha - A very helpful resource wit lots of explanations of everything Indian Classical, and a forum that is frequented by some knowledgable players, teachers, luthiers, and some famous Indian musicians.

Other communities

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