Sitar Players?

Matt Till · #1 01-21-2007, 10:03 PM

How difficult is the sitar. I know that's a generic question, but is it? In the future, I will be buying a sitar, I want to know how long it will be before I'm Ravi.

lemur821 · #2 01-21-2007, 10:48 PM

I'm not a player, although I have fiddled with one. It strikes me as not especially difficult, as instruments go. Especially if you already play an instrument that takes fretting. The biggest difference from what you know will probably be the unique pick. Maybe you could make yourself one and get a little practice in before getting a sitar.

tkozal · #3 01-22-2007, 07:00 AM

Very difficult, you will need a teacher.

tZer · #4 01-22-2007, 08:22 AM

I have one and I 'dink around' with it. If you closed your eyes and only listened for about a minute, you might think I know what I am doing, but if you opened them and listened for two, you would know better. I find it challenging to hold properly - I am just not that flexible - the tied-on frets are really odd and take some getting used to. As for technique - I have none!

There is a guy around town here in St. Louis named Mark Deutch (sp?) who I saw a long time ago playing sitar and based on what I saw him do and what I know from my own experience trying to play it - playing sitar properly and well takes years of practice and instruction from a good teacher.

Sound familiar?

lemur821 · #5 01-22-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tZer

There is a guy around town here in St. Louis named Mark Deutch (sp?) who I saw a long time ago playing sitar and based on what I saw him do and what I know from my own experience trying to play it - playing sitar properly and well takes years of practice and instruction from a good teacher.

I don't believe he's around here anymore. It's a shame, based on "Fool" I'd go see him play.

When I say it's "not too difficult" I want to stress that I mean that in the most relative way possible. Bass and guitar aren't "too difficult" either in my book.

Sneckumhaw · #6 01-22-2007, 11:37 PM

If you want to be really REALLY good, you're probably about 15 years too late to start playing, Matt. So am I.

But if you want to be OK at it, it will greatly enrich your approach to music in general.

Jimbo · #7 02-08-2007, 10:41 PM

you'd be able to pick up on the basics of technique pretty quickly i'm sure. but keep in mind that people spend entire lifetimes trying to master the instrument. most of that time is spent on ragas. traditionally, a new student could spend their first 5 or 6 years on the instrument exploring just 1 raga

i say go for it, it's a wonderful instrument--but get a teacher! there are so many subtle techniques to the instrument that only an experienced player could show you.

also look around used book stores and ebay for a copy of ravi shankar's book "my music my life". it's a must have for any sitar player, the first part is a mini indian music history lesson, the second part is his autobiography, and the third is a manual on playing sitar

Jimbo · #8 02-08-2007, 10:43 PM

oh and just a personal side note, if you're going to aspire to be like one of the great sitar players, i'd pick nikhil banarjee. the man could develop a raga like no one else!

bongomania · #9 02-08-2007, 11:56 PM

I have known a dozen or more guys who bought a sitar, and strummed it whenever they had a chick over at their place, to indicate that they were deep and exotic I guess. The only guys I know who went for the lessons, and took it seriously, reported that at the beginning they had no idea it was going to take them so many years to become a respectable player. None of them said they were giving up, but they did all say it was one of the more demanding practices they had ever tried. Just as an interesting note, for perspective- many ragas last several minutes long, have complicated time changes, and it is not permitted to improvise in many of them. Bit of a challenge?

PurplePurple · #10 02-09-2007, 10:01 PM

The Sitar is the hardest instrument I have ever tried to play, if you get one get a teacher and get ready for frustration and hardwork.

If you sucseed, good job.

Jimbo · #11 02-10-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

I have known a dozen or more guys who bought a sitar, and strummed it whenever they had a chick over at their place, to indicate that they were deep and exotic I guess. The only guys I know who went for the lessons, and took it seriously, reported that at the beginning they had no idea it was going to take them so many years to become a respectable player. None of them said they were giving up, but they did all say it was one of the more demanding practices they had ever tried. Just as an interesting note, for perspective- many ragas last several minutes long, have complicated time changes, and it is not permitted to improvise in many of them. Bit of a challenge?

i must say that the ladies are impressed when they see me play my sitar

of course thats not the reason i play...