SITAR GUIDE From A to Z

This guide is meant to help new and existing players with the complete care of their instrument. The first part is assuming you have bought an instrument from us but if you haven't simply scroll down further for the information you need. This is not a guide on playing, we can help you get started via email with playing and recommend some books, etc. but you should have a teacher for the initial lessons if at all possible. We will be releasing some DVD's at some point with complete sitar instruction for those who don't have access to a teacher.

UNPACKING THE INSTRUMENT: Your instrument was shipped inside a large cardboard box with foam padding at crucial points to minimize impact from shipping. Please carefully note the position of the packing materials and save the box in case you ever have to send your sitar out. If your sitar has a top tumba, it will have been shipped seperately in a box, please make note of the packing layout with that as well. Your accessories will be in the box with the top tumba!

GENERAL CARE AND HANDLING: You're no doubt full of excitement and ready to rip the instrument out of its case and start playing but first read this! The bottom tumba is especially prone to damage, one whack in the right place and it can crack......same with the top tumba. The tumba is similar to an eggshell in that respect although just a little stronger of course!! Small dings will happen and are nothing to worry about, in fact most sitars don't even escape the maker without a tiny 'beauty mark'. Keep the sitar away from ALL extremes, hot or cold and direct sunlight for any prolonged period of time. Extreme heat will damage the natural shellac finish and can damaged the wood also, causing warped necks or unseen damage that will show up later. This is the reason we don't ship our instruments via Ocean container. Keep in the same environment in which you yourself are comfortable. Also its best to keep it in a secure place away from pets or little children or in its case.

Always keep the sitar leaning into a corner face first when its out of the case and you're not playing it. When in the case, I always lean it into the corner also. The slight pressure counteracts the tension of the strings. You can detune the sitar if you want, I always leave them tuned except for shipping. If you keep it in the key of "D" then it wouldn't hurt to slacken the strings once in awhile.

The top tumba (gourd) screws into the yoke on the neck clockwise, do not overtighten it! You can leave it on while out of the case and it's OK to set it on the floor with the top tumba in.

A WORD ABOUT ETIQUETTE:  Indian Classical instruments are rooted in a tradition going back thousands of years and the very playing of them is regarded as a means to achieve union with the Divine. In India, a musician doesn't step over the instrument or touch it with his feet other than when it's resting on the foot while playing. The instruments are treated as sacred and are not played while hands and clothes are dirty, etc. Of course many in the West will not be playing traditional Indian Classical music but this is the history from that perspective.

STARTING TO TUNE AND JAWARI:  The Sitar has been double checked for fret adjustments and jawari. Jawari is the shaping of the bridge to achieve a desired sound. It can be open or closed. An open jawari has a buzzy sound that is the most familiar to us in the West due to the popularity of Ravi Shankar. A closed jawari gives a more lute-like sound and is actually quite popular with musicians in India. Look for a detailed article on jawari from us in the future since there are only very few people who do it in the west, and it can be done with a little patience and luck!! ALL OUR INFORMATION ON JAWARI IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. We are not responsible for the results if you use these techniques! I am simply sharing the methods I use and have seen musicians from India use! If you ever wish to have professional jawari done then we recommend Brian Godden at Silver Bush music. If you are a customer of Sitars Etc., we can do jawari for you also or help you via phone or email to do it yourself.

If your sitar has come from us, you'll notice pencil shading under the 1st (MA) string. This is done to preserve the jawari by lubricating the string where it contacts the bridge. Eventually you will develop grooves on the bridge surface that will hinder the tone somewhat. You can take some fine sandpaper and lightly sand them out while following the original contour of the bridge. Be careful to only do the minimum amount necessary!! It only takes a slight amount of change in the curvature or surface of the bridge to completely alter your tone! More on this to come soon.......in the meantime, a very good article on jawari can be found in the book by Manfred Junius, "The Sitar, the instrument and its Technique." Available here.

The strings were loosened for shipping, there will be marks on the tabli (face or soundboard) where the front of the legs of the bridge should be in case it has come loose during shipping. To tune your sitar please see our chart here. The tarab/sympathetic string tuning shown is only a general guide, there are an infinite amount of ways to tune them depending on what raga you are playing. Also, many student model sitars may not be able to handle the tarab strings tuned high past high SA (C).

When tuning the 1st (MA) string, first loosen the tuning bead or swan. Then get it to pitch. and pull the string up against the frets between the 7th and 8th fret, and then the 13th and 14th fret. Pull the string up as if you were playing it and doing a 5 note meend or bend. Usually after a few times the string will settle in and you can do the fine tuning adjustment with the tuning bead.

When tuning the rest of the strings and especially the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings, loosen any tuning beads first. Get the string to pitch, and then pull down on the string from the retainer at the top of the neck. Pull down about 4 inches to take any slack out from where the string is wound around the peg. Do not pull the string away from the neck but down along the neck and then adjust with the peg and beads as you need to.

With the Tarab strings (sympathetics), you can put a little tension on it by deflecting it side to side or pulling up just very slightly and retune until it's stable.

PRESERVING YOUR JAWARI: Lightly shading with a pencil under the 1st string will help preserve your jawari. Another popular option for those of us in the West far away from the great jawari-wallas is to place a piece of 35mm film underneath the strings on the bridge while practicing basic exercises. Cut a piece large enough to cover the entire surface from front to the back where the horizontal cut is. Some of the bols(strokes) exercises are very hard on the jawari so this practice will allow you to preserve your bridge.

PEGS: All the pegs on our sitars come chalked and fitted and ready to go and you should not have any problems. Eventually the peg will start to slip though.......get some carpenters chalk at your local hardware store and lightly chalk the peg to prevent slipping. MAKE SURE that it is carpenters chalk as normal chalk has wax in it which will cause problems......we are now selling Rosin as a better alternative to chalk. If, after chalking the peg it still slips, then take the peg out and rough it up with some sandpaper. On lower quality sitars sometimes the pegs don't fit right so you may have to refit the peg.....

STRING CARE: It's best to wipe down your strings after each playing session, it will prolong the life of your string set.  If your strings are dirty, we recommend using products like Zildjian Professional Cymbal Cleaning cream or similar fine metal polish and wiping the strings with that (we're mostly talking about the main string), and then you can clean the string with lighter fluid to get rid of any remaining residue. Just use a little on a cloth so you don't get any on the finish. For most players though this is the extreme, it's sufficient to wipe them down and change regularly. We do not recommend things like Scotch Brite, etc. as it's abrasive.

CHANGING YOUR STRINGS:  Strings should be changed regularly if you're playing a lot. As noted above, cleaning after each playing session will extend the life of your strings. The 1st (MA) string with daily use should be changed every month or two, the rest of the strings will last longer generally if you're using a good set. Always handle the new string carefully to avoid getting kinks in it. Also unless you have changed strings often, it's best to change one at a time, especially with the sympathetic strings. And don't forget to guard your fingers!! It's quite easy to poke holes in them with the ends of the strings.

To make the loop for the sympathetic strings, take a standard sized pencil......wrap the string around it and twist about 5 times, trim off the excess and it should fit perfectly on the string anchor.  For the main strings, measure the point on the string anchor where the string goes and try to make the loop to where the 'knot' will be close to the anchor. I'll have some pics of this soon.... On the peg end thread the string through the hole in the peg, come out the other side, and then re-insert the string through the same hole and pull tight. Be careful not to kink the string during any of the processes.

FRET CARE AND TYING:  Frets should be wiped down after playing each time, eventually they will get buildup on them and you can use #0000 steel wool to clean them up or better yet, use a fine metal polish or cleaner (like Zildjian brand). Don't use Brasso, etc.  The frets are tied on using string or sometimes nylon. We have found the upholstery thread to work the best as it's strong and not too elastic. Fret tying can be quite an experience!! The key is to get it as tight as possible......have someone help you if you can. You can find a diagram for tying your frets HERE.

More to follow soon!!