Learn Authentic Sitar Techniques with Pt. Ravi Chary
From foundational 'Meend' to advanced 'Gamak' taans, I demonstrate the essential building blocks of sitar playing to help you develop clarity, depth, and a personal musical voice.
Meend is a way of pulling the string to glide smoothly from one note to another. In this small tutorial, I demonstrate how to practice this essential technique to achieve a vocal-like quality in your playing.
Here, I explain and demonstrate 'Krintan', an important ornamentation technique in sitar. Mastering this helps in adding sharpness and clarity to your phrases, a key element in advanced playing.
This tutorial shows the importance of 'Krintan' and how it adds aesthetic beauty to a musical phrase. You can see how applying this technique can transform a simple melody into something much more expressive.
A demonstration of the 'Ghasit' technique, which involves sliding from one note to another without a break in sound. I show both ascending and descending movements, which are crucial for creating fluid musical lines.
Practicing 'Gamak taan' in Raag Yaman with my students. This advanced technique involves a deep, oscillating movement on the notes and is a hallmark of profound sitar playing, which we work on extensively in advanced lessons.
This is a lesson on 'Raag ka vistaar', or how to elaborate within a raga. I explain the importance of exploring a small section of notes to develop creativity and avoid repetitive phrasing, using Raag Bihag as an example.
Continuing the lesson on raga elaboration, I demonstrate how to move freely within the structure of the raga. This skill is key to developing your own style and improvising with confidence during a performance.
The final part of my tutorial on 'Raag ka vistaar'. Here, I show how to expand the melodic exploration across different octaves while maintaining the essence of the raga, a crucial step for advanced students.
A tutorial on how to improvise a 'Gat', which is a fixed melodic composition. I show different ways to approach a simple composition to create variations and build your improvisational skills.
In this lesson, I explain how to play 'taans' or fast melodic passages within a gat. Understanding the relationship between the tempo (laya) and the number of notes per beat is essential for rhythmic accuracy.
About Learn Sitar Techniques with Me
Learning the sitar is not just about moving your fingers; it is about understanding the 'swar' (melody) and 'taal' (rhythm). In these sessions, we focus on the mechanics of your posture and stroke. Whether it is finding the right tension for a 'Meend' or gaining clarity with 'Krintan', my goal is to ensure you are not just memorizing notes but feeling the instrument. We practice in the traditional 'baithak' style, which is crucial for internalizing the music, rather than just reading it off a screen.
Building Your Foundation
In our classes at Kandivali and Bandra, we focus heavily on the nuances that define the Jafferkhani and Etawah gharanas. While tutorials can show you the theory, the 'Guru-Shishya' method provides the essential live correction. When you perform a 'Ghasit' or attempt a 'Gamak taan', I am there to adjust your grip and stroke immediately. This approach prevents bad habits from forming early in your practice.
What We Cover
We follow the Gandharva exam syllabus for those seeking a structured path, but we leave room for creativity. Our curriculum includes:
- Core Mechanics: Focusing on 'Sur' (melody), 'Taal' (rhythm), and 'Laya' (tempo).
- Technique Deep-Dive: Mastering ornamentations like 'Krintan' and 'Gamak' for an expressive, vocal-like quality.
- Improvisation Logic: Learning how to elaborate within a raga ('Raag ka vistaar') rather than just repeating pre-learned patterns.
Learning Environment
- Traditional Setting: Our floor-seating 'baithak' setup in Kandivali East and Bandra West is designed to help you focus on the vibration of the strings.
- Feedback Loop: Whether you choose group sessions (5-15 students) or 1-on-1 coaching, I prioritize immediate physical feedback to ensure rhythmic accuracy.
- Performance Experience: My students participate in our annual 'Guruvandan' festival, which offers a real stage experience with live tabla accompaniment.
If you are ready to move beyond basic scales and understand the soul of the raag, let's start your 'swar yatra' together.
Ravi Chary
I am Ravi Chary, and for me, music is a constant journey. I aim to pass on the traditions my gurus taught me, focusing on the finer points of technique that breathe life into the sitar. Join me to explore the depth of Hindustani music, from simple melodies to complex raga improvisations.
Still looking for the right guidance?
Find specific sitar courses or workshops in your area.
More from Sitar Lessons & Workshops by Ravi Chary
More services by Ravi Chary