Articles

Shibbir

What is a shibbir? From what I have experienced (imperically) at shibbirs with Ustad Shahid Parvez is that a shibbir is a gathering of sitar students with their guru. The place of the gathering can be anywhere, but typically it is at a student's house. The shibbir may last 3 to 4 days, where the students are available for learning anywhere from 9 am to 5 am. Students may be beginning their journey or very advanced. There are usually 3 or 4 group lessons and then advanced lessons for senior students. Often there is a small concert-like session where the guru demonstrates different techniques.

by Hassan Azad
Karachi, August 24, 2006

Ustad Shahid Parvez visited Pakistan from August 10 to August 23, 2006 for a series of concerts organized by the Rauf Ansari Foundation and the All Pakistan Music Conference (Lahore Chapter).

by Paul Barrette, May 2005

What is sargam? Sargam are the notes or the swar of the ICM scale.

by Paul Barrette, May 2005

Tuning was a nightmare at first. The sitar was my first instrument and I had never received any musical training. So, I bought a sitar and found a teacher ,

by Paul Barrette, May 2005

People learn in different ways. Some learn by ear, others need to write it down, others still need both.

by Adam Duncan, June 2005

I have been playing the guitar for about sixteen years and a musician for almost twenty years.

by Salman Ansari , May 2006

The experience of complete silence prevailing for more than a few seconds is rare or almost inaccessible anywhere these days.

Here is my check list for things to look for when buying a sitar. Keep in mind that a sitar may take a few years to find its voice. Teak sitars may take even longer. This is compounded by the fact that sitars are often on setup properly to be played when they are offerred for sale. Furthermore, the strings are usually the worse quality, as a rule, unless the dealer has restrung it for you. Be patient and not be too quick to judge. Be sure to check the Sitar Gallery for some nice pics of sitars and sitar parts:

Googling around one day, I found The sitar forum, where I found out that there were many others, who just like me had found out the hard way that it is very difficult to find a good sitar. This was a great find. I learned so much, just reading the archives and asking questions. I still wasn't ready to shell out $1200+USD for a fancy sitar yet.

Everybody is different when it comes to buying an instrument. Some are willing to spend a lot of money, and others want a bargain. I fall into the latter category.