Sitars

I recently purchased a used student-level sitar, more or less on a whim. Though I love Indian music, the sitar is largely a curiosity and I really don't know what will come of it. It certainly isn't a goal of mine to play it with any virtuosity. For that, I would have needed to start 30 years ago! At best it will provide a tool for experimentation, sampling and amusement (maybe a few painful lashes as well restringing).

For those unfamiliar with the sitar, it is extremely unwieldy and fragile, being made of a cured gourd - usually pumpkin. It can have 20 or more strings. While the guitar has seen numerous refinements in less than 200 year, unfortunately, in thousands of years, the sitar hasn't seen half of the refinements necessary to make it a practical instrument for the masses. That's part of its charm, and makes the maestros that much more amazing. But frankly, it is so much trouble that unless you are devoted to it in every way - it simply isn't worth it.

Let's just say there won't be any Bulu and Jeremy tabla/sitar records any time soon.