Basics of Sitar | Hindustani Classical | Level I

This course will guide students to further their Hindustani musical knowledge from being a novice to becoming trained to achieve a proficient level. This course would begin with creating a strong foundation for the students by making students diligently practice Alankaras and Sargams and a few ragas such as Bhupali, Yaman, Bilawal and Kafi. Further on in the course students will be introduced to 10 thaats or musical scale based ragas. Thaat is a mode in northern Indian or Hindustani music. Thaat always have seven different pitches, called swara and are a basis for the organization and classification of ragas in North Indian classical music. Students will get familiarised to the various techniques such as meend which refers to the glide from one note to another on the instrument or vocally. This course will teach students effects, improvisations, gayaki or north indian vocal music and improvisation of notes. Further on students will be taught singing and tuning their sitars as per their vocal notes. Moving on students will get to practise layakari or rhythmic play. Next up, students get to practice Vilambit or an introductory slow tempo, or laya, between 10 and 40 beats per minute, used in the performance of a raga in Hindustani classical music. Further on this course will shed light and encourage the practice of drut gat and taan kari.

If the student wants to get more insights on the basic alankaras and a few basic ragas on the sitar, here is another course tailored by Subrata De: Learn How To Play Sitar Online | Basics Of Sitar | Basics Of Hindustani Music

About Subrata De: Space is a constraint when describing the humongously talented sitar player, Subrata De. Born in Jamshedpur, Subrata’s first few years of training was under the guidance of Shri Amarjit Singh in Jamshedpur. He later went on to train with Surmani Bauri Bandhu Sethi of Bhubaneshwar, before mastering the art of sitar playing in the Bishnupur Gharana style under the astute stewardship of Pandit Manilal Nag. In the guidance of Pandit Manilal Nag, Subrata De flourished with his art imbibing special capabilities training in Dhrupad and Gayaki style, Tankarin, Alapang, Gatkari, the identifying features of Bishnupur Gharana. Through the years Subrata De released multiple album and vowed audiences not just in India but world over. A listed artist with All India Radio, he is member of multiple panels such as the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Zonal Cultural Centre (Dept. of Culture) Govt, of India, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Sangeet Natak Parishad. His growing stature as a sitar maestro sees him travel around the world to train artists eager to learn the sitar.