Prepared during 2008, this technical guide acknowledges that sitar music is a product of a highly complex man-machine relationship working behind the microphone, and a listener in front, expecting to be charmed.
A few examples of what the video covers:
The jawari and timbre preferences of the gharana
The recommended metal and gauge for each string
The method for tuning the instrument and bracing it for stability in performance
The progression protocol for the alap, along with the logic of the mohra
Techniques for creating the element of surprise and holding the listener’s interest
The role of the left hand and the right hand, appropriate striking of the jod and chikari strings to get the desired effects in the sections of jod and jhala
In this presentation, Pt. Arvind Parikh has also introduced the idea of developing a performance like the narration of a story, with a progressive unfolding of musical ideas. Every important approach and technique related to a performance is covered in the DVD. Pt. Arvind Parikh’s students are fortunate to access these secrets of the Vilayat Khan magic, which Pt. Arvind Parikh could have access to, through his tutelage under the great Ustad.