--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/course/sitar/foundation' title: 'Foundation sitar course for beginners online | KalaSudha' author: name: rajeevk url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/user/fce96177fd193d3a' date: '2026-11-01T00:59:12+00:00' updated: '2026-11-01T15:26:45+00:00' type: website summary: 'Foundation sitar, prepared by KalaSudha: posture, tuning, Da-Ra strokes, paltas, the cycle and three studied ragas with short gats played with tabla.' tags: - Foundation - Sitar image: 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/mcp-imported/Sitar-Course-Lesson-Online-Cohort-KalaSudha.jpg?VersionId=4_zf58621fa0f456059ae110919_f11621925fccea142_d20261101_m010049_c003_v0312040_t0012_u01793494849478&h=82966a5b&itok=dEO27Xbg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/mcp-imported/Sitar-Course-Lesson-Online-Cohort-KalaSudha.jpg?VersionId=4_zf58621fa0f456059ae110919_f11621925fccea142_d20261101_m010049_c003_v0312040_t0012_u01793494849478&h=82966a5b&itok=dEO27Xbg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/mcp-imported/Sitar-Course-Lesson-Online-Cohort-KalaSudha.jpg?VersionId=4_zf58621fa0f456059ae110919_f11621925fccea142_d20261101_m010049_c003_v0312040_t0012_u01793494849478&h=82966a5b&itok=dEO27Xbg' 'image:type': image/jpeg 'image:width': '1200' 'image:height': '675' 'image:alt': 'A sitar learner sits cross-legged on a patterned rug playing the sitar, with a notebook of notation open beside him and a teacher seated nearby' --- Foundation Level — Sitar Foundation Levels 1A–1C Sitar · Sitar # Foundation Sitar Foundation sitar, prepared by KalaSudha: posture, tuning, Da-Ra strokes, paltas, the cycle and three studied ragas with short gats played with tabla. - 3 modules - 36 topics [ Show interest ](/en-in/course/sitar/foundation/show-interest) [ View curriculum ](#curriculum) What you'll master ## Skills you will carry forward - Set up the sitar unaided, name its main parts and check its tuning. - Play 32 alternating Da-Ra strokes with equal attack and no loose-mizrab clicks. - Play ten paltas, four of them in dugun, and tell shuddha from altered swaras. - Recognise three studied ragas from their phrases and play their aroha, avaroha and pakad. - Play a gat in each of two ragas with tabla, keeping the mukhda and sam clear. ## About this course 9–12 months **Foundation sitar** takes you from setting up the instrument to two short raga studies played with tabla, with no music background needed. It is the first level of the sitar course prepared by KalaSudha, taught in live online lessons. Singing or humming helps your ear; you do not need to sing. Module 1A covers seating, tuning and fitting the mizrab, then even Da-Ra strokes. You fret cleanly, find Sa and Pa and play the first saptak and five paltas. Module 1B adds shuddha and vikrit swaras, bol patterns with the chikari, the suggested Teentaal, Dadra and Keherwa and swara-bol notation. Module 1C turns exercises into repertoire. You study three ragas, suggested Yaman, Bhupali and Khamaj, through their pakad and phrases. You learn a short **meend**, a pulled glide to one swara, two prepared gats with four simple variations and a two-minute alaap, then play a gat with a tabla player. Each module has 14 topics, eight core and six electives, and your path is 12 of them. In a cohort, you hear other learners play the same paltas and gats, and an elective has you play a prepared gat in unison with a second learner. Foundation ends with two three-minute accompanied studies and leads to a KalaSudha award (see [certificates](/en-in/indian-classical-music-certificates)). [Ask about Foundation in the Academy](/en-in/academy). Your learning journey ## The three Foundation modules Foundation starts with posture and pitch, then rhythm and notation, then your first ragas and gats. Each module ends with a guided rehearsal and a presentation your teacher reviews. - ### Module 1A: the instrument, the ear and the hands Set up with supported posture and keep a practice record. Tune the main strings, chikari and taraf, fit the mizrab and play even Da-Ra strokes. Then fret cleanly with a free thumb, find Sa and Pa and coordinate both hands in five paltas. - ### Module 1B: swaras, bols and the cycle Extend to ten paltas and hear the altered swaras. Play bol patterns with controlled chikari and recite the suggested Teentaal, Dadra and Keherwa. Read and write swara-bol notation and compare two recordings of one raga. - ### Module 1C: first ragas and gats Study three ragas through their pakad and grammar and land a one-swara meend. Learn two short gats with four variations and play a two-minute alaap. Play four cycles with tabla, then present two three-minute accompanied studies. Your learning journey ## Curriculum 36 topics Sthayi · 1A The Instrument, the Ear and the Hands Sthayi · 1B Swaras, Bols and the Cycle Sthayi · 1C First Ragas and Gats ### Sthayi 1A · The Instrument, the Ear and the Hands 14 available topics; 12 on your path. #### Core topics Every learner takes these 8 1. Topic 01 #### Instrument, Seating and Practice Setup Set up the sitar with supported posture and establish a daily practice record. **Ready to move on when:** Set up without assistance, name the main parts and show seven days of practice notes. 2. Topic 02 #### Tuning Main Strings, Chikari and Taraf Tune each string group to the layout your teacher approves. **Ready to move on when:** Tune the main and chikari strings against a reference and check taraf with teacher support. 3. Topic 03 #### Mizrab Fit and Da-Ra Fit the mizrab and produce even alternating strokes. **Ready to move on when:** Play 32 alternating strokes with equal attack and no loose-mizrab clicks. 4. Topic 04 #### Clean Fretting and the Free Thumb Place the left finger behind the fret without gripping the neck. **Ready to move on when:** Sound eight fretted notes without buzz or visible gripping and release between repetitions. 5. Topic 05 #### Sa, Pa and the First Saptak Match reference pitches by voice or humming and locate the first octave. **Ready to move on when:** Match Sa and Pa and play the octave in tune while identifying a deliberately mistuned note. 6. Topic 06 #### First Paltas and Hand Coordination Coordinate both hands through five short teacher-selected paltas. **Ready to move on when:** Play five paltas twice at a steady slow pulse with every note aligned to its stroke. 7. Topic 07 #### Guided Rehearsal: Tone and Pitch Record exercises and correct one pitch fault and one tone fault. **Ready to move on when:** Submit before-and-after exercises and identify the corrections in your practice record. 8. Topic 08 #### Module 1A Presentation Present setup, tuning checks and controlled exercises in one take. **Ready to move on when:** Demonstrate the preceding six core criteria and identify one remaining practice priority. #### Electives Your teacher fills 4 open slots from these electives, their own topics or both. - Elective #### Singing Before Playing Sing or hum four Sa-Pa phrases. **Ready to move on when:** Sing or hum four Sa-Pa phrases and reproduce them on the sitar. - Elective #### Mizrab Fit Clinic Compare two fits. **Ready to move on when:** Compare two fits and play sixteen clear strokes with the approved fit. - Elective #### Care and a Broken Main String Demonstrate safe storage. **Ready to move on when:** Demonstrate safe storage and explain a supervised string replacement. - Elective #### Returning-Player Hand Reset Correct one inherited grip habit on two recorded exercise repetitions. **Ready to move on when:** Correct one inherited grip habit on two recorded exercise repetitions. - Elective #### Kharaj-Pancham Layout Study Name the teacher-approved bass strings. **Ready to move on when:** Name the teacher-approved bass strings and play a clean low-register phrase on a suitable instrument. - Elective #### Gandhar-Pancham Layout Study Explain the approved layout. **Ready to move on when:** Explain the approved layout and play four pitches without changing the instrument to an unsuitable tuning. ### Sthayi 1B · Swaras, Bols and the Cycle 14 available topics; 12 on your path. #### Core topics Every learner takes these 8 1. Topic 01 #### Review and Physical Reset Review posture and strokes before extending the exercise set. **Ready to move on when:** Repeat the 1A exercises without renewed gripping or an uneven Ra stroke. 2. Topic 02 #### Shuddha and Vikrit Swaras Extend to ten paltas and identify altered swaras by ear and position. **Ready to move on when:** Play ten paltas, four in dugun, and distinguish the taught shuddha and altered swaras. 3. Topic 03 #### Diri and Chikari Control Recite and play short bol patterns with controlled chikari punctuation. **Ready to move on when:** Play two recited bol patterns for four cycles without masking the melody with chikari. 4. Topic 04 #### Counting and Reciting the Cycle Clap and recite the proposed Foundation cycles with sam and khali clear. **Ready to move on when:** Demonstrate Teentaal, Dadra and Keherwa as proposed, and sustain Teentaal through four exercise cycles. 5. Topic 05 #### Reading and Writing Swara-Bol Notation Read and notate a palta with strokes, matras and octave marks. **Ready to move on when:** Read an unfamiliar four-matra exercise and write a taught palta with correct rhythmic alignment. 6. Topic 06 #### Listening: Two Ways into One Raga Compare two teacher-selected recordings of the same raga and locate audible differences. **Ready to move on when:** Identify two audible differences with timestamps without treating either rendition as the universal rule. 7. Topic 07 #### Guided Rhythm Rehearsal Rehearse paltas and bols against a proposed Teentaal track. **Ready to move on when:** Keep the pulse for four cycles and recover from a teacher-inserted pause on the next sam. 8. Topic 08 #### Module 1B Review and Oral Check Present rhythm studies, notation and definitions used in the exercises. **Ready to move on when:** Meet C2-C6 criteria and explain swara, saptak, laya, matra, sam and khali through examples. #### Electives Your teacher fills 4 open slots from these electives, their own topics or both. - Elective #### Extra Palta Designs Play three new patterns through the octave without altering their order. **Ready to move on when:** Play three new patterns through the octave without altering their order. - Elective #### Bol Recitation Before the Stroke Recite a two-bar bol study. **Ready to move on when:** Recite a two-bar bol study and reproduce its accents without rushing. - Elective #### Dadra and Keherwa Accompaniment Play a short exercise for four cycles in each proposed cycle. **Ready to move on when:** Play a short exercise for four cycles in each proposed cycle. - Elective #### Notation from a Heard Exercise Write. **Ready to move on when:** Write and replay a four-matra exercise after three hearings. - Elective #### Taraf Listening and Tuning Retune the appropriate taraf strings with supervision. **Ready to move on when:** Retune the appropriate taraf strings with supervision and identify the change in resonance. - Elective #### First Jhala Gesture Play a twenty-second teacher-set chikari pattern without obscuring the melody. **Ready to move on when:** Play a twenty-second teacher-set chikari pattern without obscuring the melody. ### Sthayi 1C · First Ragas and Gats 14 available topics; 12 on your path. #### Core topics Every learner takes these 8 1. Topic 01 #### Foundation Review and Intonation Repair Resolve pitch and hand-coordination faults before repertoire assessment. **Ready to move on when:** Repeat the flagged exercise accurately on two separate recordings. 2. Topic 02 #### Three Ragas: Grammar and Recognition Study three contrasting ragas through their pakad, phrase movement and working grammar. **Ready to move on when:** Recognise all three taught ragas from phrases and demonstrate aroha, avaroha and pakad with an oral explanation. 3. Topic 03 #### Short Meend to a Known Pitch Connect two notes by pulling to a target already heard or sung. **Ready to move on when:** Land a one-swara meend in tune on four of five attempts without gripping. 4. Topic 04 #### Prepared Gats and the Return to Sam Learn two short gats with their mukhda and four simple toda variations. **Ready to move on when:** Play a gat in each of two studied ragas with clear mukhda, sam and four taught variations. 5. Topic 05 #### First Alaap and Phrase Variation Expand three taught phrases into a short unmetered opening. **Ready to move on when:** Play a two-minute opening and vary a phrase without introducing a foreign swara or losing its contour. 6. Topic 06 #### Playing a Gat with Tabla Keep the gat cycle while listening to a tabla player and cueing the return. **Ready to move on when:** Play four continuous cycles with tabla, recover after one slip and agree the ending. 7. Topic 07 #### Guided First Performance Rehearse both gats, short openings and the oral repertoire check. **Ready to move on when:** Complete a rehearsal with both hands in view and give a brief introduction to each piece. 8. Topic 08 #### Foundation Portfolio and Presentation Present two prepared raga studies and complete the Foundation evidence review. **Ready to move on when:** Present two three-minute studies with accompaniment and meet every Foundation milestone in the portfolio. #### Electives Your teacher fills 4 open slots from these electives, their own topics or both. - Elective #### First Jod Pulse Add a stable pulse to four phrases without introducing a gat cycle. **Ready to move on when:** Add a stable pulse to four phrases without introducing a gat cycle. - Elective #### Basic Jhala Close Close a prepared gat with thirty seconds of balanced chikari. **Ready to move on when:** Close a prepared gat with thirty seconds of balanced chikari and melody. - Elective #### Teacher's Dhun Play a short proposed dhun with its phrase endings intact. **Ready to move on when:** Play a short proposed dhun with its phrase endings intact. - Elective #### Additional Raga Recognition Identify three additional teacher-selected phrases without adding them to the compulsory repertoire count. **Ready to move on when:** Identify three additional teacher-selected phrases without adding them to the compulsory repertoire count. - Elective #### Voice-to-Sitar Phrase Study Reproduce three sung phrase contours with a short meend where appropriate. **Ready to move on when:** Reproduce three sung phrase contours with a short meend where appropriate. - Elective #### Prepared Gat with a Second Learner Play the gat in unison for four cycles. **Ready to move on when:** Play the gat in unison for four cycles and agree the final cue. Foundation pathway ## How this level progresses 3 structured modules, taken in order. Modules are taken in sequence 1. 1A Level 1A ### Sthayi 1A · The Instrument, the Ear and the Hands Topics 12 topics Activities 56 activities 2. 1B Level 1B ### Sthayi 1B · Swaras, Bols and the Cycle Topics 12 topics Activities 56 activities 3. 1C Level 1C ### Sthayi 1C · First Ragas and Gats Topics 12 topics Activities 56 activities ## Inside Foundation - ### Clean attack before speed Mizrab fit, even Da-Ra strokes and fretting without a grip come first. The checks listen for buzz and clicks and watch for gripping. - ### Three ragas by ear Study three contrasting ragas through their pakad and phrases, then recognise them by ear and explain their aroha, avaroha and pakad. - ### First gats with tabla Learn two short gats with their mukhda and play four continuous cycles with a tabla player, recovering from a slip and agreeing the ending. ## Before you begin - You need no previous music or sitar experience to begin Foundation sitar. - You need a sitar your teacher approves, a fitted mizrab, a tuner and a tanpura reference. ## Frequently asked questions How do I read sitar notation in sargam? Sitar notation in sargam writes each swara, Sa, Re, Ga and the rest, with the stroke and the matra it falls on. Foundation sitar teaches it in module 1B: you read and notate a palta with strokes, matras and octave marks. You read an unfamiliar four-matra exercise and write a taught palta with each note aligned to its beat. Which ragas should a sitar beginner learn first? Foundation sitar studies three contrasting ragas, suggested Yaman, Bhupali and Khamaj, chosen for their different swaras and movement. Your teacher confirms them or substitutes ragas that keep the same contrast. You learn each raga's pakad, phrase movement and working grammar, and prepare a short gat in two of them. How is the Foundation level of the sitar course assessed? The Foundation level of the sitar course is assessed through playing and oral questions with a notation task; there is no separate theory paper. You present two three-minute studies with tabla accompaniment, and your portfolio adds a two-minute unmetered opening, four continuous cycles with a tabla player and a one-swara meend. Your teacher also tests recognition across your three studied ragas. Each clause is marked met or not yet met. How do I learn alaap, jor and jhala and play a gat with tabla? Sitar alaap starts at Foundation with a two-minute unmetered opening built from three taught phrases. You also play a prepared gat for four continuous cycles with a tabla player, cueing the return to sam. A first jod pulse and a short jhala close are Foundation electives; full jod and jhala come at Intermediate and Advanced. Have more questions? Contact our support team and we'll be happy to help! Next steps ## Ready to begin Foundation? Begin Foundation Level. [Explore Intermediate Level](/en-in/course/sitar/intermediate) [Show interest](/en-in/course/sitar/foundation/show-interest) [Back to Sitar](/en-in/course/sitar)