सितार · 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 विषय
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.
या अभ्यासक्रमाविषयी
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). Ask about Foundation in the 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.
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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
Sthayi 1A · The Instrument, the Ear and the Hands
एकूण 14 विषय उपलब्ध; तुमच्या मार्गावर 12.मुख्य विषय प्रत्येक विद्यार्थी हे 8 विषय शिकतो
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
ऐच्छिक विषय तुमचे शिक्षक 4 रिकाम्या जागा या ऐच्छिक विषयांमधून, स्वतःच्या विषयांमधून किंवा दोन्हींमधून भरतात.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
Mizrab Fit Clinic
Compare two fits.
Ready to move on when: Compare two fits and play sixteen clear strokes with the approved fit.
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ऐच्छिक
Care and a Broken Main String
Demonstrate safe storage.
Ready to move on when: Demonstrate safe storage and explain a supervised string replacement.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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
एकूण 14 विषय उपलब्ध; तुमच्या मार्गावर 12.मुख्य विषय प्रत्येक विद्यार्थी हे 8 विषय शिकतो
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
ऐच्छिक विषय तुमचे शिक्षक 4 रिकाम्या जागा या ऐच्छिक विषयांमधून, स्वतःच्या विषयांमधून किंवा दोन्हींमधून भरतात.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
Notation from a Heard Exercise
Write.
Ready to move on when: Write and replay a four-matra exercise after three hearings.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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
एकूण 14 विषय उपलब्ध; तुमच्या मार्गावर 12.मुख्य विषय प्रत्येक विद्यार्थी हे 8 विषय शिकतो
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
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विषय 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.
ऐच्छिक विषय तुमचे शिक्षक 4 रिकाम्या जागा या ऐच्छिक विषयांमधून, स्वतःच्या विषयांमधून किंवा दोन्हींमधून भरतात.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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.
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ऐच्छिक
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
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Level 1A
Sthayi 1A · The Instrument, the Ear and the Hands
- विषय
- 12 topics
- Activities
- 56 activities
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Level 1B
Sthayi 1B · Swaras, Bols and the Cycle
- विषय
- 12 topics
- Activities
- 56 activities
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Level 1C
Sthayi 1C · First Ragas and Gats
- विषय
- 12 topics
- Activities
- 56 activities
Inside Foundation
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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.
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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.
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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!
पुढील पायऱ्या
Foundation सुरू करायला तयार आहात?
Begin Foundation Level.