# The Veena and/or The Sitar



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I prefer The Veena. I find it has a rich deep tone when compared to the sharp attack of The Sitar. I love both though, but my heart lays with The Veena.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Ravi Shankar's albums with orchestra _(Passages, East Meets West, West Meets East, Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra)_ are interesting cross-cultural collaborations, but to really appreciate Indian music you need to hear it in its original context.

Sitar is about my least favorite solo instrument, just below bagpipes (and for many of the same reasons).

Good Indian ensembles to look for should include:
Veena
Mridangam
Venu
Sarod
Violin
Flute
Tamboura
Tabla
any other percussion (MANY choices!)


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

NoCoPilot said:


> Ravi Shankar's albums with orchestra _(Passages, East Meets West, West Meets East, Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra)_ are interesting cross-cultural collaborations, but to really appreciate Indian music you need to hear it in its original context.
> 
> Sitar is about my least favorite solo instrument, just below bagpipes (and for many of the same reasons).
> 
> ...


I do enjoy this piece by Anoushka Shankar:


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

My favorites include Lalgudi Jayaraman, Ashish Khan, and for a more modern sound, Ananda Shankar.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

NoCoPilot said:


> My favorites include Lalgudi Jayaraman, Ashish Khan, and for a more modern sound, Ananda Shankar.


These didn't quite do it for me. I'm really enjoying Anoushka's album, "Land of Gold".


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

In the best of Indian classical music there's an unhurried timelessness that you just don't get in Western music.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

And having done enough digital editing to be able to "visualize" the waveforms as I listen to them, it seems the more complex the waveform the more my ears like them. Sitars and flutes are pretty close to pure sine waves, with zero overtones. Give me a growly bass clarinet or bassoon any day.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

"Mahavishnu" John McLaughlin prefers the playing Veena.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

George Harrison tried to learn the sitar, and admitted Ravi was much better at it.


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