Star's Electric Sitar, a copy of Coral/Danelectro Electric Sitar 3S19Danelectro company promotional photo of Coral Electric Sitar co-creator Vincent Bell.
An electric sitar is a type of electric string instrument designed to mimic the sound of the sitar, a traditional musical instrument of India. Depending on the manufacturer and model, these instruments bear varying degrees of resemblance to the traditional sitar. Most resemble the electric guitar in the style of the body and headstock, though some have a body shaped to resemble that of the sitar (such as a model made by Danelectro).
The instrument was developed in the early 1960s by session guitarist Vinnie Bell in partnership with Danelectro and released under the brandname Coral™ in 1967.[3] At the time, many western musical groups had begun using the sitar, which is generally considered a difficult instrument to learn.[4] By contrast, the electric sitar, with its standard guitar fretboard and tuning, is a more familiar fret arrangement for a guitarist to play. The twangy sitar-like tone comes from a carefully designed and contoured bridge surface adding the necessary buzz to the guitar strings.
Configuration
In addition to the six playing strings, most electric sitars have sympathetic strings, typically located on the left side of the instrument (though some do not have these). These strings have their own pickups (typically lipstick pickups are used for both sets of strings), and are usually tuned with a harp wrench (a difficult process). A unique type of bridge, a "buzz bridge", developed by Vinnie Bell, helps give the instrument its distinctive sound. Some electric sitars have drone strings in lieu of sympathetic strings. A few models, such as the Jerry Jones "Baby" sitar, lack both sympathetic and drone strings, while still retaining the distinctive buzz bridge.
The "sympathetic" strings on most electric sitars do not resonate strongly enough to match the effect of an acoustic sitar. There are resonant chambers in the solid-body instruments that have Masonite tops, however it is not enough to excite the 13 strings into true sympathy. The strings are tensioned over two rosewood bridges with fret material as saddles so the sound is more like an autoharp than a sitar.
Versions of the electric sitar were also developed mainly in India. These are smaller-sized sitars that resemble a traditional sitar, and are tuned the same way.
Usage
Because the tonal quality and playing technique differ significantly from that of the sitar, the electric sitar is typically used in rock, jazz, and fusion styles.
Recordings that have featured the electric sitar include:[citation needed]
The 1971 album Somethin' Else recorded by Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass prominently featured an electric sitar, a first for the country music industry. The instrument provided accompaniment on such songs as "Snowbird", "Rose Garden", "Are You from Dixie?", and others.
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