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INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Sitar Forum: To Gourd Or Not To Gourd

 

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Jeff
To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 05, 2002 12:11 a.m.

OK another stupid sitar question here.Today I played my baby with the top gourd on then the top gourd off then on then off, on,off,on,off.And to tell you the truth I cant for the life of me hear much if any difference in volume or resonance from the sitar.What reason is this gourd there for? I think it looks cool and I am one for looks, since like Lars I also stand in front of the mirror with the sitar strapped around my neck making Paul Stanley poochie lipped faces and striking a pose. But seriously can anyone hear any change with the top tumba on or off ? or is it just traditional from a time before ? I want to hear your thoughts about the "gourd" because I pretty much have nothing else better to do but hang out in this forum all day.
Jeffrey R King
Lars
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 05, 2002 12:18 a.m.

I think there is a subtle difference, I can tell when using it or not but it's not real noticeable. . .my tarafs ring a little differently. . .

Amitava
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 05, 2002 10:16 a.m.

If the instrument is a good one AND the gourd is well constructed (kaddu), you will DEFINITELY be able to hear a difference when playing. The mid range and kharaj should sound better. However, it seems to have little impact on the microphone.
Russ
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 05, 2002 11:30 a.m.

Heh heh. Yeah, I've seen this question a few times. Wrote an article about it a couple of years ago. From all I've seen and heard, in order to be able to hear the effect of the neck tumba, it must be at least 80% the size of the main tumba (karaj is it?). Most of them are a bunch smaller. And a real gourd somehow sounds better than spun wood, paper mache, or other junk. Beefs up the tarabs and mid-range just a little bit. Otherwise, no difference in sound I can tell. I think use of the gourd is historical as the sitar has evolved from the veena, which uses more than one gourd. But for the most part, I'm afraid it is just for "looks". OK, who is Paul Stanley? You guys are getting a little like Alice in Wonderland with this mirror thing. . . .
sitarsrule
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 08, 2002 11:17 p.m.

Paul stanley, from kiss. . . . .if you never listened to heavy metal then I know why, I made my trak thru heavy metal, but found most musicans flakes.I started playing sitar 4 yrs after I left the metal stuff behind. . . . . . . .Peace
Russ
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 09, 2002 10:30 a.m.

Kiss? Ewwww!!! That's not music!!! No wonder I did't know. Yes, I did listen to heavy metal, but my favorite was Black Sabbath. That was with Ozzy in the 70s, when the term "heavy metal" had not yet been coined. Uh oh, showing my age again. . .
Jeff
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 09, 2002 11:09 a.m.

I also grew up with Sabbath. The first time I heard the paranoid album I freaked, I thought it was the best thing around. I was never into KISS but all my friends were, with the posters,toys,books, lunchboxes and stuff I think they were more a vehicle for merchandising than a band. But anyway I love all types and styles of music, from punk to Indian classical, from Frank Zappa to John Fahey.
Jeffrey R King
K.K.
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 09, 2002 11:33 a.m.

Hi All: Hey, I grew up with Sabbath also. In fact it was a Black Sabbath concert, back in the early '70s, that changed my life, musically. Well, actually it wasn't Sabbath, it was their opening act, "Yes." - K.K.
Russ
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 09, 2002 02:34 p.m.

First concert I ever went to was Yes, in early spring of 1973 (Wakeman was intense!). That got me into electronics for a few years (had to put away the sitar for a while and pick up a moog). Yes opened for Sabbath? Wooow.

So anyway, you going to "Gourd", Neal? That is the question. . .
Russ
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 09, 2002 02:35 p.m.

Or was that Jeff. . .I'm confusing these threads again.
Jeff
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 09, 2002 04:09 p.m.

So anyway, you going to "Gourd", Neal? That is the question. . .[/quote]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes I feel like a gourd, sometimes I dont. But I always feel like a nut!
Jeffrey R King
Stephen
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 10, 2002 08:22 a.m.

I too, was a follower of Steve Howe's work with Yes, Jerry Jones Coral Sitar on Siberian Khattru. And the solo work after Yes by Chris Squire is some of the best bass work ever, on par with Jaco Pastorius or Miroslav Vitrous.
K.K.
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 10, 2002 11:39 a.m.

Hi All: (I know this isn't a "YES" fan board, but some of their music does have ICM influences:) I've seen every version of the band live except for the "rutles" version (minus Jon Anderson) I saw the band a couple of weeks ago here in L.A. (Rick Wakeman is back with them!) and they're in TOP form. They'll be doing a second leg of their tour next summer. DON"T MISS THEM. "All things must pass." - K.K.
Stephen
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 10, 2002 03:13 p.m.

I'm not going to tell you guys how I was thrown out of a Yes concert one night long ago. But in my defense, I will add that they should have thrown about 7,000 others out too. Fortunatly, it was during the encore and not their opening number. Ah, the Yestales I could tell.
Russ
Re:To Gourd Or Not To Gourd Sep 10, 2002 04:29 p.m.

Aw, go on. . .be a devil!
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