The Electronic Sitar Controller

This paper describes the design of an Electronic Sitar controller, adigitally modified version of Saraswati's (the Hindu Goddess ofMusic) 19-stringed, pumpkin shelled, traditional North Indianinstrument. The ESitar uses sensor technology to extract gesturalinformation from a performer, deducing music information suchas pitch, pluck timing, thumb pressure, and 3-axes of head tilt totrigger real-time sounds and graphics. It allows for a variety oftraditional sitar technique as well as new performance methods.Graphical feedback allows for artistic display and pedagogicalfeedback. The ESitar uses a programmable Atmel microprocessorwhich outputs control messages via a standard MIDI jack.