sarod
A fretless stringed instrument of North India, known for its deep, resonant tone and powerful meend.
In Depth
The sarod has a metal fingerboard with no frets, allowing unlimited microtonal sliding. Its 25 strings (4-5 melody, 2 drone, 2 rhythm, and 15-16 sympathetic) are plucked with a coconut shell plectrum, producing a bright, metallic attack that sustains into a warm, resonant tone. The sarod excels at rapid passages and dramatic meend. Amjad Ali Khan and Ali Akbar Khan are among the most celebrated sarod players in Hindustani music.
Ali Akbar Khan was the first Indian musician to release a Western LP of Indian classical music (1955), introducing the sarod and raga to Western audiences before Ravi Shankar.