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Djovari: Giving Greater Life to Your Sitar, continued Back to Indian instrument FAQs: 11. Now a last problem has to be solved: The final adjustment of the first string. Here the parabolic curve, already sanded (see section 9), will not work sufficiently because this string is played on all frets, and not only on the lower ones. Therefore, the curve must be refined in such a way that the slope invisibly starts already at the line dividing square 7 from square 11 (see fig. 3). It may end about 1,5 mm under the original edge of the bridge (see fig. 11 ) or about 0,5 mm under the edge of the already ground parabolic curve. To demonstrate this the final surface of the bridge is designed here in the geographer's manner, making the hills and the valleys on a map visible by the help of lines.
The revised curve for the first string is worked out properly when the string gives an equally strong and colourful tone on every fret. 12. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to shape really fine curves even at a second try. To achieve a good result the Sitarist should, therefore, control each string and its curve again and again, * either by blackening the string with a pencil or with ink (which must be completely dry before it is brought in contact with the bridge) so that he can clearly observe where, and where not, the string touches the bridge. * or by removing the strings and then rubbing the surface of the bridge lightly with fine sandpaper. The strings - strung again- will now leave shining marks on the rubbed surface. These marks clearly make visible whether there are undesired unevennesses in the respective curve muffling the sound in certain frequency ranges. 13. Once this time-consuming job is done the Sitarist should take a soft black pencil and cover the bridge with a triangular layer of graphite underneath the first string:
The graphite serves as a very efficient lubricant which can double the life of the bridge. Usually is not worth-while lubricating the other strings, because they are not pulled sideways as frequently and therefore will not eat away the bridge as fast as the melody string. 14. With the experience he has now acquired the Sitarist will not meet any problems when preparing the small bridge designed to hold the sympathetic strings. The procedure is quite similar: First, the small bridge must be flattened. Second: The surface should be divided by pencil lines for the purpose of control.
After this the squares 10, 11 and 12, and the squares 1, 2 and 3 have to be rounded in a very slight curve. No tricky parabola is required here because the sympathetic strings are not pressed down on any frets. There is only one point to be observed: The long (deep) sympathetic strings arrive almost horizontally at the bridge, but the higher ones reach the bridge at a steeper angle due to their shortness.
For this reason the small bridge should have a little slope as shown in the following figure:
Nevertheless it may happen that the sympathetic strings do not work properly in the beginning. In that case the Sitarist should be patient: Sympathetic strings sometimes need a little time to learn their duty. If they still remain mute even after some hours of intensive playing they should be re-inspected following the methods described in section 12. A Western Sitarist must not forget that performing the Djovari procedure is a relatively well-paid profession in India. If he is not successful at once he would be advised to develop some Eastern virtues, namely patience, a spirit of surrender and the feeling that time is not a limited quantity but an infinite quality: The perfect Djovari is virtually a never-ending business. <<<< Back to: Previous page |
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