Sitar Holder Flex
The traditional sitting position for playing sitar - cross-legged on the floor with the instrument resting on the left foot - is a big problem for many sitar lovers. It may even spoil the joy of playing permanently. Our sitar holder SitarFlex offers a solution for this problem.
SitarFlex was developed by a German sitar player and engineer and holds the sitar stable and steady in the desired playing position - with the body on the ground and the neck pointing diagonally upward in an angle of about 45 degrees. That way neither a specific leg position is required to keep the sitar in position, nor a pressure of the right forearm. The instrument stands completely by itself!
The base of SitarFlex is a curved steel pipe, coated by a soft foam padding. This is were the gourd resonator is placed. The top end of the pipeholds a hook for a fabric ribbon. The other end of the ribbon is placed around the base of the neck of the sitar, underneath the sympathetic strings. The angle of the instrument's neck can be set by adjusting the length and position of the ribbon. Thanks to the flexibility of the ribbon and the elasticity of the steel pipe, the sitar is not fixed rigidly, but can be move slightly while playing without losing stability. This results in a very organic feel.
SitarFlex allows for a relatively traditional sitting position on the ground. However, you have the freedom to cross your legs or stretch them at will. SitarFlex can be used equally well to play on a sofa or a bed. The padded base pipe is then simply pushed underneath your legs. You can also use SitarFlex for storing the instrument upright without any external support (e.g. a wall).
Basic video demo: handling & use on the floor (in German).
Advanced video demo: use on a chair (in German).
Measure of base: 70 x 25 x 20 cm, weight: 0.65 kg