Guitar: Emulating a sitar sound via vst effects

[AudioBabble]

Hey all, just wondering if anyone has any ideas on this?

Specifically, I'm looking to emulate a sitar-esque sound using effects plugins on electric guitar.

Years ago, I used to use a Korg Ax3000G guitar multi-effects which had an effect called a "hyper-resonator", on the right setting this had a sitar-like sound which I used to enjoy using.

These days, with the plethora of possibilities via vst effects, I'm wondering if there are any particular effects I could use (maybe a chain of effects) to achieve a sitar-like sound.

I'm not expecting or even wanting to faithfully recreate the sound of a sitar as such... there are sample instruments for that, I'm more interested in the sonic possibilities on guitar (being my primary instrument) for something interestingly different.

Just mulling around in my head the various elements that make a sitar sound like it does - the twangy rasping quality mainly that sounds a bit like constant fret-buzz... and wondering what kind of effects would achieve that.

Cheers

[nix808]

Electro-Harmonix Ravish hardware pedal may be what u need
-otherwise MIDI guitar is cool for any sound

...bring on some curious VSTfx chains otherwise!

[AudioBabble]

Thanks.. the Ravish sounds really nice, but would a bit of an extravagance to be honest!

I'm thinking there must be ways of achieving the same sort of sound with vst effects. Off the top of my head, I can hear octave, envelope filters and harmony effects, maybe some short delay with feedback.

Will have to do some experimenting

[nix808]

I actually have a sitar, made by the same manufacturer as Ravi Shankar
-Sanjay Rikki Ram

it's damn hard to play

-beyond all else, it's MIDI guitar you want to look at too,
as well as twisted fx chains

[Tj Shredder]

A comb filter with high feedback tuned to the guitar tone could be one part. Then a Sitar also has resonance strings, which also can be realized with tuned comb filters, but in that case have a fixed resonance... Read up on sitar tuning and you'd get an idea...

[nix808]

my sitar has 18 strings
12 of which are sympathetic

[CapnLockheed]

G-soniue has a dedicated Sitar plugin, Kashmir, that's supposed to be a clone of the aforementioned EHX Ravish, (which I own and it's quite good), have not tried the soft emu tho.

https://www.123creative.com/vst-guitar- ... mpbox.html

Also, as mentioned, comb filters can get get into the ballpark. Adding ring mods and/or flangers can bring a bit more realism to the table. I used to use several of Oli Larkin's plugs to get this type of sound, but those appear to be discontinued. He does have a current plug that might be useful in this application:

http://www.olilarkin.co.uk/index.php?p=eseries

[AudioBabble]

I actually have a sitar, made by the same manufacturer as Ravi Shankar
-Sanjay Rikki Ram

it's damn hard to play

-beyond all else, it's MIDI guitar you want to look at too,
as well as twisted fx chains

as it happens, so do I! An impulse-buy from the shop window of an "ethnic" shop in Oxford's main shopping arcade that was closing down... years ago.

Yes I also found it fiendishly difficult to play and probably not the best quality instrument anyway. I have absolutely nowhere to put it at the moment so it remains in storage

[nix808]

oh sweet
god knows how the scale works
when u need strings, they r piano strings
the mesh up of ancient technology and modern is curious
I have ivory and polyethylene in mine

it's a coincidence that 'Oxfam' here in Australia would carry handmade instruments like these,
as far as I can recall it

[k2006]

PSP pianoverb and maybe Surge synth as effect - it has comb filters,feedback, resonator (mutable rings)etc.i found this old post by "funkadil"on simulating sitar in Surge viewtopic.php?t=253596

[AudioBabble]

G-soniue has a dedicated Sitar plugin, Kashmir, that's supposed to be a clone of the aforementioned EHX Ravish, (which I own and it's quite good), have not tried the soft emu tho.

https://www.123creative.com/vst-guitar- ... mpbox.html

Also, as mentioned, comb filters can get get into the ballpark. Adding ring mods and/or flangers can bring a bit more realism to the table. I used to use several of Oli Larkin's plugs to get this type of sound, but those appear to be discontinued. He does have a current plug that might be useful in this application:

http://www.olilarkin.co.uk/index.php?p=eseries

Heard about that kashmir... the comments (here: viewtopic.php?t=404590) made me think twice, but worth taking a look at a demo

Endless series sounds like a must-have for all kinds of purposes - thanks for introducing me!

[AudioBabble]

PSP pianoverb and maybe Surge synth as effect - it has comb filters,feedback, resonator (mutable rings)etc.i found this old post by "funkadil"on simulating sitar in Surge viewtopic.php?t=253596

Will definitely check them out - open source/freeware too! Brilliant

[k2006]

forgot to mention that Surge as instrument has audio input and there is also a separate Surge effects.

[SoundExplosion]

Nice...