The Dronitar; A Scrap Made Motorized Sitar

This peculiar instrument, called the Dronitar,  is completely made from scrap. Interestingly, it sounds pretty good. You can hear the dronitar in action in the video after the break.The call this a  “2 stringed” instrument,and most who are instrumentally savvy will find a bit of confusion here. They are referring to the string that you play as well as a small string that is struck against the other by a motor to create the droning effect. The result sounds very much like a sitar mixed with a bit of surfer rock styling.  You’ll note that they’re even using a second motor as the pickup!

9 thoughts on “The Dronitar; A Scrap Made Motorized Sitar

  1. I believe there are actually 2 playable strings, as per the video.

    Also in the video it looks like there are two motors at play for the string striking? Unless the spinning in the body is driven by the one in the neck in a hidden way.

      1. Correct! 2 playable strings, and 2 motors, one is an actual motor and the other I used as the pickup. I had to set the spinning one as far from the pickup one as possible as there’s a lot of noise/interference when they’re close together.

        I routered a groove in the neck to house a piece of strimmer wire that spun underneath the frets and tied to the piece of string that hits the wires.

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