The Sounds Of India

Interesting, especially the narration about various aspects of Indian music. Not really for me, but good for someone who wants to appreciate Indian music more.

I understand the idea of conceiving some album that encapsulates the idea of Indian music and market it to a wider audience. However, out of the albums that I have heard from Ravi, this seems to not be his most grandiose and lush oeuvre, precisely tied to how accessible it sounds. 7/10 [KEEP]

Musically, this was not very interesting to me. It was neat to hear the explanation behind the structure of the songs though. Favorite track: Dadra

1001 Albums Generator 305 (6/3/2026) He's shredding that thing but it's not for me. 2/5. Favs: Dadra Sindhi-Bhaifavi Least Fav: An Introduction to Indian Music

The attempt to educate me about the music I was listening to was a very different approach to everything else I’ve heard on here so far. I appreciated that and enjoyed the vibe.

Thanks Ravi. You have left me even more confused about how Indian music is structured. One thing I did take away from his instruction was although the music is improvised, it is not like Western Jazz. Thanks Ravi, I can tell. The musicianship was very good and so were the tunes and I can appreciatethis for what it is, but I wouldn't choose to listen to this outside a restaurant setting.

Brilliant in Bombay…a struggle in Bassett.

I’m sure he is a master of his craft. As a westerner, I simply don’t care for the sound a sitar makes.

Gear: ZMF Auteur Classic LTD Shedua Artwork: 🪕🌿🏅 Production: 😌👂🧈 Music: 🧑‍🏫🐘💆 Rating: 🎒🎒/5

Not sure this is right for me. Maybe as inspirational theme music while playing an Indian inspired board game, but yeah. No.

kind of irritating

I enjoyed this sound and the lessons in between were fun, but it did feel like a 53 minute Sitar solo which would have been nice to mix up. It wasn't bad, but it just went on for too long. Not really my style Liked Songs: "Dádrá" and "Bhimpalasi"

Would have loved to have loved this, but it was kinda just messy. I didn't like him explaining what he was doing at the start of each song. 2/5

I appreciate it for what it is, but definitely not my kind of music. I can’t sit and listen to this kind of stuff all day, two stars.

Ik wil niet vervelend zijn, maar volgens mij is dit een lijst van popalbums. Dus waarom ineens deze Teleac-cursus Indiase klassieke muziek ertussen? Dat heeft hier toch niks te zoeken? Want waarom dan geen les Mozart voor beginners? Waarom geen Frank Groothof die Carmen van Bizet in het Nederlands brengt? Of Edwin Rutten vertelt Peter en de Wolf? En okee, misschien heeft deze plaat van Ravi Shankar Westerse popmuzikanten beïnvloed, maar pakweg de Beatles hebben zich toch ook laten inspireren door Bach, Beethoven, Mozart en al die anderen, en ik kan me niet herinneren die te zijn tegengekomen met de zouteloze commentaarstem van de cursusleider eronder. Dus met alle respect voor het virtuoze spel van meneer Shankar en de hele Indiase muziekgeschiedenis, maar ik wil een popalbum horen, geen muziekles krijgen. Daar hebben we de bovenmeester Leo Blokhuis al voor. Dat het verder een boel langdradig getokkel en getrom is, helpt ook al niet...

Nou zeg. Krijg ik les. En wel van een stereotype muziekdocent. Als je er niet van kan genieten, dan ligt dat vooral aan je eigen houding. Ben door zo'n snob al klaar met het album, voordat de echte muziek begint. Maar ach...eventjes is het allemaal wel leuk om te horen. Het duurt me alleen te lang. Het gaat me op de zenuwen werken. En als de docent nog een paar keer terug komt, vraag ik mij steeds meer af waarom dit nu een plekje in de lijst moet hebben. Youtube heeft dit inmiddels volledig overbodig gemaakt toch?

Het is allemaal leuk en aardig, maar hier moet je echt even zin en tijd voor hebben. En dat heb ik nu niet. Je weet precies wat je krijgt, het is niet verrassend. En wil dat ook niet zijn hoor. Eigenlijk wil Ravi laten horen wat Indiase muziek is, en dat is zeker te prijzen. Maar ik zet het voor vandaag af, want ik heb hier geen zin in. Ik zou het best op een ander moment op kunnen zetten, maar het is leuker voor een nummertje tussendoor of voor wat Indiase invloeden in wat modernere muziek (of desnoods the Beatles), dan dit. Dit is eigenlijk alsof je naar een sitarleraar gaat zitten luisteren en dat je het daarna na moet doen. Qua cijfer vind ik dit ook best lastig dan, want ik zet het af. En dat zou volgens een zure broeder altijd een 1 moeten zijn. Maar het heeft gewoon meer te maken, dat ik vandaag niet het geduld heb om het helemaal af te luisteren, dan met de muziek zelf. Dus ik maak er een 2 van, al dan niet terecht. Het is ergens interessant genoeg, maar het is als luisterervaring echt totaal het tegenovergestelde waar ik op dit moment zin in heb.

Some of it gave me anxiety listening to it, like the faster-paced stuff. I also do not understand how a song could have a 12 or 14 count time signature - truly impressive and unique!

Clearly a master, but this particular recording didn’t blow my mind.

Intersante concepto pero no muy mi estilo

Well this is different! Familiar with Ravi Shankar only through his influence on George Harrison, and his set on the Concert for Bangladesh. By itself, this gets a bit much and repetitive. But this sound is very familiar to any Beatles/Harrison fan but it also feels like it needs a rock tune and George’s voice to follow it. It’s fine as an intro or even a song or two but not sure it stands its own as a full album. 50 minutes is long. Although the introduction explaining the music is a fun thing to hear on an album and the random explanations throughout. 1 feels mean, because the sitar is such an interesting sound and this is the type of unique album this list is kind of meant for. So I’ll go 2, but I won’t ever listen to this again. There is some solid music that sounds good here in small doses. It’s just too much for a full album to keep me engaged. But perhaps I will appreciate a few Beatles songs a little more next time I listen to them.

It's quite interesting this, as a sort of historical and cultural artefact, and I do like the way that Ravi talks about how you're supposed to experience it in track one. Is it an album that I enjoyed listening to on a music level? Obviously not, it's a strange mix of boring, annoying and painful. I'm glad that he's made it, to be fair, because of the influence it had on Western music throughout the sixties, and I'm not doubting his genius. Just looking at a sitar gives me a complexity headache. So it's probably the most appreciative two stars I'll ever give.

2 por respect

reconozco q es bueno, no es mi estilo, no es lo que me gusta en musica y no me atrae

I'm not going to pretend like I was a fan of this album but I'm always appreciate that these sort of albums are on the list. 3/10

Somewhat predictably I have to hit this one with the 'Not For Me' stamp, but I thought the intro/explanation bits were sort of cool.

Listened to most of this, but it was interesting. Not my jam.

Who doesn't love having music explained to the? This guy

I can only imagine that in 1957 this was something that really pushed the boat out. It's easy to imagine with only a few record stores in your town and only a handful of radio stations to listen to, if you came across this for the first time it would just be so fundamentally different to anything else, like a world in itself. I did not listen to this album in 1957 however, I listened to it in 2026. Indian culture is not novel, it is far more present, and with music often permeating through the cultural membranes more than most aspects, I've heard the sounds of India for much of my life. This may have been the first, but it is by no means the best. I completely understand how this album and style may have held people, laymen and musicians both, in its thrall upon its first arrival, but to me this was a lengthy piece of work with far too much improvisation to be enjoyable and, with due respect Ravi, we are not in music class. Good music speaks for itself. Again I totally get why Sitar 101 was vital at the time of release, but I'd much prefer the music to simply speak for itself, which I can't say it did. A momentous piece of music history, but that doesn't have to mean it holds up. Ironically probably hits the brief of "worth a listen before you die" better than most stuff on here, but that doesn't have to be for all the right reasons in retrospect.

You don't have to like everything

Lots of people have sampled this. That’s about all it’s good for. I guess it’s okay background music at a low volume.

An extremely cool cultural lesson, but not an album I’ll be returning to. I will say I am better for having had listened to this.

Interesting and educational but I'm not even nearly educated enough to enjoy this.

p138. 1957. 2 stars. Brilliantly played, but not my thing. Brings back too many memories of drunken nights and late night curry houses. Sorry.

Some of the theory explanations were a tad interesting, but listening to this whole album stone cold sober did not inspire joy.

Great musician. Not the best album for introducing his music.

Not for me but I’m sure people who are more accustomed to Indian music will enjoy this.

Een klein lesje Indiase Sitarmuziek. Helemaal terecht dit genre/instrument zich in deze lijst bevindt, gezien de bijzondere bijdrage aan de popmuziek eind jaren 60. Vind het zelf niet altijd even 'makkelijk' om naar de Sitar te luisteren, maar de manier waarop Ravi Shankar deze bespeelt vind ik wel mooi. Het is heel kalm en daarom niet zo intens. Heb het een klein uurtje aangehad tijdens het werken, en dat ging aardig. Toen was ik het wel een beetje beu moet ik zeggen. Maar dit is wel precies waarom ik aan deze zotte challenge mee doe, eventjes die grenzen oprekken. 6/10

The Good: Yes The Bad: Uhmmm… no garlic nan bread… The Ugly: The pain in my ear from too much sitar… I know, there’s an H somewhere in sitar… sue me. Ravi Shankar is the goat of his style of music, I will not deny that. Also undeniable is that he influenced one too many western artist in the ‘60s who were all going through identity crisissessss Crisi… whatever. Thanks for the lesson on classical Indian music. Thanks for introducing the sitar to the world. Thanks for nothing. World music is all lovely and such, however, there is a limit to my patience… also, why aren’t there any Japanese “opera” kind of albums on here? 2*

instructional - prefer george harrison stuff

Indian

Not in the top 10,000 albums

Not really my thing but the discussion of theory was interesting.

Educational but not inspirational

Others cite him as a key influence, but not me

Not my thing

Amazing virtuosity. But it does feel like a school music lesson. It's going to take me more than 24 hours to adjust to a wholly new (to me) form of music, despite the instructions. 2*

This is just a lot of sitar at once

Am I an expert on Indian music now? 2.5 stars.

neat but not my thing

This is #day589 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's been a hell of a week, and I'm not sure a classical Indian music record (the second one in the last two weeks, if memory serves me) is how I feel like wrapping it up. But what can you do against a random generator? Of course, the man's influence on the 60s Western rock, particularly the Beatles, is undeniable. I'd also completely forgotten he's Norah Jones' father. Otherwise, not something I'd ever reach out for on my own. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day590.

#888. He's really good at it, I'm just not interested 2/5: I can smell this album

Jako mi je bio kul početak albuma kao edukacija, baš originalno i zanimljivo. Ostatak albuma mi je baš bilo teško slušati u komadu jer je specifična glazba i uši mi se umore, nema mi dovoljno dinamike. 2/5, 3/10

Although Ravi Shankar was a world-renowned musician, I never heard his music until now. There were no Indian music stations on the radio back then. I enjoyed that he taught us Indian music fundamentals on this album - sort of Music 101. Too bad Indian music is not for me. He’s obviously a great player.

Day 19 — Ravi Shankar — The Sounds of India (1957) Listened: Mar 16–17, 2026 Genre: Indian Classical / Hindustani Classical / World Music Vibe: Meditative and educational — a guided journey through Indian classical music, building from individual sitar and tabla lessons into energetic, spiritual raga performances Highlights: • Máry-Bihág • Bhimpalasi Impression: Enjoyed learning how the sitar and percussion work individually and together. The narrated structure made it genuinely interesting as both a listening and educational experience. Rating: 2.1/5 Keep songs? Yes Revisit album? Maybe

40 min sitar solo was not what I expected to return to. Hard to appreciate out of its introductory context.

So this is impressive and obviously requires great talent. There’s a fun conversation happening between the three instruments that’s made more impressive by the explanation at the beginning. Unfortunately it doesn’t really sound good to me and that’s ultimately what I’m judging here.

Definitvely not my thing. Its an album that sounds more like a youtube learning to play video. Its educational for sure about hindi music and their composing methods but not my favorite thing either listening to class like if it was music nor the hindi music

I really can't give it a fair rating because I'm simply not used to this kind of music. What I definitely don't like is the character of an audio-lesson.

I gave some real appreciation for the formatting of the album, but I don’t think it necessarily works in this context. The first track is an Introduction to Indian Music, but it didn’t feel quite like it. To me, the album as a whole was mainly Indian sounds. I think either having a more proper introduction or diving deeper into sounds that would be unfamiliar to a Western audience would be a better route to go on. Instead, this album is stuck in a liminal space where there’s not much to follow while also not painting a full picture of different sounds. There are some explanations and introductions, which I think is a positive for the album, but I think following up on them further would do so much. Technically skilled no doubt about it, but for an introduction I think there’s a lot of emptiness. Faves: n/a

Sitar is just not for me

Not sure a tutorial needs to be on the list

I started out thinking this was pretty ok. Not my cup of tea, but kind of cool to hear another cultures music. But then he just kept counting. Not singing, just counting over the music. Then each song is like 20 minutes long or something and it just got so repetitive. Then I had to turn it off for a bit and when I turned it back on it was just so grating that I was mad I had to finish it and just said, “nope” out loud and turned it off.

I appreciate Shankar explaining Indian music to Western audiences, but those intros also make this feel like musical homework.

Ok 2/5

Ei paljoa intialainen pimputus kiinnosta

i have a lot of respect for an album that includes listening instructions, however listening to this while i was trying to cram write a uni essay did make me feel like i was about 3 seconds away from a panic attack

While I appreciate the lesson on the sounds of Indian music and appreciate the different elements that it brings, I did not want to start my day off listening to this.

I can certainly appreciate his talent, but not in the mood. 2

Really enjoyed the vibes here. The Sitar playing is incredible. However, I felt like I needed a bit more structure and melody. Even though the introduction told me there wouldn’t be. Dádrà was amazing and fast paced throughout. The other songs didn’t quite reach the same level

I have virtually no interest in Indian music, and this was very uninteresting. extended Talking segments and just generally not really anything that I really enjoyed

Well. That was very interesting. I love how Shankar prefaced this by explaining traditional Indian music compared to western music, it really did help me appreciate not only the technique involved in creating this type of music, but also what this music means in a cultural sense. I can't say that this is something I'll go to back consistently, but I definitely do appreciate the unique culture this is situated in.

Really enjoyed the live / spoken / teaching aspects of the album. Happy to have listened to this. The songs weren't totally for me in album form.

Fascinating album. It's not for me, but I'm extremely glad it's on this list. Experiencing these kinds of albums is important and educational.

Somewhat interesting, especially given the time period. I can dig some world sounds and some Indian sounds of this type and genre, but for some reason this particular spin was grating at times. Middle of the road here rounding down. 2.5/5

I can’t say that I enjoyed this, but it was interesting from a learning perspective. Hard to determine a beginning, middle or end, which may be the point. Pretty repetitive, and yet strangely hypnotic at times too.

Pretty cool that this album comes with instructions. Otherwise, this didn’t do much for me, very repetitive

Man, I don’t know. It was interesting and cool to broaden my world view. Ravi obviously got a lot of attention with the Beatles influence, etc. But I just don’t really find this super appealing. The sitar just sounds kind rattle-y. Like if you had guitar strings that weren’t sitting correctly in the bridge. And overall just sounds very dissonant with no resolve. Perhaps my ear palate is just too western to appreciate. 2

Thought this was gonna hit me right in my George Harrison...but it did not. 2.5/5

I appreciate getting something different, but this bored me.

2- Stars (4/15)

Fine but it goes on a bit and not really for me

This is an introduction to Indian Music. That's all you need to know. There is spoken word describing how it works and is constructed along with examples. If you're already well versed in Indian Music is this album ridiculous? Makes me think instantly of George Harrison.

Way better when blended with the Beatles.

The educational voiceover throws off the flow for me

Después de Scum de Napalm Death con 28 temas en 33 minutos esto está en el otro extremo. Con 4 temas y más de 50 minutos y una música en las antípodas en todos los sentidos imaginables. Conociendo otras cosas del autor, este en concreto no me ha gustado, supongo que en su momento sería interesante por cómo explica la música que está haciendo, pero poco más.

Interesting to see what this inspired but didn’t love that this was an instructional “how to” album

I'm torn with this. It's more like a an informational document than an album to be listened to. I play guitar, but listening to an entire album of just improvisation is tiring and it felt the same here. It's interesting and engaging at times, but it grows tedious over the course of the album.

Crazy this came out in the 50s

It’s fine, not really my vibe

I would have liked it better without the commentary.

Good to have it in the playlist to expand genres

The only people that MIGHT think this is essential listening in the western hemisphere are people that thought it was cool to go down the Beatles influence path. Even those people aren't listening to this on a daily basis. What are we doing here?

Kinda soothing. Sounded like I expected it to sounds. Doesn't sound dated. I don't know any Indian music though.

wish I was on some shroomies. If this wasn't attached to George Harrison, I doubt it would make this list. It's a fun listen but come on, not top 1000

I skipped over this album for a few weeks when I fell behind on this list. The artist was appeared in a crossword I did yesterday, so I figured it was time to come back to it. That story's about as enjoyable as this album was for me. Not to say it wasn't interesting. I don't know that I've ever listened to something where the artist introduced and explained aspects of the music I was about to hear like Shankar did here. It was refreshing in a unique way. But, I just didn't really like it all that much. The sitar is an exotic instrument to my American ears, and there was a lot of it here. I think I prefer when it's used as a subtle flourish in the music rather than as a major part of the mix like it was on this album. It was hard for me to really feel engaged, which was worsened by the lengths of the songs and album as a whole. I'm sure that's more my fault than the music's. I appreciate what he did here, and I think it's fair to have it on the list. I just don't really find this to be something I enjoy. I probably won't listen to it again anytime soon. Overall: 2.1/5

I was grateful for the educational aspect of this album. It would not have been nearly as interesting without it. That said, my sensibilities are probably too closely tuned to “western music” to find this engaging for very long. I can’t help but think that if it weren’t for The Beatles, I’d have no idea who this was and probably would not be listening to his album now.

Not for me

Found it long to listen to

This was odd, and not what I was expecting. Sounding like an instructional album, but once the music begins properly it is enjoyable and interesting simply because it is outside my wheelhouse. Got quite into it. Not sure how many times I’d return to it though.

Explaining music theory while you play feels a bit like a comedian explaining why a joke is funny

Technically brilliant but I’m not sure when I’ll ever want to listen to an hour of Indian classical music

- koulunpenkille joutu - joo emmä tätä koko mitalta jaksanut kuunnella, mutta ihan kivaa näpyttelyä

I used to listen to more ragas, but found it pretty hard to sit through this one. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood. I did enjoy the parts where he talked about the music and how it's made and particularly suggested how the western listener should approach Indian music.

Does what it says on the cover. Interesting, educational and some lovely rhythms and melodies. Also very repetitive and not really my thing but yous can see some of the influences in other genres since it was recorded in '57.

Neat intros explaining the theory behind Indian music. Great sounding sitars and tabla drums. I’m hearing a lot of Scottish or Irish musical parallels that I haven’t noticed with this kind of genre before. I enjoyed it overall as kind of an ambient listen… although I found the lead sitar activity a bit distracting. 2.7/5.0

While I do appreciate the explanations before the songs, sorry, but sitar music is not for me. I don't know why but it kinda gives me anxiety and even on the background the sound kinda bothered me. Might give it a go when I am not busy, but honestly I don't know if it will score more than 2 stars. . Also, is it a groundbreaking album just because George Harrison liked it?! I don't know...

It was fine, not a huge fan of pure acoustic.

interesting. I can respect it. But an hour of it is a bit much.

weird album which is more like a beginners guide for school kids somehow, its either 2 or 4 stars depending on how i feel today.

Very talented, but not for me.

interesting but dont see myself going back to this. rating it purely off of my taste and not the quality bc the quality was certainly impressive. and i liked hte introduction, it made it accessible

I learned that Ravi Shankar was not only George Harrison’s sitar teacher but also Norah Jones’s father, which already places him in a fascinating corner of music history. Unfortunately, his music doesn’t particularly resonate with me, but it’s clear that he’s an extraordinarily important figure in shaping how Indian classical music was introduced to the world.

60 minutes of any one instrument is a bit much.

2/5 - cool music but just not my thing

it's not for me. It's cool that George was into this but I cannot do a whole record of it.

Informative and interesting but just not something I long to hear again

all sound the same

Okay culturally. Seemed more of a lesson than an artistic piece to be enjoyed.

Listened to this one on a long car ride, very busy day and this one kind of went by. It is essentially an introduction of Indian music to Western audiences and it is enjoying to listen to Ravi play his sitar.

спасибо конечно, это прикольно, но не очень интересно музыкально для меня

I’m well aware that this will rank up there with the whitest, most Western-centric things I have or could ever say, but while this is broadly pleasant and inoffensive, I like this sound so much more when it has a Beatles song built around it. In its raw form, it’s 10-plus-minutes of drone and sitar that I must confess, I was ready to move on from when it was over.

Fine

I’m sure this is great for what it is, but no thanks.

I can’t 1 this, he means well and I’m sure is a great musician, but I just don’t like the way it sounds

No Ravi.

2.5 - Meh

Virtuosic playing and nice little lessons at the beginning of some of the tracks. Can't say I was mad about the actual music, but by the definition of "albums I should listen to before I die" it belongs on the list

I quite like Indian music, but I don't the ability to tell the difference between an accomplished musician/artist and a hack. This was ok, I made it all the way through, but it sounded no different from the music played in the Maharani restaurant on a Friday while having a lamb vindaloo.

Interesting listen, i found the instrumentals, like in the second song to be very hypnotic. Overall its not something i would listen to normally, but it was interesting to see how other cultures see music

I liked that the artist explained some of the musical components of music from India; however, I thought a lot of it sounded the same. I realize that the instruments were those which are associated with India, but I did wonder if the sound would have been more varied if different instruments would have been used.

From Metallica to…Ravi Shankar. Wow. Felt like it was background music for a crowded street scene in an adventure movie (Indiana Jones and the Golden Sitar?) Did I appreciate it? Yes. Would I listen to again? As background music...

Personally not a fan of Indian music. I can appreciate it's cultural aspect

Interesting but not really my thing.

Disappointing. I hoped I could like it at least a bit. Instead I got a headache. Note: When a man says that Western Man may not enjoy it due to it not having rhythm, he's not lying. 2 stars, mostly for the excellent sitar work, because that is literally the only thing going for the album.

This kind of music is very hit or miss. If it entrances you, it's great. If it doesn't, it's boring. It didn't entrance me.

No 2/5

It nice to listen but gets to blaaa after a while

it’s not exactly an album, not sure what to make of this

Not exactly my cup of tea, but it was cool and educational. Maybe I'll throw it on with an incense or some shit some day

Intressant med lite förklaringar.

You’ve one sitar album, you’ve heard them all.

This indian guy explaining stuff long before the youtube indian guys explained stuff. but i'm not open for this music

Influential maybe but not my thing.

Not my thang

while I enjoy listening to music from different cultures, this all sounded the same & blended together. and went on way too long.

I appreciate the musicianship and impact, but my western brain just doesn’t connect emotionally to this. It’s pleasant, kinda shoothing really. Just not my journey.

One long long loooooong song. I bet its really hard to play though

Very rough to rate. Not really enjoyable to listen to, but obviously very artistically impressive.

Maybe not my type of music.

not really my style 1.5/5

Right, my aural palate is obviously crap because this sounds exactly like the last sitar one we had.

„the western listener should hear this without prejudice“ .. oder so ähnlich. aber das ist schwer, und selbst mit erklärungen harte völkerübergreifende kulturkost.

i mean, props for trying but i really dont like this

I thought it was just okay… by the end my ears were just fatigued from the super metallic tones of the instruments, I was craving something smooth and warm to listen to afterwards, so ended up going for some D’Angelo. 4/10

Not a huge fan of sitar instrumentals. Craving butter chicken. I appreciate his legacy, especially headlining Woodstock and shaping the hippie's introduction into world music.

I understand it's influence but it really is much too trance-inducing for me.

rare pozycja, krazek z 57 ktory jak sam tytul wskazuje stara sie wytlumaczyc muzyke indyjska, ktora nazywa sie hindustani na nasze, na 53 minutach 5 trakow z czego pierwszy jest swoistym intro zeby zapoznac sluchacza z instrumentami, ktorych na calym nagraniu jest trzy sitarka, tabla do bebnienia i tanpura rowniez do szarpania jak sitar, pan ravi tlumaczy o co w ogole chodzi w ich muzyce, co najbardziej mi utkwilo mi z tego wywodu to porownanie do jazzowania i chyba nawet to slysze po dzisiejszym seansie, bo o ile zazwyczaj takie indyjskie klimaty sie zaslyszalo jedynie na jakims obskornym rokowaniu ala beatlesowym czy smiesznym filmiku, tak 50 minut bombardowania uszu takim brzmieniem uswiadamia czlowieka jak unikalne i inne sa indie nawet pod wzgledem muzycznym, ciekawy jestem jaka jest ocena tej pozycji na stronie, bo narstroje anty indyjskie na zachodzie sa chyba nowym goracym trendem nienawisci jesli chodzi o mniejszosci, ale samemu pomimo czilowania godzinnego w prawdziwie indyjskich warunkach wiecej niz dwoch gwiazdkow nie dam, bo poza ciezko szukac tam momentow, a jedynie wylewajacy sie klimat orientalizmu

Historically I understood why this album on the list but it is almost unlistenable..

Pretty good for what it is but I won’t be back

Yeah no thanks.

2. Like the music. The explanatory thing on the album is not my vibe.

"Além de seu valor musical, "The Sounds of India" é considerado um documento histórico importante por sua contribuição para a introdução da música clássica indiana no cenário musical ocidental". Mas...é muito enjoativo e cansativo.

Oof. I would not have made it through this except I used it as a soundtrack for a video game. I could not have listened just for listening's sake. It was interesting but too much. 2 stars.

A bit too monotonous for me, though he's probably a good player.

Appreciated the attempt at teaching the music. Definitely helped me understand what was going on more and kicked it up a star.

🤔😑

Very interesting. Not something I'd ever seek out. Bhimpalasi is a bop.

Hashish

Interesting to be that an instructional album made the list. Was a cool listen. I had to look up if he taught the beatles but I guess they just walked into a citar store and learned.

Got kinda good at the end

I enjoy variety and i delight in something new so this has its place. I didnt mind the wandering sound and the playing is obviously well done. My 2 issues are 1) its so alien to me i couldnt listen to this in an other way than an academic way, 2) its not really an album, more an introduction to a musical style

Even with the instructions, I still couldn't get it.

Gave it a shot, lot of it sounded the same, that’s just the sitar.

Never heard this before. I understand that it is an influential album, so I'm okay with it being on this list. But I don't plan on listening to it again.

Interesting but not musically that engaging.

Appreciate that I am now more educated in Indian music, but this didn't do much for me.

2.0/i can respect the genre and the influence it has but it's just not for me

He is certainly a master of his craft- But it isn't anything I have a desire to listen to for any extended period of time.

Kinda liked the lecture-like explanation mixed in.

Cool to learn a bit about the form. I like the sort of directors cut vibe to the album, and wish we could get that for some of the shitty albums on this list. “Hey mates this is Robbie Williams, and this song is supposed to make you wish you didn’t have ears.” It’s interesting to think about how taste is a product of environment. If I grew up in India and heard non diatonic music like this all the time, would this still be a challenging listen, or would I have be like hell yeah, the classics! Three stars in terms of an interesting artifact, but two if I’m being honest about my need to return.

-It’s easy to see how this made the list and how influential Indian music has been in rock and blues and r&b -I really liked the commentary but this felt more like a Indian music for dummies, like a language course -by the nature of the sitar and has he explained, it’s quite repetitive

Part of me wondered should I be meditating to this? While another part thought where’s my bong and a giant stack of naan and pot of vindaloo?

Rating: 3.5/10 Nah.

Ravi Shankar sounds like a prison attack move. "Man, I got ravi shankared out in the yard yesterday. I can barely walk now." The length of this album is practically unbearable since each of the 4 tracks (bypassing the first one since Ravi is providing an introduction to Indian Music) bleed into each other. The only way you can tell there is a separation is that Ravi feels the need to explain even more the difference of these sounds, and then proceeds to play the same fucking 10 minute song again. This sounded like the generic soundtrack to any movie where our reluctant hero has to enter a dusty and rarely visited international bodega in a neighborhood most white people avoid featuring teas, balms, and salves to cure every ailment under the sun. The music is neither bad nor good; it is... unnecessary.

I get the cultural place this album has, but this is one long sitar song. It is neither good, nor awe-inspiring and is most certainly not necessary on this list.

This got off to a great start when I realised it was 5 tracks but 53 minutes, and one of those tracks was greyed out on Amazon, so I had to find it on YouTube. Plus the only track on Sgt. Pepper I have never liked is the one inspired by Ravi Shankar. But Ravi told me I had to listen with an open mind, so I really did try... Less an album to listen to for entertainment and more a sitar lesson, I can absolutely see they're skilled musicians but it's just not for me. I would rather listen to his daughter (sorry Ravi, but Come Away With Me is a lovely song). 2/5

..

2 sterne

Would be lying if I said I loved it, but I do love the approach! Super cool

Naahr

The little bit of a music theory lesson was troll. Now I know the sounds of India!

Just not terribly listenable, especially at an album length.

I know The Beatles were very influenced by this guy so they get extra points for that but I literally cannot think of a situation where i would listen to this again. 5/10 Favourite: Dádrá Least Favourite: Bhimpalási

I'm glad this album is on the list, its exposed me to something new and broadened my musical scope. That said, I didn't enjoy it that much. It was good while working but didn't engage me too much. I enjoyed the narration to call out some differences.

I appreciate the intro, but it's not for me.

endnu et megasjovt valg fra Indien. Det lyder da meget godt men det er generelt ikke noget, jeg synes er super interessant at lytte til

I appreciated the lesson to learn more about the genre, but it was still a very hard listen. It gave a bit more context to some of the King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's microtonal explorations (KG, LW)

I have respect for the playing. It’s just not my thing. There’s some real talent there.

Did I enjoy this? No. Was it an interesting exploration into the music of another culture? Yes. Whilst I can appreciate the talent, I really found this a slog to get through. Maybe I need to listen to more to fully appreciate it. Either way, not a fun listen, but plus one for the educational parts.

Ravi - the father of the great Norah Jones. While I appreciate the artistry of his music, I am not of fan of sitar music in this large of a dose.

World music India

Not my style of music. I appreciate the lesson but still, no thank you.

Informative and unique

Interesting intro to sitar but I won’t listen to this again

Interesting and educational too, but not a repeat listen.

What if that guy you know who is always playing obnoxious guitar solos instead played a Sitar? I think you would get this album. I didn't necessarily dislike it, but I would have liked it more if every song was cut in half.

Honestly if your album starts off with an explanation of the music you've already lost. This is nothing but a historical artifact which I kinda get if you're going to include make a list about the albums you should listen to before you die. From an enjoyment perspective... I can appreciate it but will not be listening to it again ever again lol 4/10.

Makes for some okay background music. But it needs to be far enough into the background that the high notes don't annoy the shit out of you. Something about the way the sitar notes play. It's like there's a whammy bar on every other note. Which is cool but it gets to be too much.

Stopped paying attention at a certain point

Не зашло

Interesting from a historical and educational perspective, but not a great listen.

I'm sure this is amazing and really technical, but sitar music is similar to electronica for me--just background.

This guy is clearly good at what he does. But it's not for me. 2.5

All sounds the same.

This is just a banjo with an accent.

I appreciate his talent.

I find this more interesting and a bit meditative than great. as someone who likes to learn about music It's fun to dive into other cultures different musical systems like micro tonal music. as a 1001 album it feels like there are probably more accessible albums to choose. so this is not for people who don't like non-western harmony I won't claim I'm that it was eyeopening for me but as he said in the beginning "don't expect anything". If you want to give it a chance just don't focus on the music and just let it wash over you like a sound bed. maybe you like it, maybe you don't. personally it was interesting and i did enjoy some of it but wouldn't re-listen to it.

Yes, there are only five songs, which excited me a lot at first, but that means that you get a lot more of those last four extremely long tracks, because the overall length is of a normal album. There is some sort of a tutorial in the first 4-minute song and then after that, he just parties with that instrument. Overall, pretty alright as a background listen but definitely not too easy focusing on it throughout, and yet slightly interesting though.

As a long time musician and listener, I like to think myself to be a student of music, but this was too much like a lecture to be an enjoyable album to just listen to. I enjoyed the explanations he gives, but it takes away from the listening experience almost 100%

While quite good from a technical standpoint, it's not really my thing.

jesus you’d think from this list that there hasn’t been music made in India in the last 60 years

A rather interesting introduction to Indian music to western audiences from Ravi Shankar, that is both groundbreaking and intriguing. Unfortunately, I still don't "get" it nor do I find the music easy to listen to. I realize it was historical with Ravi's interactions with the Beatles, but I usually skip over those songs with Sitar, because in my opinion it "ruins" an otherwise decent song. Sorry, not a fan of the sitar.

Not very good for listening to, but it was interesting to hear him explain things and it was probably important at the time

Love me some microtones but this is quite repetitive.

interesting in a scholar way, headache inducing after a while

mehhhhh

Kuulostaa miellyttävältä. Mietin vain, miksi just tämä levy - nimenomaanko siksi, että se opettaa länsimaisen kuuntelijan kuuntelemaan itseään? Kyllä introsta hyötyä todella oli, mutta sen myötä levy tuntui joltain maailmannäyttelyteokselta eikä omalta itsenäiseltä teokseltaan. Ehkä projisoin, mutta tää tuntui silotellulta.

Opetus käy vähän raskaaksi parin kerran jälkeen, ja vaikka minun on mahdotonta pysyä musiikin kanssa kärryillä, se on kuulemisen arvoista ainakin intensiivisimmillään - mikä kertoo harjaantumattomuudestani.

I've had a lot of world music this week and this one was the most boring so far. I thought it would be intersting since it opens with some listening exercises, which is kind of cool on a first listen, but these songs are all just too long and too homogenous for me to want to listen to more. Ravi Shankar is obviously talented and this feels very influential to a lot of stereotypical Indian music and psych music with Indian flares, but a whole album of it is pretty dull.

4/10

This one felt educational. Like sure I enjoyed what I was learning, but I do not feel the need to repeat the same lesson again in the same way.

no world, 欣赏不来

I can appreciate the historical significance of Ravi Shankar's music, particularly when considered in combination with his influence on various rock/pop artists in the 60s, but The Sounds Of India is definitely more of a historical curiosity than an enjoyable album experience. I'll start with the pros. Shankar's sitar playing is fantastic. The tabla is also clearly being played skilfully, and the result is a smooth, dextrous journey wrapped in a reasonably neat 53-minute package. A little long, sure, but there are very few actual records with this genre of music, and it's good to have it out there. I also enjoy Shankar's brief spoken-word explanations of the musical theory behind each track. Now for the cons. 53 minutes is a passable runtime for records in general, but classical Indian instruments have an issue: the tanpura. Its one-note drone is fine in small doses or as atmospheric background music, but for almost an hour of close listening, it gets stale really quickly. Inclusion of a tanpura also insists upon commitment to a single key for the entire album, even if the musical modes change every ten minutes or so. (Relatedly: a small nitpick about Shankar's spoken word. He says in the first track that Indian music doesn't use modes – at least, not in the Western sense – but then uses four or five standard Western modes, including Lydian, Mixolydian, and Phrygian, in the album's tracks. What gives?) The album is a bit of a darg, lacking much in the way of textural variation, harmony (aside from the one chord), dynamic changes, or melody. Really, the whole thing is a sitar solo. Props to Shankar, I guess – but it's not really for me. 2/5 Key tracks: Dádrá

Nice to have some Indian representation, but it all sounds like the same sound. It bothered me that the artist was doing a music lesson, it didn't add anything for me.

While I can certainly get down with some sitar on occasion, this was actively giving me a headache to listen to. Perhaps with repeated exposure I would develop a better understanding, but without familiar structures this became pretty taxing background music. This is not to say that the sounds aren't interesting -- they are. But unfortunately not something I can listen to and derive enjoyment from. Probably my loss, but from an enjoyment perspective this is a 2 for me.

I liked how he explained the musical techniques at the beginning of each song. But those songs were way too long and repetitive and honestly this type of music hurts my head after a while

I kinda liked the music, but I didn't care for all the talking. Between the accent, speaking volume, and content, I didn't really understand much of it and it detracted from the flow of the music itself. 2.5/5

Interesting. Definitely creates an atmosphere, a mood. Not an album I’m apt to pop on at home just for like an everyday listen, but in the right situation it’s nice.

It was kind of Ravi to introduce me to the music of India. Unfortunately, it’s just not my taste.

I like how he explained the albums before so I could really not understand the appeal to the music.

Ravi Shankar was obviously influential on western pop music but i just can’t bear the sound!

Historically interesting but not my bag.

Wtf is blud yapping about

Idian songs

Never heard this before. I understand that it is an influential album, so I'm okay with it being on this list. But I don't plan on listening to it again.

Informative

I mean he's clearly very skilled and The Beatles clearly utilized this style a lot. I am however not really big on citar and don't have much knowledge in this type of music. It was ok I guess but I was quite bored by the end. Strong 2 star (feels a bit harsh though).

Despite Ravi’s patient lessons at the start of each track, I can’t consider myself enough of an expert on Indian music to discern if this album is a particularly proficient or exceptional example of the genre. I can only go on feel, and my feeling is that I was neither calmed, nor entranced by this in the same way I have been with other sitar-heavy records that have appeared on this list. There’s probably a time and place where it would click more for me, but it’s not right here or right now.

This would be great in an introduction to music class. Did not enjoy as background music. 2/5

Eh. Not my kind of music

Clearly quality but not my thing at all

well this was a change from the usual. 53 minutes of sitar noodling from the 50s definitely wasn't on my bingo card. this had some cool moments, but overall just felt like a fun little 4-minute intro song and then a 49-minute block of the same thing. no vocals other than ravi's voiceover and nothing to really break it up. this is a 2.5 for me but i don't see myself ever listening to any of these songs again, so I'm gonna have to round down. sorry ravi favorites: an introduction to indian music

- Es war nicht schlecht aber einfach zu situationsbedingt. - Und dafür, dass es einen Einblick in die indische FOlklore bieten soll, war es erschreckend einseitig 2/5

- Mischung aus hypnotisierend und mal nervig gewesen - fand ich als "Erlebnis" ganz cool, würde es aber wahrscheinlich nicht wieder hören

Not my vibe

Like a lot of jazz on this list, I can appreciate the mastery of an instrument, but ultimately this is not an album or a genre that I would return to for listening pleasure.

I have drowned in sitar. I very much appreciate Ravi Shankar’s educational approach to introducing western audiences to Indian music. I want to elevate my rating based on his passion for teaching. But ultimately, I am glad this album is over and I won’t be returning for more. Thanks for the education Mr. Shankar!

The tutorial concept is cool. It didn't help but I appreciate the effort

While I can appreciate this album, it's not one I'll be going back to listen to

Eh, not for me.

Pretty trippy, probably good to listen to high. Nice that he explains what is going on even though it is probably too complicated for me and I don't really understand it. Nice music and the guy can really play, just not sure it is for me.

That was boring

Bastante rollo. Aunque me hacen gracias las canciones en las que cuenta.

Will this be on the test.

Appreciate the instructions and context but it's still talent I don't appreciate

In football terms, he missed a sitar.

Nice indian music class!

Perfectly fine as a cultural waypoint but not really why I'm here.

I saw Ravi's tabla drummer live with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. It was a strange exercise, as is listening to this album. There's the music, then everything the music recalls from pop culture. I have to go back to basics - how much did I enjoy listening to it? Not all that much. I simply don't enjoy this sound.

I like this music when I have dinner at an Indian place. Other than that, I’m good.

I can understanhd why this was a groundbreaking release in 1957. But it didn't really resonate with me.

It's a shame I got this when I'm 28 weeks pregnant because I wasn't able to take some mushrooms or something and optimise my listening experience. I would probably only ever listen again on drugs, but I understand why it's made the list.

Enquanto objeto de estudo é interessante, como álbum de música, não

Not for me, but I admire artistry and the explanation of the music is very educational.

I doubt how important this album is but i can appreciate what its doing. interesting artifact, and bro shreds tho

Well, if I’m ever interested in listening to an hour long sitar solo I now know where to look. 2.0

There is no denying the talent and influence of Ravi Shankar. But personally, 50 minutes of this sound was a bit much. And since the tracks are so long I can’t even pinpoint which ones I liked or not even though there were great moments.

Sorry

Just a little too much sitar for my liking

I can’t. I tried. How is even on the list.

Educational and interesting but not something that I’m going to crave. Still, you can’t front the impact that Shankar had on music.

Interesting, and probably something I would never normally listen to. 5/10

I liked the talk about microtones and the counting to like 15 or whatever, but to my western ears it all sounds the same.

3/10 Strange one this. Clearly excellent, maybe genius level, musicianship, but I didn’t like it very much. It’s barely an album - more an introduction to Indian music styles with some demonstrations Shankar (slightly dismissively) says that it might sound without melody and harmony to Western ears. Well I happen to like both of those… As a result I found it pretty boring although it had some moments and sections that were engaging and listenable Not for me

At first I thought that this would be the album I'd have to skip - I'm glad I didn't, even though it's not my type of music I kinda enjoyed it.

Legendary sitar work, but its still a 2.

Good intro to the music; has ample explanation, especially with a music background. Feels greenish.

Unique sound

Another album that is all background for me. I can appreciate the significance, but for me this music cuts through in an unpleasant way.

Interesting musical theory if you plan on learning how to play the sitar, but for a record I need to hear... I don't think I needed to hear this one. The music is ok in it, but not my favorite. Interestingly, I had his nephew, Ananda Shankar for an album a few days ago. Favourite songs: Dadra Least favourite songs: Maru-Bihag 2/5

I appreciate the talent, the historical significance, and the uniqueness. I appreciated the little lessons at the beginning and the music is genuinely good. I'd rather listen to the Beatles.

Always fun to hear another country’s music. Sad to say that it still didn’t resonate with me even with the instructions. Rating: 2.1

An album with a tutorial, it's interesting but does that make it essential? I don't think so. In the background it was fairly nice to have on but its just 50 minutes of sitar and tabla.

A nice change to the usual Western sounds so thankful for that. I enjoyed it in the background largely. Not sure I really need a tutorial, but fair enough! I think 2 is fair

I recognize the musical talent but cannot listen for too long. Discordant. Twangy.

Interesting as a lesson on Indian music, not interesting as an album

I liked it more than I thought I would, but still not a huge fan of the genre. An entire album is a lot.

60 years ago I could see where this was mind blowing but now it just feels hallow

not as bad as I was thinking. never have to listen to this much all together again....instrumental stuff better than words