SAROD

also called Rabob, northern Indian musical instrument of the lute family, played in classical dance orchestras and as a solo instrument with tabla (drums) and tamboura (drone-lute) from about 950. It is played either by plucking or by bowing. The sarod has a deep body with a skin belly, a broad neck with an unfretted metal fingerboard, four melody strings, and several sympathetically vibrating strings. The melody strings are tuned cfgc, beginning with middle C.