THE EXOTIC SOUND of the sitar as played by Indian master Ravi Shankar had a huge impact on George Harrison, who started playing one in 1965, famously using it on “Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown)” from Rubber Soul. That in turn inspired others to deploy the buzzy, droning sound on their own recordings, including Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, who played a sitar on “Paint It Black” in 1966, following the Beatles by just a few months.
Seeking a more practical instrument that could cop the sitar
