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- What the Persian tar is — history, shape, sound, and cultural significance
- How the tar is constructed and how many strings it has
- How the tar is played — technique, plectrum, and dastgah modal system
- Tar vs setar — key differences explained simply
- Persian music vocabulary every tar student should know
- Whether you can learn tar online and what to expect as a beginner
What Is the Persian Tar? A Beginner's Guide to Iran's Sultan of Instruments
The Persian tar — تار — is the most celebrated stringed instrument in Iranian classical music. Iranians call it sultan-e sāzha — the sultan of instruments — and it has earned that title across three centuries of Persian musical tradition.
If you are curious about Persian music, considering learning an instrument, or simply want to understand what you hear in classical Iranian recordings, this guide covers everything you need to know about the tar — in plain language, with Persian terminology included.
For those ready to take the next step, Danaa School offers online tar lessons taught by professional Persian musicians — for beginners, children, and advanced students alike.
Quick answer: The Persian tar is a long-necked, six-stringed plucked instrument made from walnut or mulberry wood, played with a small brass plectrum called a mezrāb. It is the central instrument of Persian classical music and has been played for around 250–300 years in its current form.
The History of the Persian Tar
The word tar — تار — simply means string in Persian. This single syllable connects a whole family of instruments: the setar (three strings), the dotar (two strings), and even, through ancient trade routes, the Indian sitar and the Western guitar — all share the same Persian root.
The tar in its modern form developed in Iran during the 18th century, most likely from earlier lute instruments. It reached its current six-string configuration in the 19th century and became the defining instrument of the Persian classical repertoire — the radif — the collection of traditional melodies that forms the foundation of Iranian music education.
Iranians regard the tar as so central to their musical identity that it was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012 — a recognition not just of the instrument itself but of the entire living tradition of knowledge passed from teacher to student for generations.
What Does the Persian Tar Look Like?
The tar has a distinctive double-bowl body — two figure-eight curves joined together, carved from a single piece of walnut wood. The soundboard is not wood but animal skin, stretched across the body, which gives the tar its distinctive warm, resonant tone unlike any Western stringed instrument.
The Body — کاسه
Double-bowl shape carved from walnut or mulberry wood. The two bowls give the tar its unmistakable silhouette and its balanced acoustic range from low to high.
The Soundboard — خرک
Made from stretched lambskin rather than wood. This membrane soundboard is what separates the tar's voice from all other plucked instruments — warm, intimate, slightly percussive.
The Neck — دسته
Long, slender neck with 25–28 movable gut frets tied onto the neck. These movable frets are essential — they allow Persian microtonal intervals that Western fixed-fret instruments cannot play.
The Strings — سیمها
Six strings arranged in three double courses — three pairs. The strings are tuned in C–C, G–G, and C–C, though tuning varies between dastgah modes and individual styles.
The Plectrum — مضراب
A small brass plectrum worn on the index finger. The mezrāb (mezzrab) delivers the tar's characteristic crisp, ringing attack. Technique with the mezrāb takes months to develop correctly.
The Tuning Pegs — گوشی
Six wooden tuning pegs — one for each string. Traditional friction pegs require regular adjustment, especially with changes in humidity and temperature.
What Does the Persian Tar Sound Like?
The tar has a sound unlike any Western instrument and unlike its close relative the setar. Because the soundboard is animal skin rather than wood, the tone is warmer and more percussive — somewhere between a lute and a banjo in character, but with a depth and modal complexity neither of those instruments can achieve.
The tar can be deeply expressive and melancholic in slow passages, and bright and rhythmically driving in fast sections. In Persian classical music it is used for both solo performance and to accompany the voice — making it as central to Iranian music as the piano is to Western classical tradition.
Dastgāh — modal system. Persian classical music is organised into seven dastgah (modes), each with its own emotional character, melodic patterns, and appropriate times of day. The tar is the primary instrument for expressing all seven.
Radif — the canon. The radif is the collection of traditional melodies — hundreds of pieces — that every Persian musician must learn. It is the foundation of classical training, transmitted from teacher to student.
Mezrāb — the plectrum technique. Not just the physical pick, but the full vocabulary of strokes — downstroke, upstroke, tremolo, resting stroke — that define a player's voice on the instrument.
How Is the Persian Tar Played?
The tar rests horizontally across the player's chest, supported by the right forearm, with the neck extending to the left. This position is specific to the tar — different from how you would hold a guitar or lute — and developing correct posture from the beginning is one of the most important things a teacher can help with.
The right hand controls the mezrāb (plectrum), striking the strings with downstrokes, upstrokes, and tremolo patterns. The left hand presses the strings against the frets to produce different pitches. Skilled players use ornaments — small slides, trills, and vibrato — to bring the melodic phrases to life in a style that cannot be written in Western musical notation.
Important for beginners: The movable frets on the tar mean you can play intervals — microtones — that do not exist in Western equal temperament. This is one of the reasons Persian classical music sounds the way it does, and one of the first things a good teacher will introduce you to.
Tar vs Setar — What Is the Difference?
The tar and setar are often confused by beginners because both are long-necked Persian plucked instruments. They are related — the setar is the older ancestor — but they are distinct instruments with different sounds, technique, and cultural contexts.
| Feature | Tar — تار | Setar — سهتار |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of name | String | Three strings (now four) |
| Number of strings | 6 (three double courses) | 4 |
| Soundboard | Lambskin membrane | Wood |
| Played with | Brass plectrum (mezrāb) | Index fingernail |
| Volume | Louder, fuller projection | Quieter, more intimate |
| Tone character | Warm, percussive, rich | Delicate, ethereal, soft |
| Cultural context | Concerts, ensembles, vocal accompaniment | Solo meditation, Sufi music, spiritual context |
| Difficulty for beginners | Moderate — mezrāb technique takes time | Gentler start — no plectrum required |
| Body size | Larger, double-bowl | Smaller, single pear-shaped body |
Neither instrument is "better" — they serve different musical and personal needs. If you are drawn to the expressive power of Persian classical ensembles and vocal accompaniment, the tar is your instrument. If you are drawn to meditative, intimate solo practice or Sufi-influenced music, the setar may suit you better. A good teacher can help you decide based on your goals and musical sensibility.
Tar Vocabulary — Key Terms in Persian
Learning the names of the tar's parts and the terms used in Persian music lessons is one of the first steps toward becoming a real player. These words appear in every lesson with a Persian music teacher.
| Persian | Romanisation | Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| تار | tār | Tar / string | The instrument; also means string in Persian |
| مضراب | mezrāb | Plectrum | Small brass pick worn on index finger |
| دستگاه | dastgāh | Modal system / mode | One of seven Persian musical modes |
| ردیف | radif | The classical canon | Collection of traditional melodies every student learns |
| کاسه | kāseh | Body / bowl | The double-bowl resonating body of the tar |
| دسته | dasteh | Neck | The long neck where the left hand presses frets |
| پرده | pardeh | Fret | Movable gut frets tied onto the neck |
| سیم | sim | String (individual) | سیمها = the strings (plural) |
| استاد | ostād | Master / teacher | Title for an experienced music teacher |
| تمرین | tamrin | Practice / exercise | Daily practice — the foundation of progress |
| نت | not | Musical note | Persian music uses adapted Western notation |
| ضرب | zarb | Beat / rhythm | Rhythmic cycle in Persian music |
Can You Learn the Persian Tar Online?
Yes — and the tar is well suited to online learning when the lesson structure is right. The most important elements of tar teaching — posture correction, mezrāb technique, left-hand position, listening to dastgah — can all be addressed in a live one-to-one video session with an experienced teacher.
What makes online tar lessons work:
- Private one-to-one sessions — the teacher can see your technique and correct it in real time, unlike group classes or recorded videos
- Native Persian-speaking teachers — terminology, musical examples, and cultural context are all communicated authentically
- Flexible scheduling — especially important for diaspora families in Europe, North America, and Australia who cannot access in-person Persian music teachers locally
- Consistent teacher relationship — Persian classical music is an oral tradition; the teacher-student bond is not just practical but cultural
Danaa School offers private online Persian music lessons with professional musicians who teach tar, setar, santur, and other Persian instruments — in Persian, English, or German.
Is the Persian Tar Right for You?
Adults beginning from scratch
The tar is absolutely learnable for adult beginners. Many students start in their 30s, 40s, or later. Patient, structured lessons build technique progressively.
Children aged 8 and above
Children develop tar technique well from around age 8 when finger strength and focus allow consistent practice. Younger children may be better suited to starting with the setar.
Heritage learners and diaspora families
For Iranians living abroad, learning the tar is one of the most direct connections to Persian musical culture — passed down through the same oral tradition for generations.
Experienced musicians expanding repertoire
Players of guitar, oud, or other plucked instruments find the tar's technique distinctive but not inaccessible. The main adjustment is the mezrāb and the microtonal system.
Online Tar Lessons With Professional Persian Musicians
Private one-to-one sessions for beginners, children, and advanced students. Taught in Persian, English, or German — from wherever you are in the world.
Book Your Free Trial Lesson →The word tar — تار — means string in Persian. It is the root of many instrument names across the region and beyond: setar (three strings), dotar (two strings), sitar (Indian), and even the word guitar traces a distant connection to the same root through trade routes.
The Persian tar has six strings arranged in three double courses — three pairs of strings tuned in unison or octaves. This gives the tar its full, rich sound compared to its relative the setar which has four strings.
The tar has a moderate learning curve for beginners. The mezrāb (plectrum) technique, correct posture, and understanding the Persian modal system (dastgah) all take time to develop. Most students can play simple melodies within the first few months with consistent practice. Mastery is a lifelong journey — as it is with any classical instrument.
The tar is larger, louder, and played with a brass plectrum. The setar is smaller, quieter, and played with the fingernail. The tar has six strings; the setar has four. The tar is associated with ensembles and vocal accompaniment; the setar with solo, meditative, and spiritual music. Both use the same Persian modal system.
Yes, children from around age 8 can begin learning the tar. Younger children may start on the setar, which is lighter and requires less finger strength. For Persian heritage families, starting children on a traditional instrument is one of the most meaningful ways to connect them with Iranian culture.
Not necessarily at first. Persian classical music was traditionally transmitted orally from teacher to student — you listen, imitate, and internalise. Many teachers introduce written notation gradually. What matters most at the start is listening carefully and developing a feel for the dastgah modal system.