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Fine tuning

When Indian sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar and his ensemble played at Madison Square Garden, New York, in 1971, the audience broke into rapturous applause at the first short pause. “Thank you,” said Shankar. “If you appreciate the tuning so much, I hope you will enjoy the playing more.”

—Philip Ball, “Harmonious minds: The hunt for universal music

May 11, 2010, updated Apr 10, 2025