Q: Can I use a guitar tuner to tune my sitar?

A: If you have to, it will get you in the ballpark, but not onto the playing field. Indian music does not use the tempered scale, so if you tune your frets and sympathetic strings with a guitar tuner, you will not get the sweetness and ringing overtones that you will get from pure tuning. Lessons from a good teacher, and diligent practice (vocal practice is the best) will develop your ear so you can tune to the correct intervals.