World Renown Maestro Partners With MachCUBED to Bring Sitar to the iPhone

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb 02, 2010 -
LOS ANGELES, Calif, Feb 2 – MachCUBED (www.machcubed.com) today releases Pocket Sitar, the innovative app for iPhone and iPod Touch that lets users play the famous mystical Indian instrument, the sitar, with high quality recordings done by world-famous sitar player Aloke Dasgupta (www.alokedasgupta.com). The iPhone app uses traditional Indian notes which helps mobile users learn the traditional system both for fun and if they are serious in learning to play the sitar.

Alonzo Machiraju of MachCUBED sought out Maestro Aloke Dasgupta, the energetic expert and concert performer of the sitar, to record the sounds on the application. The veteran world music artist received the prestigious SOPAN Award, presented by leading intellectuals of Bengal, for creative excellence in music. He also played on the multimillion-selling disc "Tragic Kingdom," by No Doubt, and at the Hollywood Bowl as a part of "Sgt. Pepper's at 40 ... A Beatles Celebration," featuring Cheap Trick. Aloke has performed riveting concerts across the globe and starred in several TV shows and feature films, the most recent of which being the Disney Channel’s "The Suite Life on Deck.”

Aloke Dasgupta tried playing the Pocket Sitar just minutes after it was released and states  “I am very excited to see this program come out and help the sitar gain popularity. It will take some practice though, before I can play well on the app.” A youtube video was posted showing him playing his sitar and then playing on Pocket Sitar.  He says that he is interested to see how other people will do on the Pocket Sitar and is offering a free lesson, by webcam or live in the Los Angeles area, or a couple of his popular CDs, to the best video response posted on Youtube. He will judge the videos at his own discretion and choose the winner by the end of February. The video is posted here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfT0HF1Pbxk),




The Pocket Sitar allows users to perform all the complex actions of a sitar with an easy multi-touch user interface. Bending the strings, called Meend, as well as playing the well-known harp-like glissando from the sitar’s 13 or so sympathetic resonance strings.

"I'm thrilled to contribute the music to the Pocket Sitar," said Dasgupta. "I have long embraced the idea of exposing this wonderful art form to a wide range of audiences, whether by performing traditional concerts around the world or by playing the sitar on jazz or rock recordings. The Pocket Sitar continues this by making the application available to anyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch."

Aloke Dasgupta intends to greatly expand the ranks of people trying Sitar via Pocket Sitar and will continue to reach larger audiences with his lively performances in the US and abroad after returning from a successful grand tour in India.

To view a video demo or find more information on the Pocket Sitar, go to http://www.machcubed.com. Pocket Sitar screenshots are available upon request.

Press Contact:

Daniel Fingerhut
daniel@echproductions.com
+1.714.686.5221

Note: The trademarks Apple, iPhone, iPod Touch and iTunes are registered and owned by Apple Inc. MachCUBED and the Pocket Sitar are not endorsed, sponsored, affiliated with or otherwise authorized by Apple Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.machcubed.com
http://www.alokedasgupta.com