RealSitar3

The deal

$39.99 at KVR Marketplace (down from $69.99), 42% off. Sale ends August 25, 2026.

What it is

RealSitar3 is a virtual instrument plugin (VST3/AU) from RDGAudio that recreates the sound of an acoustic Indian sitar. It's built from three layers of dynamic round robin sampling across 250 articulations, capturing both the jhankar (the sitar's signature sympathetic buzz) and the main playing strings. The instrument ships with built-in effects, including an arpeggiator, delay, reverb, EQ, filter, stereo widener, and compressor, along with vibrato and ADSR shaping so the raw samples can be molded into a finished part without reaching for extra plugins.

Who it's for

Producers and composers working in Indian classical, world, fusion, cinematic, or lo-fi/hip-hop styles who want a convincing sitar part without booking a session player or digging through scattered one-shot libraries. It also suits sound designers layering exotic textures into hybrid scores.

Key features

• Three layers of dynamic round robin sampling spread across 250 articulations for realistic phrasing and repetition-free playing
• Separate jhankar and main-string sampling captures the sitar's full sympathetic-resonance character
• Built-in arpeggiator, delay, reverb, EQ, filter, stereo widener, and compressor cover most mixing needs directly inside the instrument
• Twenty factory presets plus vibrato and ADSR controls make it fast to dial in a usable tone