Coming back to visit Rasikas after a while. Just thought of sharing a post I wrote about the depiction of musical instruments at the temple in Halebeedu:
http://neelanjana.wordpress.com/2013/08 ... halebeedu/
Rasikas comments/views are welcome!
-Ramakriya
Some history of musical instruments
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uday_shankar
- Posts: 1475
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:37
Re: Some history of musical instruments
Ramakriya,
Thanks for posting those wonderful photos. I've been meaning to post my thoughts the last three months, but in the interests of doing sufficient due diligence I've been putting it off. Well, the due diligence never happened but at least I thought I would ack. your post !
Some quick thoughts regarding the resonator:
1) It is impossible to get enough volume out of any lute without a resonator. Not only that, that resonator must be coupled with the bridge near the plucking end.
2) All vinas except the class of instruments that belong to the harp group (the Tamil Yazh, jewish harp, lyre, Bharata's "vinas" presumably) have a similar design - a stem with strings suspended at the two ends, at least one resonator coupled to the bridge at the plucking/bowing end (violin, guitar, sarod, etc..) or another smaller resonator (usually made of gourd) at the other end (all types Indian vinas, chitravinas, sitars, etc..)
3) For the harp like instruments, the entire body of the frame is made hollow and serves as a resonator. However, volume is generally low in such instruemnts.
As regards the two scuptures where the resonators at the plucking end (the one that matters) are missing, I think a closer examination of the real thing might yield some clues. After all the other two vina sculptures (barring the naag vina, which I need to examine more closely) have both the resonators intact. It could be that some Islamic invaders or other types of vandals, both of whom we have historcally had in abundant supply, tampered with the sculptures.
Thanks for posting those wonderful photos. I've been meaning to post my thoughts the last three months, but in the interests of doing sufficient due diligence I've been putting it off. Well, the due diligence never happened but at least I thought I would ack. your post !
Some quick thoughts regarding the resonator:
1) It is impossible to get enough volume out of any lute without a resonator. Not only that, that resonator must be coupled with the bridge near the plucking end.
2) All vinas except the class of instruments that belong to the harp group (the Tamil Yazh, jewish harp, lyre, Bharata's "vinas" presumably) have a similar design - a stem with strings suspended at the two ends, at least one resonator coupled to the bridge at the plucking/bowing end (violin, guitar, sarod, etc..) or another smaller resonator (usually made of gourd) at the other end (all types Indian vinas, chitravinas, sitars, etc..)
3) For the harp like instruments, the entire body of the frame is made hollow and serves as a resonator. However, volume is generally low in such instruemnts.
As regards the two scuptures where the resonators at the plucking end (the one that matters) are missing, I think a closer examination of the real thing might yield some clues. After all the other two vina sculptures (barring the naag vina, which I need to examine more closely) have both the resonators intact. It could be that some Islamic invaders or other types of vandals, both of whom we have historcally had in abundant supply, tampered with the sculptures.
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cacm
- Posts: 2212
- Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 00:07
Re: Some history of musical instruments
Dear Uday, FASCINATING! I still feel you are biased towards classical theory & approaches like me. I feel you shd wear your PHILIPS HAT & consider NEW MATERIALS, ELECTRONIC aids ETC. I say this because I was shocked to hear my son's speakers with a volume of 1/4th of my ALTEC LANSING STUDIO SPEAKERS DO BETTER! All my quarter of century teaching design of speakers+ interacton with KLH, KLIPSCH ETC appear to be tottering right in front of my eyes..... VKV
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uday_shankar
- Posts: 1475
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:37
Re: Some history of musical instruments
VKV sir, LOL (that's short for "laughing out loud", also not included in classical theory 
). In spite of your so-called bias towards classical theory, I know you managed to get your fingerprints on Robert Moog's first prototype 
. So all things are possible. This discussion pertains strictly to the so-called "acoustic" instruments of antiquity depicted in the sculptures. I personally have no religious intolerance towards electronics (or I would be out of a job and a livelihood quickly!). Modern speaker design is definitely a dark mystery if not black magic. Would love to understand them someday.
). In spite of your so-called bias towards classical theory, I know you managed to get your fingerprints on Robert Moog's first prototype . So all things are possible. This discussion pertains strictly to the so-called "acoustic" instruments of antiquity depicted in the sculptures. I personally have no religious intolerance towards electronics (or I would be out of a job and a livelihood quickly!). Modern speaker design is definitely a dark mystery if not black magic. Would love to understand them someday.