f holes in veena

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ajaysimha
Posts: 831
Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 18:16

f holes in veena

Post by ajaysimha »

hi rasikas,

when i sit down for veena practice at my home, i often hear my parents saying "i'm not able to hear you,play it loud."
so thought of getting the f-holes done to my veena(i meant small round hole)
i have seen veenas with one hole below the plucking area on the bigger drum.
and some veenas with one hole below the plucking area and 2-3 holes on veena dandi.

please do suggest the pros and cons of getting a hole drilled into the instrument.

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: f holes in veena

Post by SrinathK »

It took like 800 years to perfect the shape on the violin, just saying :) http://www.openculture.com/2016/01/why- ... esign.html

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: f holes in veena

Post by Sachi_R »

Ajay Simha,
Don't make two. Make one
shaped hole.

Seriously, we have a Ramji-make veena with a large hole in the centre below the plucking spot - with a cover, too. Opening the cover makes the sound more resonant, and longer-lasting. The volume is increased a little bit, but not too much.

ajaysimha
Posts: 831
Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 18:16

Re: f holes in veena

Post by ajaysimha »

thanks sachi sir, for suggesting


what difference will om shaped hole make ? is this kind of acoustic come creativity solution

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: f holes in veena

Post by Sachi_R »

Surely creative. And will look much better than the letter f.
The hole has to be big enough to cause resonance. It is a complex function of structure, material, natural frequencies, timbre etc.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: f holes in veena

Post by Sachi_R »

A guitar has a circular large hole. That's why Mr. Ramji made a circular hole in the veena.

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: f holes in veena

Post by SrinathK »

I have a better idea if you don't mind. Turn off the fans and ac - air needs to be still and undisturbed. Remove as much furniture as possible in the room or along the lines to your targets. It'll do the job for a while.

Don't risk your instrument - right now there is not that much knowledge of sound holes in veenas, unlike violins, where it's well understood.
Last edited by SrinathK on 14 Feb 2019, 22:35, edited 2 times in total.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: f holes in veena

Post by Sachi_R »

That's right.
Once I attended a veena concert in the house of Smt Vidya Shankar (sister of Dr Chandrasekhar and expert on SS and gamakas) in Chennai. Her niece/granddaughter was playing a mikeless concert. The veena was heard very well even in the presence of mridangam.

I have attended also a veena concert of Doreswamy Iyengar with Palghat Mani Iyer in Delhi in 70s. No mike. It was a large gathering and somewhat open space!

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: f holes in veena

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

ajaysimha wrote: 13 Feb 2019, 17:14
.......seen....some veenas with one hole below the plucking area and 2-3 holes on veena dandi....
Hole below the plucking area.... Ok, fine.

2-3 holes on Veena dandi?
Oh No!
Where did you see this?

ajaysimha
Posts: 831
Joined: 19 Apr 2018, 18:16

Re: f holes in veena

Post by ajaysimha »

SrinathK wrote: 14 Feb 2019, 21:50 I have a better idea if you don't mind. Turn off the fans and ac - air needs to be still and undisturbed.
yeah seems like an affordable option :D :D


[/quote]
Sivaramakrishnan wrote: 17 Feb 2019, 17:21 2-3 holes on Veena dandi?
Oh No!
Where did you see this?
yeah i have seen this in a veena repair shop at bangalore.


i feel adding a circle with decent radius near plucking area will benefit acoustics.
here is a video from smt. padmavathi where we can observe the f-hole of veena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIJLzg6egIQ

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