veenar
veenar

    about vidya

    I have first touched piano when I was 10 and guitar when I was 14. At 25 I played in few bands: Funk, jazz duo guitar, reggae & underground. Then I disappeared from the scene for over 10 years. I lived in India. I have reappeared with new instrument, custom made in Kolkata, West Bengal. I call it veenar since it is a combination of guitar and south indian veena. The tuning is: E1, B1, E, B (sa, pa, SA, PA) . The total number of strings is 21 (4 main, 4 rhythmic and 13 sympathetic).

    This eclectic instrument inspires eclectic music. Some of my pieces sound classical, some jazzy, oriental, eastern indian, some may have rock elements. Maybe you can find something else there. If you do please let me know.

studio "silence"
studio 'Silence'

    guitar + veena = veenar

    This instrument is the combination of two other: indian veena and western guitar. Although it looks like guitar it has 21 strings: 4 main, 4 rhythmic and 13 sympathetic. At its present stage of development its tuning is like in veena (E1, B1, E, B) and sounds like guitar with reverb when you play high. On lower notes it sounds a little like sitar with chorus effect on in. These main 4 strings are spaced widely then normal guitar strings. Fred board is wider too, in order to facilitate finger picking as well as bending outward, not like on regular guitars - inward the fred board. These allows to bend the string leaving the other un-muted.

    It is definitely not the loudest instrument but beautiful.

    Although it is designed to play indian raags it can be used to play western music even with interesting 5, 5+, 6, 7+ and 9 chords.

    Currently I play my own style with my own technique without using a pick. To get full effect you should plug strings with short finger nails of thumb, index and middle finger. The whole idea is to play within the 5th interval. First and fifth notes are basis and are fixed in Indian music concept. So, whatever you ad to it creates a chord.