Modified Vichitra Veena......

Traditional Vichitra Veena 

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The traditional Vichitra veena is approximately 4-5 feet long, and has two tumbas (gourds) at either end. It has nine main strings and 13 sympathetic strings.

Vichitra veena is played in kaali chaar or paanch (G# or A#), that are pitches used by female vocalists. 

MODIFIED VICHITRA VEENA 


Radhika changed the strings to bigger and wider strings. She also changed the placement of the strings slightly to make it easier to play. She  made these changes to make the instrument more attractive to today’s listeners.

She changed Vichitra Veena 's pitch

to" D".Instead of the clunky glass pebble that tends to erode the strings, she uses a shaligram stone.

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The traditional veena was proving very difficult to carry as it was so big. She  also wanted to improve the tonal quality. Working along with her father for three days and nights, she created a new vichitra veena which is smaller and has the strings placed such that it is easier to play. She also changed the quality of the strings and brought the veena to the normal tonal range of other instruments.



These changes made it possible for her to wring out faster taans from the vichitra veena, a very tough feat to pull off. "People have this dull image of a veena concert. They see it as an intimidating, somber, obtuse instrument .