Author Question: Describe Raos instrument, the mridangam. What will be an ideal ... (Read 22 times)

jhjkgdfhk · **on:** Jul 25, 2018

Describe Raos instrument, the mridangam.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Describe the veena.

What will be an ideal response?

Perkypinki · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

A mridangam is a double-headed, barrel-shaped drum. Both of its drumheads are made from multiple layers of leather with the outer layers cut with a circular hole in the middle. One head is tuned, the lower (untuned) head has a blob of wheat paste applied to its center to give it a booming sound. The use of the fingers as drum sticks allows the drummer to play with incredible speed.

Answer to Question 2

A veena is a plucked string instrument with seven stringsthree drone strings and four playing strings (for playing melodies). The brass frets on a veena are placed in a similar manner to the frets on a guitar allowing chromatic pitches to be played. The veena is designed with the frets in black wax, which is scalloped to allow room for the fingers to bend the strings and ornament the notes. (In Western pop music many guitar players bend their strings in a similar manner, creating interesting tonal distortionssee blue notes in Chapter 4)