Which is your favourite musical instrument?

As far as my favourite musical instrument goes, it is the VEENA. http://www.webindia123.com/music/instru/veena.htm This stringed instrument is considered nearest to human voice and its melody is absolutely fascinating. This man was a master exponent http://www.kamat.com/picoweek/081098.htm This is how a veena looks. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.gj-exports.com/sveena.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gj-exports.com/strings.htm&h=270&w=222&prev=/images%3Fq%3DVeena%2Bhow%2Bit%2Bis%2Bmade%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN The trunk of an old jackfruit tree is most suitable for making the hollow of the instrument and it gives good resonance. This is the queen of mucical instruments and also the national instrument. My late aunt was an exponent and we have her Veena kept unused. South Indian Carnatic music is a treat to listen - soft sounds and tunes.

The violin and sitar come a close second. I do not expect people in other countries to be familiar about the Veena or the Sitar and I have tried to let them know, just for knowledge sake since I thought it was some worth.



This message was edited Friday, Feb 7th 5:27 AM

ahhhh...music...my first love. Since I teach piano/organ I guess they are my favorites.

guitaars n drums-thats what is played in my house. The boys cleaned out a room in the barn and thats where we have "rock n roll" practices!!! my first 2 boys played percussion in highschool band. 3rd boy is the gutarist-heavy metal.
2 lil guys have a drum set n electric guitar. makes life fun =]

I am familiar with both instruments Dinu.They are most likely where our 'western' stringed instruments evolved from.

We have guitars in our house.My husband is a teacher and a collector.We like the pure acoustic ones that are not 'plugged in'.At present,there are 3 that are not for sale and 2 that he would sell.So,that makes 5.

We also have a piano,violin and a ukelele.

This is his custom made guitar.There is only one like it in the world.

Dinu, that instrument very cloely resembles the turkish "SAZ"
The Saz is the grandfather of the Greek Bouzouki. It originated in Central Asia where Turks lived before their westward migration. Like the guitar in Spain and the bouzouki in Greece, the Saz is the most popular stringed instrument in Turkey. Although similar in shape to the Greek Bouzouki, the construction, size and sound of the Saz is different. You need a baglama saz to be able to play the microtones (Perde) of Arabic music. These instruments have traditional tied frets that are movable, and 3 courses of strings.
***

http://www.larkinam.com/MenComNet/Business/Retail/Larknet/ArtIntroSaz

Banjos....just love that blue grass music! :)

I like didgeridoo and sitar.

drums! I played those my self too......but it`s too boring for alone, so I quit it......

Cello - that's what I play. Since there are no frets on the fingerboard one can 'slide' between tones more like a human voice than a fretted instrument. It's range of tone is closest to that of the male human voice. My experience in listening to Indian music was limited to my stays in the Punjab and Tamil Nadu, where I never saw nor heard a veena. But now, you have a veena that you can learn on. I challenge you to pick it up and learn to make music on it.

guitar. My dad got me one for Christmas the last year I was "home" (like I only live 12 miles away, but you know...) and I played it badly for several years. I gave it to my second child and her fiance is going to teach her how to play, if he ever puts it down. It's an Epiphone made in the late '60s, a poor girl's Gibson, classical form, with a true sweet sound inspite of the fact that it once had an iron dropped on it and has a little dent in the front to prove it. I never was able to master classical or folk styles on it, but my own unique blend. My hands just won't let me play it anymore, so it's gone to someone who can give it it's due.

An AMERICAN MADE EPHIPHONE!!!

Big time collector's item! The Kalamazoo Epis are sought after by people worldwide!!

Don't let that treasure get away Kathleen.Keep it in the family.

I think it would have to be oboe or clarinet. These are "hearty" woodwind instruments. I just love their sound. I like saxophone, too. Unfortunately, I don't know how to play any of them. I learned a little bit how to play recorder in grade school, but never had the money to get lessons or be in band as a child. I always wanted to learn piano, too.

Umm,I would have to say the Violin and Fiddle.
Have played both for over 35 years.
Second,would be the very old Martin
guitar i Have. One of the first made.
It was handed down by a family member
along with two of the violins i have.
Third,would be an old piano that belonged
to my great great grandmother.
I also play a wood flute to some degree
and collect them. But,most favorite is the
violin.

Hi Dinu, I have some old recordings of Ravi Shankar. I have always hated what the Beatles did with his influence.I believe the sitar has 13 sympathetic strings and 5 majors? A song labeled "for the late afternoon" how can you resist? Mr. Shankar's influence is still here in U. S. music. Frank.

Hi Dinu again, I looked at some of the links you provided and was amazed. I buy music from "Spun" or anybody who has what i'm looking for. Who plays the Veena like Mr. Shankar plays the Sitar? Close is good enough. Frank.

I Love the Piano and the Trumpet, I played a one valve bugle, as a teenager in a marching band. Always wanted to play the Piano, but never owned one to learn on.

Somebody has to love them...it is an Accordian for me. So much of our cajun music is played with an Accordian. My next fav are Steel Drums...the lovely sound of the Caribbean. I am saving my money to buy this Accordian. It will take me years ..LOL!

(Lisa also loves the humble washboard! http://davesgarden.com/fp.php?pid=423120 )

Dinu, you come up with the most interesting discussion topics. I bet you're a pleasure to converse But now I think I like the veena moreso, now that I know what it is. It is a mellower sounding instrument than the sitar. Your post made me curious and I found a site with veena music available for listening online: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/sarma/music1.html

I play guitar and have a Yamaha 12-string. I've not played it in several years, however. I love the clear sweet melody that issues from a clarinet, and the rich mellow tone of an oboe, too. The cello is one of my favorites also -- who can resist Yo-Yo Ma?

Guitar in the style of Chet Atkins and Sax A la Boots
Randolph...then there is the incomparable Satchmo!!

I love the bagpipes! Whether on tape or hearing them in person, that IS pure music!

djm906...the bagpipes! I love them also! I need to amend my answer to banjos and bagpipes! :)

Frankay, there was Mysore Doreswamy Iyengar and also Chittibabu (in his own inimitable style) - great maestros of Veena.

Mandolin is another which is popular here. http://www.mandolinshrinivas.org/frame.html This man has adapted the instrument to make his classical music.

I love the guitar, mandolin, banjo, trombone, dobro, harp, flute and piano but most of all the bagpipes. If you have ever gone to the Highland Games and heard them being played all around, the sound is wonderful especially if there are mountains or hills around to echo back the sound. "Amazing Grace" played on bagpipes is awesome. Someone once said that if you had heard one bagpipe tune you have heard them all. That is funny but not a bit of truth to it. LOL!

I love the piano played well. And a good old Trombone with its mellow sounds. Another instrument that I like is the classical guitar. But my favorite instrument is the human voice especially that of a child with perfect pitch. Oh what goosebumps that can raise on me!

Thanks Dinu, Already looked up Doraiswamy Iyengar from your links. Now i have to check "Spun"for available music.Thanks again. I have heard of a "Sarod" as classical music also. Any links to hear it? Frank.

Enjoy!