ABSTRACT
Experimentation in the construction of new musical instruments is a fundamental aspect of human culture. Wherever there are humans, there will be those who strive to create new music with new musical instruments. This chapter deals with the work of an East Indian who is known as Tata, and his Kamakshi Veena. Kamakshi Veena is essentially a piece of bamboo of about two feet in length which is made of three sections (two nodes and the shafts at both ends). The bamboo is cut about four inches above one node and about ten inches below the other node. The ten-inch section is cut longways and carved to make a spike. This spike will pass through the resonator. The four-inch section has four holes burned into it for the two tuning pegs. Tata’s Kamakshi Veena has certain elements of the violin in its construction which stand out from its Indian elements.
