Vina
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The North Indian Vina (or bin) is one of the most important stringed instruments in Indian classical music. It originated as a stick zither with gourd resonators, like this 19th century example. In South Indian versions, one of the gourds has been replaced by a wooden body, like a lute.
| Family |
| Strings |
| Pitch range |
| Up to three-and-a-half octaves. |
| Material |
| Gourd resonators, bamboo fingerboard, and metal frets. |
| Size |
| About 4 ft (1.18 m) long. |
| Origins |
| The vina developed in north India from the Hindu slick zither of the 6th century. |
| Classification |
| Chordophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of strings. |
| And also... |
| The vina is plucked by the first two fingers of the right hand alternately, each finger plucking towards the player and not back and forth. |
