Indoor Blip: SoMa Dvina

More and less traditional in large

This is my newest instrument...
The Dvina arrived from Russia last week and the (cello) bow arrived today; my Dvina (DV242) was made after several weeks discussing details and options, like the wood/finish and the inclusion of guitar fretboard markings down the sides of the fingerboard. The cross bar is removable and can be fixed in various locations depending on how the instrument is being played.

The Dvina is made by luthier Victor Grigoriev, and was designed in collaboration with SoMa founder Vlad Kreimer (who also designed the Pulsar 23, my least conventional drum machine). The Dvina is an electro-acoustic instrument with an unusual pickup (more like a ribbon microphone than an electric guitar pickup) delivering a very rich and clean signal from its audio output, so it plays nicely with my other electronic instruments and effects. The instrument itself was inspired by the Chinese erhu as well as Hindustani traditional instruments (such as sarangi and tambura), and can be plucked or bowed, sounding like anything from a fretless guitar/bass to a very folky cello. I'm new to string instruments, but have been enjoying familiarising myself with plucking and strumming (and bowing, as of today), and am surprised by the variety of timbres the Dvina can produce. My fingertips now hurt though.

Other angles and details here (or right from Dvina and bow)