Conventionally, animal skin was used to make the drum heads of a mridanga. But in the recent years there has been a lot of innovation in the material that is used to make them. Musicians now, more than ever before, travel across the globe exposing their sensitive instruments to all kinds of climates. In this line of thinking, two years ago, Bangalore -based vocalist and scientist Dr. K. Varadarangan worked on a synthetic fibreglass shell mridanga and is now out with a synthetic tabla. This is the second synthetic percussion instrument to come out of Karunya Musicals.
“This would enable artistes to consider a new version of the age-old percussion instrument, which is highly durable. My aim as a vegan, scientist and musician was to showcase a novelty that did not use animal skin. They are sustainable and free from cruelty to animals, ,” says Dr. Varadarangan. This metamorphosis or rearranging the use of age-old materials is part of evolution, according to Dr. Varadarangan.
Special Arrangement
The SRI Tabla (Synthetic Rhythm Indian) as named by Dr. Varadarangan is made of drum-heads with polyester films, and shells with fibreglass of synthetic rubber loading. “The top or Chati is the main vibrating membrane made of a double layered polyester film which acts as a good protecting layer. The centre black ‘Syahi’ is a chemically bonded vibrating membrane. It is not an adhesive as used in traditional instruments made of boiled rice and iron oxide powder. My new version consists of synthetic rubber that naturally bonds with the polyester film. The Dayan (right) produces perfect harmonic overtones, while the Bayan (left) produces low pitched bass sounds, both making up a tabla that uses replaceable drum heads that are maintenance free and highly durable,” explains Varadarangan.
Both the traditional and the synthetic tabla are similar as far as playing the instrument is concerned. With slight difference brought about in its structure, you will hear a subtle change in sound quality, and a resonance that is holistic and comparable to the original according to percussionist Ravindra Yavagal, and other percussionists who have had a chance to play it during the launch. “What makes it’s maintenance easy is that it comes with a nut and bolt system for tuning. It uses fibre-glass shell instead of wood that makes its sound-sustenance better. It weighs only five kilos and makes it travel friendly as the pitch will also not vary due to temperature variances,” says Varadarangan.
This Synthetic ‘SRI Tabla’ is a mathematical model with stabilised sounds and aesthetically done synthetic strips for alignment. “Although the acoustic principle is the same as in the traditional one, the change is in the material and process. “The key aspect of my research is subjecting rubber material bonds and a polyester film to a chemical process without the use of adhesives,” he explains.
“With the kind of material that is used, there is hardly any maintenance cost,” says Varadarangan. “The tabla works on the same principle as my synthetic mridanga that took nearly seven years of extensive research and trial and error modules.”
Special Arrangement
Dr. Varadarangan, who holds a doctorate in ‘Microwave Antennas’ from IIT Chennai had a core academic interest in cracking the physics behind sound and naada . More specifically, in understanding the scientific energy and force behind ‘matter in music.’ Varadarangan’s research to produce the exact tone of a Carnatic percussion instrument made him import drum heads with membranes of synthetic polyester films from China with a special rubber bonding that provides the necessary bass tone. “More than seven decades ago, Sir C.V. Raman had published his researched findings on the mridanga that approximately explains that the naada produces harmonic overtones with integer ratio to the fundamentals. To replicate these ‘harmonic tones,’ as established by Sir CVR on a synthetic mridanga manufactured without wood and animal skins, was a dream I chased for many years. Now I have added the tabla that works on similar principles,” adds Dr. Varadarangan.
The pitch stability and durability tests included 35-lakh beats on the tabla along with data points on temperature and humidity influences; it was also checked with informal performances at home explains Varadarangan. Both the mridanga and the tabla cost ₹11,000.
The vocalist’s earlier book ‘Naada Vignana Sampada’ on the science of music is being used as a text book at Mysore Gangubai Hangal University, while his latest on ‘Shruti Lakshana Prakashini’ (Kannada) and ‘Shrutibheda’ (English) are veritable guides to students. He can be contacted at kvrangan@ karunyamusicals.com .
