THE MELODIES OF MATERIALS
Materials science is at the heart of innovation, shaping the tools and technologies of our modern world. Let's dive into the intricacies behind the materials that define the music and sounds of our lives.
12/28/2024 ⋅ By Rishi Pai ⋅ 5 min read
Melodies of Tabla in Outer Space
Have you ever wondered how music sounds 100 miles above our planet? Can we still create and share the beauty of instrumental melody as we do on earth in the vacuum of outer space? Is music lost to the cosmos?
In short- yes. Sound cannot travel in the vastness of outer space, the reason why it is pindrop silent up there. Sound waves require air as a medium to carry its vibration in order for us to hear it, and space is empty of both air and empty of sound. However, the International Space Station (ISS) gives a workaround for astronauts to enjoy the music that we would get down here on planet Earth.
Of course, the ISS provides an environment for astronauts to live comfortably, and its air is representative of what we would find on Earth. Sound has an outlet to be heard, and thus, music can be played. It is not exactly like playing here, though, because the absence of gravity outside of our atmosphere plays a key role on how instruments will react and behave.
I myself am an avid Tabla player, a prominent double-drummed percussion instrument in Indian classical music. I have been playing since the ripe age of 8 and have recently asked myself how it would sound up there. While several western instruments have been played in orbit, such as the flute, guitar, or saxophone, percussion has yet to be experimented. Let alone percussion, but an instrument of Indian origin, an instrument that works fundamentally different from the instruments of the Western world. The Tabla has a unique structure, which sparks my curiosity on how the components of the instrument would be affected by the microgravity we see in space.
Unlike typical percussion instruments, the Tabla is played by hand, but the concepts of sound are the same. The instrument relies on resonance of its surface in order to produce a certain sound, and rather than a single, plain faced drum, the Tabla consists of two components, the dayan (high pitched smaller drum) and the bayan (lower pitched bass drum).
The drums usually are tuned to a certain pitch, which may be interfered with by the absence of gravity, as there is a difference in tension on the drumheads than there is on the ground. Additionally, the distribution of weight on the drumheads could significantly affect the resonance of striking the surface. The weightlessness you experience in space as well provides a number of challenges to playing the instrument.
Flight Engineer Jessica U. Meir playing the saxophone on the International Space Station
NASA’s previous experience with playing instruments in space gives a taste to some of the obstacles that real astronauts faced when trying to answer the questions above.
“Ronald A. McNair played a soprano saxophone during Space Shuttle Challenger’s STS-41B mission in 1984 [...] Once on orbit, McNair encountered unexpected effects of weightlessness: the water that normally accumulates inside wind instruments on Earth resulted instead in unwanted bubbly effects. The Shuttle cabin’s dry air had unwanted effects on the instrument’s felt and leather pads, requiring several minutes of ‘rehydration’ before proper playing.”
Digitizing the Tabla
Recently, innovations in Tabla have changed with the invention of the world’s first electronic tabla, the TablaTouch by Keda Music in the United Kingdom. For Tabla players around the world, this product was revolutionary, as it eliminated many of the common problems that percussionists like me face with the instrument. This small, transportable device allows authentic Tabla playing, while also providing a quick way to tune the instrument to whatever pitch you would like.
The sounds of this instrument function much differently than a traditional instrument. In the typical Tabla, sounds travel directly to the ears. However, in the TablaTouch, sound can’t be heard simply by hitting the drumhead. The striking of the surface sends signals through to a speaker which produces the sound, which is all handled electronically. With electronic sound traveling through wires rather than through the air, how exactly will the TablaTouch work in space? Will it be heard at all?
For the Future
Speakers work in the ISS with the presence of air as a medium, so how will the TablaTouch work up there? Come with me on a journey to figure out the intricacies of Tabla in outer space. How does the traditional Tabla function up there, and how does it differ from the new electronic version?
For now, I have reached out to the Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams, who is on the ISS right now. I hope to hear from her to get a step closer to finding the answers. Until then, or in Tabla-speak, until dhin . . . stay upbeat and stay tuned.
Quote and Image sourced from: https://www.nasa.gov/history/space-station-20th-music-on-iss/