Microcontroller based Tabla tuning system

A system for the effective tuning of the Tabla using a microcontroller was developed. Tuning the tabla is a difficult task and it takes several minutes for an expert to tune the tabla, so that each part sounds effectively. For an untrained musician, it may take several hours for tuning the tabla, and sometimes effective tuning is not possible. For effective tuning of the tabla, a piezoelectric sensor is placed at various points near the rim of the tabla. The piezoelectric sensor measures the variation of strain on the membrane of the tabla. The voltages measured at the various points near the rim of the tabla are sent to an ADC which is interfaced to a microcontroller. The set of readings at various tap points are made under tuned condition, and they are used for reference. By comparing these stored reference values and those obtained from similar tap points in an untuned tabla, the closest match is made and the best tuning achieved.