At the nexus of sound studies, ethnomusicology, and material culture studies, this dissertation utilizes an interdisciplinary array of theoretical and methodological approaches to analyze the construction and distribution of the North Indian tabla, a set of two pitched drums associated with a wide variety of musical genres both in India and around the world.;Through apprenticeships with woodworkers, metallurgists, leather workers and tabla makers, I researched the full range of techniques involved in tabla construction, from the processing of raw materials to the fine-tuning of finished drums. I highlight the creativity, dexterity, and improvisatory skills these craftsmen have developed. through years of experience. Set principally within the context of life in the city of Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, the result of this research is an ecology of the instrument that encompasses relationships between musicians, craftsmen, wholesale distributors, and, crucially, various types of materials. Indeed, my theoretical model refuses to take non-human actors for granted: I place them at the center of analysis and focus on the ways they alter human behaviors.;Over the course of my dissertation I present three main arguments: 1) that tablas and the way they are built contribute greatly to musical performance; 2) that these instruments forge economic, social, and musical relationships between humans (often across social and/or national boundaries); and 3) that close analysis of the life-worlds of tabla making can lead to an appreciation of the musicality involved in instrument construction.
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