Chances are you‘ve never heard of Shohe Tanaka, but his inventions and ideas revolutionized everything from the piano to the pocket calculator. Though undeservedly obscure, Tanaka pioneered breakthroughs in music theory and mechanical engineering that still echo through today‘s technologies. This article will bring deserved attention to his prolific career.
Child Prodigy Turned Globetrotting Polymath
Tanaka displayed a unique brilliance from childhood – mastering foreign languages, voraciously studying science, and demonstrating perfect pitch and deep musical intuition. His precocious talents landed him in top academic circles, leading to a physics degree from Tokyo Imperial University by age 20.
Tanaka‘s potential was obvious as the youngest graduate and silver medal academic honoree in the university‘s history. Soon after, he secured a coveted spot in the 1884 Japanese study abroad program in Germany. What began as a 3-year government-funded stint to learn from famous physicist Hermann Helmholtz stretched to over a decade and a half traversing Europe following Tanaka‘s prolific interests.
Unlocking the Mysteries of Musical Intonation
Immersed in the traditions of European classical music, Tanaka became enchanted by the emotional impact generated by harmony and melody. However, he noticed himself wincing at the subtle "beats" caused by imprecise intonation on fixed pitch instruments like pianos.
Obsessively determined to eliminate such impurities, Tanaka‘s 1890 research paper "Studies in the Field of Pure Intonation" pioneered mathematical systems for "just intonation". His work sparked invention of the groundbreaking Enharmonium keyboard – equipped with 20 keys generating a staggering 26 distinct pitches per octave – precise enough access truly consonant intervals.
Tanaka toured Europe performing spellbinding original compositions on his Enharmonium to transfixed audiences including emperors and nobilities. Beyond the mesmerizing tones, his innovations also produced seminal discoveries like 53 equal temperament – a breakthrough way of dividing the octave to enable versatile modulation between keys. Tanaka has been called the "father of modern Japanese musicology" for fundamentally expanding conceptions of intonation – principles echoed by contemporary alternative tuning systems seeking to unlock new musical possibilities.
Calculating Machines Decades Ahead of His Time
Tanaka was no single-minded musician – in his spare time away from sonic explorations he ran groundbreaking experiments in electromagnetic engineering. While musicians celebrated his Enharmonium, patent offices lauded Tanaka‘s mechanical calculating devices enabling rapid and reliable summation.
By 1895 Tanaka held over 10 patents related to calculation machines – addressing flaws in existing products with ingenious improvements to portability and ease-of-use. For example, he pioneered the use of a revolutionary "stop" mechanism to prevent error accumulation by limiting the number wheel rotation. This breakthrough increased adoption in real-world applications.
Tanaka tinkered with his custom calculating gizmos decades before commercialization. In many ways he foresaw the ultimate melding of measurement mechanics and symbolic manipulation in the first computers. The fruits of his efforts litter today‘s spreadsheets, scientific applications, and device chipsets tracing lineage back to Tanaka‘s pioneering advancements.
Lasting Legacy Across Arts and Sciences
Even in his 60s and 70s, Tanaka continued working at breakneck pace – publishing eastern scripture translations while chairing prestigious research councils – considered a national treasure for his mastery of both modern science and ancient wisdom.
Though Shohe Tanaka‘s name fails to register with most people, traces of his work surround us daily. From guitar tuners automatically selecting the optimal string pitches to tablets crunching numbers in Excel sheets, the technological conveniences owe debt to the polymath producer Tanaka‘s mammalian creativity. Understanding his story provides insight how seemingly disparate disciplines like music and math fuel together innovations powering modern lifestyles.
So next time you hear a musician fiddling with alternative tunings for aesthetic expression, or rapidly manipulate spreadsheet numbers thanks to the power of quick calculation, take a moment to appreciate pioneers like Shohe Tanaka who connected art and engineering to enormously expand human capabilities.
