Behind Tarun Nayar's Music Derived from Plants

Have you ever heard of plant music? It’s a fascinating fusion of science and sound that brings nature’s bioelectric rhythms to life. Musician Tarun Nayar, with his deep-rooted passion for both science and music, first encountered the concept during his biology studies, inspired by works like The Secret Life of Plants. But it wasn’t until the pandemic that he discovered the tools needed to bring his ideas to life—leading to an entirely new way of creating music that bridges the natural and digital worlds. He shares his journey and the revolutionary potential of plant-based compositions with us.

When did you first realize that you could make music using plants?
I had been aware that it was possible to make music with plants for years - I studied biology at school and remember reading The Secret Life of Plants in my early 20s. It wasn't until the pandemic that I stumbled across some gear that allowed me to actually try it out. And that experience blew my mind. I instantly knew that I would be spending the next few years of my life exploring this.  

What differences in sound have you noticed from various plants? Do the flavors of mushrooms or mangoes influence their sounds?
It's important to note that plants and mushrooms don't 'make music'. I'm using tools that biosonify- translating natural properties of the organisms (such as bioelectric fluctuations) into sound. There are definitely differences in bioelectric activity between organisms, and even in the same organism over the course of the day. We're tapping into this constantly changing 'electrome' that is influenced by every movement, decision and cellular activity. 

How do you choose the plants you want to play with?
Sometimes I think they choose me? I'm often wandering around in the forest and just find my interest piqued by something in particular. I'm not very choosy, I love experimenting.

What do you envision for the future of modern biological music? What advancements can we expect to see?
In general, the science of bioelectricity is quite young. I expect that over time the gear will become better and better at sonifying biological processes. I'm also excited about the possibility of citizen science. Can we use devices like this to put together data sets that scientists can use to probe the mysteries of bioelectricity across the kingdoms of life?

How does your relationship with Indian classical music influence the way you blend it with your electronic and biological compositions?
Like the music I make, Indian Classical music is heavily influenced by the present moment, time of day, season, the rhythms of nature, and what the musician is feeling. Often there is no real plan before an Indian Classical performance, the musician may not even know what Raga they'll play until they get on stage. I approach the process of making music in a similar way. There is no plan, and as such the resulting music is truly a reflection of what's happening in the present moment. And intricately tied to the biorhythms of both the organisms we're plugged into, the collaborating musicians, and the randomness in the electrical circuitry of the synthesizers. A cybernetic system is created that is not totally predictable and in many ways has a life of its own. This 'aliveness' is something shared by both approaches.

Words Paridhi Badgotri
Date 05.03.2025