Category Archives: Tabla Practice

Mastering Tihai – Farmaishi/Chakkardar

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Mastering Tihai is an in depth look at the mechanics of a Tihai.
 
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Video links are below.
 
In Hindustani Music, Tihai is a concept of playing an identical phrase of music three times with identical intervals to create a high moment in a performance. Tihais are a living proof that complex mathematical interplay can be so enjoyable.
 
In this series you will learn how to make simple tihais and then proceed to explore the hidden simplicity of Farmaishi and Kamali Chakkardar Tihais.
 
The mathematics of these concepts have never been explained in this way before. This series should be equally fun for new and advance students of rhythm.
 
To understand the logics behind Sangtar’s methods we suggest viewing this series multiple times. If you still need more explanation or have a question beyond the subjects covered in this series, please comment below.
 
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About the Tabla in Jinday Ni Jinday song

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0912-mumbai-2-naveen
There is always more to a good song than the ears of a general listener will catch without special directions. The first dimension or the top layer in the commercial songs is always for the general public. The first and foremost reason for releasing an album is to entertain the fans. It must fulfill its prime purpose. However, there is always more going on beneath the surface. Only the serious listeners can decode those layers.

Since the release of Kamal’s Jinday Ni Jinday, when I was thinking that no one noticed, I got many e-mails just about the Tabla in this song. For all those, who noticed that it was a little more than your average thekas, you are right. Tabla composition of this album is simple but played perfectly by an amazing table player of Punjab Gharana, Naveen Sharma. The above picture of him playing tabla in the studio was taken when other musicians were having lunch.

Some, who follow Hindustani classical music must have seen him with Ustad Zakir Hussian. Naveen has been travelling, learning and playing jugal-bandi with Ustad Zakir Hussain for a few years now.

If you interested in rhythm, please listen to the song once more (not the video version, the full album version) and pay special attention to the Tabla. There are six Tablas in this song, three with a smaller head and three with a bigger head. Every section has three layers, left, right and center. All played one by one by Naveen. Try to decode the pick-up of the last verse. Once you begin to think about it, I am sure it will keep you up at nights for a few days, but that would be a good thing. Enjoy.

Kaida Teen Taal

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Here is another Kaida in Teen Taal.
This is a famous Punjab Gharana Kaida.
Every Player of Punjab gharana plays a version of this Kaida. This particular version is Ustad Alla Rakha’s.
I have written 5 simple Paltas below the Kaida. Try these and make some of your own.

Ustad Zakir Hussain
Kaida

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
X       2      
DhaTir kat tuk tirkat DhiNa gina Dhage Tina Kina
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
0       3      
TaTir kat tuk tirkat Dhina Gina Dhage Gina Gina

Paltas: Play each palta multiple times, eventually preparing them x1, x2 and x4

Each paltas has been stretched to two lines:
1.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
X       2      
DhaTir kat tuk tirkat DhiNa DhaTir kat tuk tirkat DhiNa
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
0       3      
TaTir kat tuk tirkat TiNa Gina Dhage Gina Gina

2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
X       2      
DhaTir kat tuk tirkat DhiNa tirkat DhiNa tirkat DhiNa
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
0       3      
TaTir kat tuk tirkat TiNa tirkat DhiNa tirkat DhiNa

3.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
X       2      
Dha – tirkat tiktuk tirkat DhiNa tirkat DhiNa Gina
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
0       3      
Ta – tirkat tiktuk tirkat DhiNa tirkat DhiNa Gina

4.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
X       2      
DhaTir kat tuk tirkat DhaTir kat tuk tirkat Kina Kina
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
0       3      
TaTir kat tuk tirkat DhaTir kat tuk tirkat Gina Gina

5.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
X       2      
DhaTir katDha tirkat Dhina tirkat Dhatir katDha kina
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
0       3      
TaTir katTa tirkat Dhina tirkat Dhatir katDha Gina

There are many combination boles in this kaida. Here are the first 8 beats separated and written in half time:

Dha – Te Re, Ke Te Ti Ke, Te Re Ke Ti, Dhin – Na -, Ge – Na -, Dha – Ge -, Tin – Na -, Ke – Na -,

Make five more Paltas by altering and mixing the phrases and practice them on your palm. Memorize the boles before practicing on Tabla.

sangtar.com > Music Theory > Rhythm Practice

Tabla Taals and Kaidas

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When a Tabla Taal is performed, it is revealed through Kaidas. Kaidas are group of ‘boles’ (Tabla Sounds) arranged according to the strict rules of its parent Taal. As the Raags are born from Thaats, the Kaidas are born from Taals. Kaidas follow the taal section (khali-Bhari etc) structure.

Every Kaids may have three parts:

1. First the main boles of Kaida are payed: As an example, here is a simple Kaida in Teen Taal:

X 2 0 3
Dha Dha Ti Te Dha Dha Tu Na Ta Ta Ti Te Dha Dha Tu Na

2. Secondly, Paltas are played. A palta are created by mixing the original Kaida boles. The integrity of the main phrase must stay intact. As an example, here are 2 Platas of the above Kaida:
1.

X 2 0 3
Dha Dha Ti Te Ti Te Ti Te Dha Dha Ti Te Dha Dha Tu Na
Ta Ta Ti Te Ti Te Ti Te Dha Dha Ti Te Dha Dha Tu Na

2.

X 2 0 3
Dha Dha Ti Te – Dha Ti Te Dha Dha Ti Te Dha Dha Tu Na
Ta Ta Ti Te – Ta Ti Te Dha Dha Ti Te Dha Dha Tu Na

3. In the end, a phrase is extracted from a Palta and played at x4 or x8 the ‘Thah’ speed (4 times or 8 times the original tempo). This is called a ‘Rela.’ Relas are not played for each Kaida, but a Kaida without Paltas is incomplete, especially in solo performances. Here is an example of a Rela for the same Kaida. Follow the Khali Taali signs to read the full taal written in multiple lines:

X
dha – tir kat dha – tir kat dha – – – dha – tir kat dha – tir kat dha – – –
2
ta – tir kat ta – tir kat ta – – – dha – tir kat dha – tir kat dha – – –
0
dha – tir kat dha – tir kat dha – – – dha – tir kat dha – tir kat dha – – –
3
ta – tir kat ta – tir kat ta – – – dha – tir kat dha – tir kat dha – – –

In this Rela, only the bolded sections have (alternatively) lighter boles, all other beats stay the same in every section.

Read this Kaida a few times and memorize the boles. Now (along with the theory posts) I will post 10 Tabla taals in this manner. Each taal will be posted in multiple posts.
Find Teen Taal’s original boles here. Find how to play these sounds here. Revising this post (How to Learn, Read and Play Taals) may also be useful.

sangtar.com > Music Theory > Rhythm Practice