Tabla
In India, the art and the science of rhythm has always been revered due to its richly textured and deeply spiritual roots. Tabla is India’s gift to the world of drums. Here is an instrument that is breathtakingly complex and quite difficult to master.
Although the documented evidence of India’s rich percussive tradition is as old as the Vedic era, tabla is a fairly young child born of a fusion between Indian and Middle Eastern cultures around two hundred years old. The name 'tabla', probably comes from the Farsi/Arabic word for a drum 'tabl’. According to a popular folklore, Amir Khursuro invented the tabla by accidentally splitting the Pakawaj (age-old Indian drums) into two.
In the last few decades, Tabla has emerged as the center-piece of the North Indian classical music and the popular music. A lot of this new-found excitement and following can be attributed to a fortunate convergence of some of the greatest maestros during this renaissance era. Some such masters are Ustaad Alla Rakha, Pundit Kishan Maharaj, Pundit Kanthe Maharaj, Ustaad Ahmed Jaan Thirakwa as well as the current generation of wizards such as Ustaad Zakir Hussain, Pundit Anindo Chatterjee and Pundit Swapan Choudhury.
In the class, we will we will try to unravel the mysteries of this instrument. We will learn both the classical and popular versions of tabla and visit hundreds of age old compositions that are passed down from one generation to the next.
Classes are typically 1 hour long.
Sangeet currently offers 2 levels of classes:
- Beginner Tabla
- Intermediate Tabla
Beginner Tabla
Instructor: Ameya Velingker
The beginner class assumes no knowledge of Hindustani music and/or no prior experience at all playing the tabla.
Goals:
- To develop an understanding and appreciation of the instrument and its potential in Indian music
- To learn the basic bols (strokes) on the both of the drums.
- To learn basic taals and their bol structures along with ornamentation and compositions relating to them.
Material Covered:
- Basic hand and finger strokes on both the bayan (left drum) and the dayan (right drum).
- Basic exercises to strengthen the fingers and develop the distinct sounds.
- Introduction to Tiin Taal, Keharwa and other popular taals found in Hindustani Music.
- Introduction to basic compositions that fit over a particular taal (beginner Kaidas and Tukdas)
- Guided listening to professional solos and accompaniment pieces, including pieces by Ustaad Zakir Hussain, Ustaad Allarakha, and others.
Intermediate Tabla
Instructor: Ameya Velingker
This class assumes any nonzero level of prior exposure to the tabla beforehand.
Goals:
- To improve upon pre-existing technique, focusing on developing clarity and speed of the hand and fingers
- Gain accompaniment skills and collaborate with the vocal and violin class for further training
- Solo development and techniques
Material Covered:
- Advanced Kaidas, Relas, Paltas, Tukdas, Gats and other such compositions
- Put more emphasis on the development of the hand to be able to play fast compositions (Relas)
- Ornamentation of the Taal Thekas and other compositions
- Establish the subtleties of playing a bol with different weight and position on the tabla
- Learn the different styles of playing corresponding to the different Gharanas (Punjab, Delhi, Benaras, Lucknow..etc)
- Guided listening sessions to help improve understanding of music
