1) I can comfortably play and count aloud the bols and beat numbers when playing Teen Taal in single, double and quadrupple while keeping the beat constant. My mission now is to play 3 teen Taal cycles in 16 beats. Any techniques or suggestion on how to achieve this is much appreciated as I have been struggling on this for the last 6 months.
2) In Teen Taal, is there a particular reason why the Khali is played on the 10th (Tin) and not on the 9th (Dha).
1) Not quite sure what you are trying to do! If you are interested in Prakars (or variations), or Mukhras then the best thing is to pick a book on Tabla.
Here one example:
(Replace the last Vibhag (see below for what a Vibhag is ) with DhaDha TiRaKita DhaDha TiRaKiTa
Thus you will play:
Dha Dhin Dhin Dha
Dha Dhin Dhin Dha
Dha Tin Tin Na
Dha Dha TiRa Kita
OR
Dha Dhin Dhin Dha
Dha Dhin Dhin Dha
Dha Tin Tin Na
DhaDha TiRaKita DhaDha TiRaKiTa (double speed this time)
2) The Khali DOES start on the 9th
Dha Dhin Dhin Dha ( 1 - 4 ) 1st Vibhag - We begin with Tali
Dha Dhin Dhin Dha (5 - :-) 2nd Vibhag - Again Tali (starting on 5th)
Dha Tin Tin Na (9 - 12) 3rd Vibhag - Now Khali (starting on 9th)
Na Dhin Dhin Dha (13 - 16) 4th Vibhag - Again Tali (starting on 13th)
Khali does not ALWAYS mean �no use of Bayan� (or Left hand stroke); the third Vibhag in TeenTaal is referred to as Khali and it begins with 'Dha'. Thus 16 beats (or Matras) of 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 where the third Vibhag is Khali begins with the bol 'Dha'.
I strongly suggest you get a book, try Dr. David Courtney's Book/CD combo an excellent solution for those who cannot get an Ustad. Having said that please understand, NO book in the world can be a substitute for a teacher who can be in front of you instructing you what to do! But if you want to (or have to) to do it on your own, Dr. Courtney's book is VERY good, & well worth the money. Here is the name of the book (check his website on how to buy it online!)
"Learning the Tabla" - ($19.95) Book + CD, by Dr. David Courtney
URL: https://chandrakantha.com/products_and_services/products.html
I don't know why you would want to do this, though :-) It's normally done with kaida themes, but not with the actual theka. It's an interesting rhythmic exercise in any case. .
Thanks Gents, I appreciate that. Shawn you are right in that I am trying to play 3 teentaal cycle in 16 beats. My objective (so my teacher says) is to improve timing by counting hence not relying on the the singer or other accompanying instruments. Regards
What your describing is part of a fairly well circulated exercise, I first heard this from Subhen Chatterjee.
This first stage of the exercise is to do simple count. To understand this use a metronome, set it to a slow speed, each time it clicks recite a count 1,1,1 then two counts per beat 1, 2 , 1, 2 then 3 counts per beat etc. or count ek, do, teen, cha etc. depending on what language you heard this in. This goes on up to 9 or more.
Next stage you do the same thing only instead of saying 1,2 etc. you use bols ta=1 taka=1,2 taketa=1,2,3 and so on .
Then the final stage which is to use thekas which is like Shawn was describing, it gets really interesting when using rupak or jhaptal . Anyway I could write it all out but I'm already getting a headache just thinking about it. Subhen was fantastic at reciting all these combinations. Oh one other point when you get to the reciting theka stage you also have to clap in a theka . For instance using the teental clap.
Hope that makes sense
[quote]Ram (Dec 17, 2002 04:59 a.m.):
Thanks Gents, I appreciate that. Shawn you are right in that I am trying to play 3 teentaal cycle in 16 beats.
Feel a pulse. Just a two beat pulse.
break it in half, so it's double speed.
Now go back to the original pulse.
Break it into thirds (think triplets;khemta/dadra--Ektal really has a duple 4-beat feel to it 1)Dhin Dhin Dha ge 2)tirikit tu na 3)kat tun dha ge 4) tirikit dhin nana
When feeling this pulse of four, you can notice that each four is broken up into thirds, the most obvious being in the first fourth(Dhin Dhin dhage). You should be able to feel this hemiola.
Back to the pulse.
now, in each beat, fit three of your teental bols;1)Dha Dhin Dhin 2)Dha Dha Dhin) 3)Dhin Dha Dha 4)Tin Tin Ta 5)Ta Dhin Dhin 6)Dha Dha Dhin 7)Dhin Dha Dha :-) Dhin Dhin Dha 9)Dha Tin Tin 10) Ta Ta Dhin 11) Dhin Dha Dha 12) Dhin Dhin Dha 13)Dha Dhin Dhin 14)Dha Dha Tin 15) Tin Ta Ta 16) Dhin Dhin Dha
And then resume back to your standard pulse. It is easier to try this just either clapping, speaking, or on any single bol of choice--for me it was something I was exposed to early from listening, and it shouldn't take very long for you to take on your trigun journey.
Best of luck,
Ravi
