I posted a similar question a while back but would like to be more specific this time around.
I am a flamenco guitarist interested in learning the tabla. Indian music is great, but I am not ready to start up that mountain just yet. My interest is learning the techniques of playing the tabla and applying them to flamenco.
Usually, when the question "How difficult is it to learn the tabla?" is asked, I feel the answer includes both the actual learning of the indian music tradition as well as the technique. So, if I am not learning indian music and would like to apply tabla sounds to music I understand(flamenco). . . . . . . .how difficult will it be? What am I getting into? Expensive? Do I need lessons to learn technique. . . .or is a good method book a possibility?
To play the tabla, you still need the basic training, and that requires a teacher. To learn the strokes, the combinations, etc. . Then what you do after is your business.
No matter what your musical interest may be, Indian classical music is still at the root of the instrument and shouldn't be ignored, even if you don't intend on ever performing it.
Just a sitar player here but you know I posted here because I think that tabla and flamenco would go well together. That's the great thing about tabla is that it fits in nicely with so many things. . .I expect you would need to be fairly proficient though before doing anything and I have a lot of friends that play tabla and I know from them it takes awhile and a lot of dedication to be good at it. . . .maybe you should find someone near you who plays already? As popular as tabla is Ill bet there's someone close by then you could take your idea for a test drive. . . .
Hey Lars!! Welcome to the Tabla Forum! and Happy New Year.
I guess here's an answer for the question.
Q: How hard is it to learn to play tabla
A: About as hard as it is to learn to play guitar
Q: How expensive
A: Probably half as expensive as guitar, considering good guitars generally cost more.
Q: So how hard is it to learn to play guitar
A: Maybe as hard as learning violin
Q: so how hard is it to play violin. . . .etc. etc.
(That's a joke) but I hope that gives you an idea, if you are hoping it is easier than guitar you probably mistaken.
so keep that in mind. I think you will just have to do it to really know.
Lars (Jan 10, 2003 01:16 a.m.):
Just a sitar player here but you know I posted here because I think that tabla and flamenco would go well together. That's the great thing about tabla is that it fits in nicely with so many things. . .I expect you would need to be fairly proficient though before doing anything and I have a lot of friends that play tabla and I know from them it takes awhile and a lot of dedication to be good at it. . . .maybe you should find someone near you who plays already? As popular as tabla is Ill bet there's someone close by then you could take your idea for a test drive. . . .
