Hey you noticed!
Well I think that is about the best bolt tabla set I have seen or heard, I didn't happen to have a C dayan that night. So I used my bolt set. The baya I use more than the dayan but both sound really great and stay in tune much better than average tabla.
The problems with bolt sets are mainly that the peg which is hooked shaped doesn't feel as natural under the hand and can actually get in the way if your hand gets lazy. The other problem is that the dayan is top heavy and tends to drop over . Most bolt sets I have seen are really crappy they consist of a metal ring on the bottom with flat metal straps going up about halfway, this is curved out on the end with a hole where the bolt goes through. but the set I have is well made with a metal ring and pegs that the bolts go through.
What I'd like to do is get some smaller eyebolt pegs and use the nylon strap Gabe Halbert http://www.tabla-vermont.com has discovered to make the strap fasten to the puddi.
The best thing about the bolt tabla is that I have replaced the puddi in about 5 minutes.
I think the equipment is out there to create a new tabla
but until someone does it's more of a novelty. I still recommend the traditional sets and think it is better for now for someone to learn how to rehead there own tablas , we are progressing somewhat , I think consumers are more aware of the quality and tabla makers make the drums in specific inches like 5 5 1/2 etc. When I started playing tablas were made acording to the size of the wood and therefore the rim size was different on every drum. This is finally changing for the better.
I have seen the rubber gab and it doesn't work but someday we may see a synthetic puddi that works who knows.
-Warren
http://www.angelfire.com/music3/tabla
baraka (Dec 19, 2002 12:43 a.m.):
Hi Warren,
On the Austin site I noticed that you were playing a bolt tabla. How is the sound of it and how does it compare to a regular strap tabla.
I am not so sure about
these "bolted", "plastic" , "synthetic" etc tablas. While in Banaras I was told that very few people (in Banaras) nowadays are able to make great quality tablas as they did in the past. I was told that sometimes when they are making (quality) tablas, they go to someone like Kishen Maharaj to ask if the sound is what it should be and so depending on the answer, they go back and do some more work on it etc. Now, if we start having "plastic",
"bolted", "screwed up" factory tablas atc won't we loose some of the things that make tabla so special? . .the human touch!!
I would think so!!! . .sounds more like the wersten lazyness trying to interfere where there is no problem or complaint!!! I have no problem at all with tablas as they are. I have bought shit tablas when in India but that also taught me a lesson and forced me to to open my hears and eyes when looking for quality tablas. .
Shawn, you need to update you link to Pt Kumar Bose's web site. Go to yahoo and enter Kumar Bose. His link will be the first.
I agree that we don't need plastic tablas, etc. . However, I'm still curious to see what the mechanism on these tablas looks like. .
All my tablas are normal, traditional tablas.
Thanks for the info about Pandit Kumar Bose's web page. The sites are almost identical, but I do see some differences with this one. I've made the update.
I think you need to understand that experimentation and innovation can lead to some great advances. Think about it, do you think we would even HAVE tabla if Amir Khusru didn't decide to tinker with the Pakhawaj (or so the story goes). Also, you must realize that about 100 years ago, the black sayahi wasn't even used. Tabla players used atta (wheat flour) for weight. Also, take the harmonium for instance. This is a very NON indian instrument that has been incorporated and improved to be an acceptable form of accompanyment in the classical realm. Please don't get on the "western culture is meddling with our affairs" trip. I love that our music is being appreciated by all.
It's probably not an issue in our lifetime but eventually musical instruments shouldn't have to be made out of animal parts. Remo has done some things with synthetic djembe and conga heads that our coming a long way. Western drums used to all be made out of skins, of course that's completely different situation than a tabla but they actually do sound better now. Although most the time I prefer playing a drum with a hide and they seem to feel more natural, sometimes it's a little odd when you see some imperfection in the skin and start thinking about what kind of goat your drum used to be. My hope is that the rest of the animal is used for something and that animals aren't being slaughtered just to make tablas.If so I don't want to know.
baraka (Dec 21, 2002 02:27 p.m.):
Rod,
I think you need to understand that experimentation and innovation can lead to some great advances. Think about it, do you think we would even HAVE tabla if Amir Khusru didn't decide to tinker with the Pakhawaj (or so the story goes). Also, you must realize that about 100 years ago, the black sayahi wasn't even used. Tabla players used atta (wheat flour) for weight. Also, take the harmonium for instance. This is a very NON indian instrument that has been incorporated and improved to be an acceptable form of accompanyment in the classical realm. Please don't get on the "western culture is meddling with our affairs" trip. I love that our music is being appreciated by all.
OK I'll have to take a digital shot so you can really see it , the best pic right now is gallery shot number 34
http://www.angelfire.com/music3/tabla/gallerymain.htm
Here is a shot of the really bad bolt tablas
http://www.io.com/~peterc/tab/tabla_bolt.html
Which by the way are no longer available, I checked them out and there as crappy as they look.
But take a look at the bolt hooks , these are what makes a problem for the drums. I think the hook can be replaced with an eye bolt then use nylon mountain strap to secure the head . Theis would get the bolt hooks out of the way. But it would be tough to make look nice.
Well checking out the web I found some interesting
things. Check these out (interesting)
Does anyone remember the mini tabla and has anyone ever played them.
http://jetucker50.tripod.com/music_instruments/Percussion/India/minitabala.jpg
Here's an interesting variation
http://www.silverbushmusic.com/racktabla.html
Here's another slightly better looking bolt tabla but I doubt it is very good
http://www.warcrymusic.com/Tablas/tbsb.html
Another Bolt tabla , looks pretty bad
http://www.ethnic-instruments.com/tabla1.html
All these bolt tabla have the same problem which is the metal hook that goes over the lacing and doesn't feel nice on the hands.
By the way here's a good shot of different heads, Calcutta, bombay and I think Benares
http://www.silverbushmusic.com/tablaheads.html#anchor36036
Here's a good page on head replacement
http://www.silverbushmusic.com/tablas.html
The two I do differently when replacing a puddi is that when I tie on the head with string I actually lace it through the normal strap holes , I don't like running the string over the gab. The second thing I do is start at one end when lacing the strap and lace the whole drum . This person pulls the strap halfway through and laces one half up and over then the other half under and over. I'm sure that way works fine.
By the way what does tabla mean in spanish , you ever notice how many spanish websites come up when searching for tablas
Hi Warren,
Thanks for the pictures. Regarding the 3 puddi image. . . . . . . .
The head in the middle looks like its from calcutta to me. Also. .Vishnu heads are made in Bombay as far I know. Could be wrong.
I have yet to see a nice tabla with metal hooks. Someone should develop a really good model. Im all for some updating to the typical tabla design. Im sick of lacing up tablas only to find that the puddi sounds like rubbish. To much work, hurts the hands, and a lot of dissapointment. If someone came out with a good metal hook version, that didn't interfere with hands (not so bulky) and wasn't top heavy (lighter, but stronger alloy). . . I'd play it in a second. Im surprised more hasn't been done in this realm. I'd be very curious as to how a plastic tabla body would sound. If made properly, with the right density plasic. .it would probably sound amazing. Synthetic heads probably have some potential as well. I wish there was more effort. Just because the insrtument is changed, dosn't mean the music changes as well. After all the tablas we see today are very different than 100 years ago. Sitar, sarode, and almost everything has been improved. We should improve the tabla. In India and Pakistan, you cvan pay someone, pretty cheap to do the repair. In america, it typically costs way to much for really crappy work. Thats why, myself and many of my friends just do it ourselves.
