Is there any tips you can give me for keeping track of the beat numbers? (for example. . .I understand between Beat number one and beat number 2 of ek taal. . . . .there is a 4 beat gap)
what sort of bols do I use to fill those gaps? Is there a special theka or do I use my own creativity? Also. . . . are there any audio samples with vilambit ek taal?
shawn122 (Oct 19, 2003 12:38 a.m.):
Hello everyone. I need help with vilambit ektaal
Is there any tips you can give me for keeping track of the beat numbers? (for example. . .I understand between Beat number one and beat number 2 of ek taal. . . . .there is a 4 beat gap)
what sort of bols do I use to fill those gaps? Is there a special theka or do I use my own creativity? Also. . . . are there any audio samples with vilambit ek taal?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
sincerely,
shawn in canada
Wow, another Shawn from Canada! Welcome to the tabla forums.
About your ektal question, to fill in the spaces between matras (beats), you usually use bols similar to the bol of the matra you are playing.
For example, if the bol is Dha, you'll use Dha, Na, or Ge. There's also the usual use of TreKre (TraKra). If the bol is Na, then you wouldn't use any Ge. For Kut, use non-resonant sounds (Kut, TeTe, etc. .). Usually TiRaKiTa isn't embellished very much.
If you have a Nagma or Lahara machine, practice along with it. And a very valuable thing is to listen to some vocal recordings in vilambit ektal, and really focus in on what the tabla player is doing.
And of course, discuss this with your teacher if you have one.
If you write to me at the address below I will gladly send you an example of an ati-vilambit Ektal.
Sincerely, Gabriel
gabriel.dionne@cgocable.ca
shawn122 (Oct 19, 2003 12:38 a.m.):
Hello everyone. I need help with vilambit ektaal
Is there any tips you can give me for keeping track of the beat numbers? (for example. . .I understand between Beat number one and beat number 2 of ek taal. . . . .there is a 4 beat gap)
what sort of bols do I use to fill those gaps? Is there a special theka or do I use my own creativity? Also. . . . are there any audio samples with vilambit ek taal?
Thanks to Shawn and Gabriel. I listen to alot of Vocal music. . . but I tend to get sidetracked from the tabla and I focus more on the singer. I will try to be more focused
I spoke to my teacher about it and he said to just fill the gaps with ornamentation.
I currently reside in Toronto and I enjoy classical music for the spiritual upliftment. Nad-Brahman. . Sound is God and Music is worship ( I live by this phrase). I like to talk about Indian music alot. . .but I get the general impression that people in Toronto are always in competition with each other. Toronto is full of alot of great tabla players. . . but sometimes I think it gets to be a great ego clash. (this is my own personal view)
I've been playing tabla for the last seven years and I've been taking vocal lessons since June of 2003. I am also getting involved in the carnatic system since i have a few friends that are Bharatnatyam dancers.
Indian classical music is great.
Thanks to everyone for their help. It is greatly appreciated.
I got some extremely valuable (at least to me) tips from Warren Senders - an excellent khayal singer, on this topic.
I was finding it very hard to keep track of the vilambit cycle - one exercise he suggested was to vocalize the theka away from the Tabla. You can do this either by walking and having markers for the bols (every 4 steps, say) or looking at a clock and vocalizing everytime the second hand of a clock goes past a 5 second marker, for example.
Also, always be conscious of the DESERT - the vast span from the 5th to the 9th beat where there is no bayan. Very apt analogy, I thought.
Filling in would probably become easier if the theka is internalized well as such.
A sweet vilambit theka is pure delight. Or to quote Warren - "there is typing and there is creating poetry" (something to that effect - you get the idea)
And of-course the mother of all tips - listen, listen, listen.
