INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Tabla Forum: Bayan Finger Sequence

Is it dictated by Gharana. . I know in Farrukhabad some palayers followed the fingers very strictly.

Regards,
TRKTDha

I've been tought that the louder sounds of a phrase should be played with the second finger on the bayan. Mostly, louder sounds reffers to "dha" and "dhin", especially with the basic Kaidas. So you can also assume that generally you should use the first finger for "ge".

Your Ustad follows exactly this same logic.

Hope it make sence to you.

Sincerely, Gabriel

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Gabriel (May 29, 2004 01:11 a.m.):
Dear TRKTDHA,

I've been tought that the louder sounds of a phrase should be played with the second finger on the bayan. Mostly, louder sounds reffers to "dha" and "dhin", especially with the basic Kaidas. So you can also assume that generally you should use the first finger for "ge".

Your Ustad follows exactly this same logic.

Hope it make sence to you.

Sincerely, Gabriel

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Gabriel,
I believe TRKTDHA wrote "middle fingers" - notice the plural. One thought is that one finger per stroke - index or middle is more efficient and more dexterous than coordinating a sequence of two and then one. Another thought is that the index and middle finger should aways be alternating no matter what bol is being played. There are plenty of compositions where the same bol occurs in rapid sequence or in repeating triplets and it's just not efficient to use the same finger twice. Similiarly with meend and gamak - your baya hand should be trained to perform both up and down meends on either finger. Hope this makes sense.

A.

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I fully agree with you.

Gabriel

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Chas (May 30, 2004 03:21 a.m.):
But I think the most important thing is to find the pattern that is not only the most comfortable to play, but also the one that is most musically satisfying. If you're making good music then in my opinion it does not really matter which fingers are striking when.

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It's true, one of the ongoing processes of learning is to establish new and better playing habits while breaking older habits that keep us from playing more clearly and more efficiently.
However - from a novice point of view - which, by comparison most of us here are - it is more highly recommended to establish the best possible habits from the very start than it is to experiment with various methods. This is one more reason why a good teacher is so important.
There are probably numerous methods that various teachers will recommend for learning to play the bayan - and you should follow your teacher's advise strictly, first and foremost.
The reasons that the two-alternating finger method of playing the bayan is suggested here is that it is simple to learn and to establish from the very beginning, it is not confusing, it forces a habit of strength and dexterity equally in both fingers, and it forces the ability to play the same bol repeatedly in quick succession with only one of two finger choices - either softly or with emphasis. And probably the least important reason, it is the method used by many professionals including Pt. Anindo Chatterjee, Shubhankar Banerjee, Pt. Samir Chatterjee, and many others.
Music-making is certainly the ultimate goal of everyone, but the surest and quickest way to achieve that is to learn through diligent and disciplined practice until the effortless ability to 'make-music' comes naturally. Other artists like Ustad Zakir Hussain have the incredible talent and ability to experiment with new methods quite successfully, but rest assured, his early training was also often excruciatingly traditional.

Aanaddha

p.s. It goes without saying that whatever open bayan method you choose you should also be practicing to play the closed/mudi form (Ke/Ka/Kat) equally and with as much clarity and efficiency.

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I think there is slightly more thought that went into Bayan finger usage than merely musical satisfaction or convenience. One can definitely argue the fact that satisfaction is the key; I would not disagree with that at all. But gharana lineage definitely passed more thoughts than musical satisfaction or convenience only, though one may play solely for the satisfaction and does not have to follow any fixed order.

My Guru during my early days, purely instructed me to use middle or index finger while playing particular bol, but gradually expanded his thought which I am trying to summarize.

Using middle fingers or index fingers in Bayan is dictated by threee facts:

A. Khula or Bandh Bol (open or closed Bol ?? in English)

Player must understand through �Padhant� the �laya� of the bol and decide if its Khula or Bandh bol. This comes only through the recitation or bols or �Padhant�
under guidance of the guru / ustaad.

For example, in madhyalaya teental

�Dha Dhin Dhin Dha�.�

The first Dha is closed Dha and the player should use index finger on bayan. Similarly in Dadra, �Dha Dhi Na Dha Tu Na� only first Dha is closed, so index finger only on first Dha, rest with middle fingers.

However, in vilambit teentaal, �Dha Dhin Tite Dhin Dhin Dha. . .�

The first Dha is open, as such middle fingers to be used, subsequent Dhin is also open so middle fingers again subsequent two Dhins� are played with middle finger as well.

B. Gamak Anga (?? in English)

If there is Gamak involved in the bol, ideally, index finger should be used. Example : Dhage DhinNa Ghina � First Dha is played with middle fingers, Ge with index, Dhina with middle Ghina with index.

C. Convenience: while composing the bol, one has to consider the convenience and consider what speed the bols are to be played.

An example would be the Delhi Gat Kayada
� Dha Tirekita Tak Dha Dha Tirakita . . .�
Since this is played fast, first and second Dha is played with middle fingers and third Dha is with index. In case of Farrukhabad Peshkaar � Dhi Kr Dhi Na Dha Dhi Na�.� first two Dhi are middle fingers, Dha has Gamak Anga so index is used.

I hope this does make sense, but the fact remains, to follow the regimen one has to follow it in entirety and not be selective, else, it won't work. I wish someone from Benares would able to suggest some important reasons as the gharana pays a lot of emphasis on Bayan Bols.

Regards,
TRKTDha

What is meant by a "closed Dha"?
Is that a Dha without Gamak anga??

Please explain further, as this is very interesting and I would very much like to hear a more detailed description from you or from anyone else who is familiar with this method.
May I inquire your excellent Guru's name?

Sincerely,
Aanaddha

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TRKTDHA (May 31, 2004 05:01 a.m.):
B. Gamak Anga (?? in English)

If there is Gamak involved in the bol, ideally, index finger should be used. Example : Dhage DhinNa Ghina � First Dha is played with middle fingers, Ge with index, Dhina with middle Ghina with index.

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Anyway. .I figure that in the end, everyone's path is their own, but I definitely believe that if your teacher says "play it like this," then for goodness sake play it like THAT because every word of advice on technique from your teacher is a jewel in my opinion, no matter who he or she is. If you admire their technique then doing what they do is a good recipe for success. That, and of course, riazz. I suppose I have a somewhat unconventional approach to study and practice, but it seems to be working for me and so I'm going to stick to that.

For what it's worth, here's an original kaida that seems to be good for working on baya technique. It can be played in triplets in Ektaal or dadra, or played as duple in nine beats.

Dha trkt DhaGheNa DhaGheDhi NaGheNa GheDhaGhe NaDhaGhe
Dha trkt DhaGheNa DhaGheDha GheDhaTi DhaGheTin NaKeNa
(Khali)

I'll leave it to you folks to come up with your own variations. :-)

p.s. Anaadha, I believe that what TRKTDHA is referring to when he says "closed dha", or closed dhet or anything like that, is Dha played with the index finger "ghe" sound rather than ghe played with the middle/ring finger. Therefore, a bayan stroking pattern that went "index/middle/index" would be "close/open/close."

Its unfortunate that tabla skills can not be passed on through a written document, video or an audio tape but only through the tutoring under the guidance of a teacher who himself learned under a Gharana lineage. Having been in contact with my teacher for over a decade, I am amazed to find the subtle science and the technical aspect that is involved in tabla playing, which would never get recorded in form of a book or any other medium. I am sure others have the similar experience.

I remember an old saying of Pandit Kishen Maharaj � Pani Pije Chaan Ke Aur Guru Kije Jaan Ke � I am not sure if you speak Hindi but the saying emphasizes on the importance of teacher.

To answer your question about closed (=Bund) Dha, its non resonating Dha, which is short. Its hard for me to explain the sound, but I guess it's the only way to explain. Often commonly used term are �Khula and Band Bol� Normaly, Khula and Band Bol may or may not use Gamak Anga and it would depend on the particular composition. I think in �Benares Chand� the difference in Khula and Band Bol, specially Dha becomes to obvious.

In fact my teacher has developed a unique style of script to emphasize whether middle fingers or index fingers are to be used on bayan (for Khula and Bund Bol), I am unable to post it on the web due to obvious reasons.
Name of My Guru is Shri K. Dattatraya, who was a student of late Ustaad Amir Hussain Khan, and later Khan Sahab passed him on to his senior most disciple Babasaheb Mirajkar of Dharwad/ Gadag.
Regards,
TRKTDha
PS: I am a novice �player� as well, though exposed to tabla during my long stay in Lucknow and Benares, but picked it up as a hobby only very late in life.

Sincerely,
Aanaddha

(KrDha Tita Dha ) x2
KrDha Tita Dha �. .

On the last Dha, if one is trying to end the composition, one may choose not to touch bayan with bottom of plam on last Dha, to create effect.

Regards,
TRKTDha