19. Thaat System

A Thaat is a parent scale. Raags are derived from the Thaats. Thaat system categorizes the Raags by defining the positions (sharp or flat)of notes. A Thaat cannot be sung or played. A Thaat is just a theoretical ‘Sumpooran’ (Heptatonic) scale.
A musicologist Lochan Kavi developed the first Thaat system in the 15th century. In his book ‘Raag-Trungini’, 019_krishnahe writes that at that time there were nearly 16000 Raags mentioned in the old books, stories, and myths, that Lord Krishna’s ‘Gopees’ (he had 365 Gopees) sang for him. Lochan Kavi found that out of all those mentioned, only 36 Raags had distinct scales. Thus he categorized all known Raags to 12 ‘Males’, the Sanskrit word for Thaat.

Then a Southern musicologist Pundit Venkatmukhi, used a mathematical formula to create 72 Thaats. He divided the Octave into two tetra-chords and applied the following rules:

  1. Every Thaat must use ‘Sa’ (the keynote or the first note)
    2. Every Thaat must have 7 notes.
    3. Every Thaat must use notes from the upper and lower half (tetra-chords).

If you follow these three rules, it creates 72 unique scales. As hard as it sounds, this method is actually very easy to understand (eventually I will write a post about this).

Unfortunately it didn’t make much sense in the Northern Music, where notes were getting popular in their modern position (same as western notes, with a minimum interval of a semitone). Finally a modern musicologist Pundit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhunday chose 10 out of the 72 southern Thaats and made them standard ‘10 Thaats of Northern Indian Music‘.

A few things you should know about a Thaat:
These are the amended Thaat rules that musicologist Pundit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhunday adopted for the Hindustani music.

  1. Every Thaat has all and only seven notes. That is one of every note in an octave. If ‘C’ is your ‘S’ (Sa or the keynote), then every Thaat must have all seven ‘C, D, E, F, G, A, B,’ (S, R, G, M, P, D, N) notes.
  2. The Flat and Sharp notes (Komal and Tivar) separate one Thaat from another.
  3. A Thaat cannot be played, so it doesn’t have to be written in ascending and descending patterns.
  4. A Thaat does not have to sound pleasant to ears as it does not contain any rules to play the notes.
  5. All Ten Thaat are named after a famous Raag from that Thaat. As ‘Marva’ is a Thaat and it is named after ‘Marva’ Raag, which is the most famous Raag from this Thaat.

In the next post we will see these 10 Thaats and understand how they relate to one another.

sangtar.com > Music TheoryBasic Theory

18. Definitions of Melodic Words

Here are a few very useful words. It is a good idea to use Indian words when playing Indian music, although I will keep using English words besides Indian words through out the blog. This post only includes melody related words. Commonly used rhythmic words were explained in an earlier post. Once again, do not spend too much time memorizing these words before hand. The following list is not in an alphabetical order. I have placed them in a logical order.

Thaat (Parent Scale): (pronounce ‘th’ as in ‘theory’): Thaat is a parent scale, from which the Raags are born. A Thaat always contains all seven notes and only exists in theory, which means a Thaat cannot be played or sung. Once you define how to sing a Thaat’s notes in a certain way, a Raag is born. There are ten Thaats in Northern Indian Music:

1. Bilaval
2. Khamaj
3. Kafi
4. Asavari
5. Bhairvi
6. Kaliaan
7. Marva
8. Poorvi
9. Todi
10. Bhairav

Raag: A Raag is a group of five (minimum) to seven (maximum) notes which sounds pleasant to the ears when sung or played on an musical instruments. Raags are derived from Thaats. There can be 484 unique Raags in every Thaat.

Svara (Note): A musical sound with minimum interval of a semitone is called a Svara. There are twelve Svaras (Notes) in an Octave and they have seven names as shown below

Full Name

Short Pronunciation

shown in This blog as:

Shadaj

Sa

S

Rishav

Ray

R

Gandhaar

Ga

G

Madhyam

Ma

M

Puncham

Pa

P

Dhaivat

Dha

D

Nishad

Nee

N

Jati (type): Jati is referred to the scale structure of a Raag. There are three main Jatis:

1. Sumpooran (Heptatonic or 7 notes)
2. Chhadav (Hexatonic or 6 notes) and
3. Audav (Pentatonic or 5 notes)

Vadi Svara (Dominant Note): The most important and most used note (suwar) in a Raag is called the Vadi Svara.
Sumvadi Svara (Sub-dominant Note): The next important note in a Raag is called the Sumvadi Svara. It is always a fourth or fifth from the Vadi note.
Vivadi Svara (Enemy Note): The name explains it all. Using this note will break the Raag. Although really experienced performers do use Vivadi notes in their performance just to show that how comfortable they are with their hold on a Raag. In general, stay away from it.
sangtar and rajaVerjit Svara (Forbidden Notes): The Notes, which are not used in a Raag, are called Verjit notes. Verjit notes are defined by the Jatis, i.e Heptatonic Raags have none, Hexatonic Raags have one and Pentatonic Raags have two forbidden notes.
Shudh Svara (pure, Natural Note): Notes as they appear in a major scale are assumed in their Shudh (natural) position. R, G, D and N are consider Shudh when they appear in their Tivar position and M is consider shudh when it apears in its Komal position.

Vikrat Svara (Moved Notes): Note which are played in a different position than as they appear in a major scale are called Vikrat Svaras (Sharps and Flats).
Komal Svara (Flat Note): In Northern Indian music all notes except first and fifth have two positions. The lower position is called Komal and the upper is called Tivar. When any of the notes which are Tivar in a natural scale are Vikrat (moved), they are called Komal Svaras (‘R’,’G’,’D’ and ‘N’ second, third, sixth and seventh). The Komal notes are underlined in the notation.
Tivar Svara (Sharp Note): When a note moves one step up from its Komal position that is called a Tivar Svara. Only ‘M’ (fourth) goes Tivar when it is Vikrat (moved). Ma or fourth is komal in a natural scale. A Tivar suwar is written with a standing line on it.

There is not much new to learn about note positions. Only thing to remember is that which notes go flat and which one goes sharp. here is a simple map of all 12 notes from ‘C’:

Octave-Suptak

Aroh : ascending. Every Raag must have an ascending.
Avroh: Descending. Every Raag must have a descending.
Pakad (Catch phrase): The main phrase in a Raag, which gives it a distinguish characteristic, is called Pakad.
Taan: When a group of notes as a phrase is sung in a rhythm, it is called a Taan. There are two main categories of Taans: Spaat Taan and Koot Taan. These were discussed in this post.
Meend (Slur): When notes are changed without breaking the voice or the vibration of a string in a smooth up or down pull, that is a slur or Meend. Sometimes another word ‘Soote’ is used for bowed instruments.
Kun (Grace notes): When while singing or playing one note, another note is slightly touched, that is called a Kun. The Kun (grace) note is written right on top of the main note as:

grace note

This means ‘N’ (Nee) is slightly touched when the second ‘Pa’ is played.
Sthaee: The chorus of a song is called Sthaee.
Antra: The verse/s of a song is/are called Antra/s.

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17. Melody

Melody is based on our ability to hear and perceive changes in frequencies. Although it is more than just the pitch going up and down, but as the frequency goes higher, the note is sharper. In any octave, the highest note always vibrates at the double rate from the lowest note. So an octave is the interval between one musical note and another with half or double its frequency. After the unison, (two things vibrating at the same rate), the octave is the simplest interval in music. The human ear tends to hear both notes (upper and lower) as being essentially ‘the same’. For this reason, notes an octave apart are given the same name in Indian music. The same is true for Western Music. And just like in western notation system, Northern Indian music recognizes 12 places in one octave as Notes. Most musicians use the same notes as we see them on a guitar’s fret or on a piano (equal temperament scale). But it hasn’t been always like this. In ancient times, Indian music was based on the ‘Sharuti’ system. The intervals were measured with sharuties. We will discuss this in Advanced Theory.

Pandit Jas RajMelody of Northern Indian Music is based on the ‘Thaat’ (parent Scale) and ‘Raag’ theory. Raags have their minimum requirements of five notes in an octave. Based on that principle, 484 Raags can be created mathematically from any given ‘Thaa’t’. We will discuss Thaats and that theory in another post.

Every Raag has its own personality. There are many special things about every Raag, which make it possible to separate one Raag from another. I will explain these in the ‘Properties of a Raag’ post.

Even though many popular musician do not study Raags and most of the popular music is not even in any certain Raags, there are many ‘phrasing’ secrets hidden in the Raags, however. Ascending and descending do not make music. Whole art of music is hidden in phrasing. You must have listened to hundreds of songs composed in ‘C’ or ‘E’ major. They still sound different from one another. That is because music we hear affects us in phrases, not scales.

This theory (music in phrases) was the origin of Raags. Raags start with that in mind and grow from there. To learn a Raag you have to learn its ascending or descending etc., but you also must know its flow and important phrases. There are thousands of available lists of hundreds of Raags everywhere, but they have no practical value as one will never know how to proceed from there. A Raag description without its phrases and flow is useless. I am a working composer. I am giving you the only information that is essential to ‘know and play’ Indian music in the real world. I will post the Raags complete with this data. You will find yourself improvising in a certain Raag in no time by mixing and shuffling its phrases and flow.

sangtar.com > Music TheoryBasic Theory

16. Famous Northern Indian Taals Part V

Now let’s see all these taals stripped off their boles. The following Taals appear in the same order as last four posts:

Part I

Teen Taal
(16 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 4+4+4+4
signs: X-2-0-3
Aik Taal
(12 beats, 6sections)
sections: 2+2+2+2+2+2
signs: X-0-2-0-3-4

Roopak
(7 beats, 3 sections)
sections: 3+2+2
signs: X-2-3 or 0-2-3

Daadra
(6 beats, 2 sections)
sections: 3+3
signs: X-0

Kehrva
(8 beats, two sections)
sections: 4+4
signs: X-0

Jhup Taal
(10 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 2+3+2+3
signs: X-2-0-3

Part II

Teevra
(7 beats, 3 sections)
sections: 3+2+2
signs: X-2-3
Pushto Taal
(7 beats, 3 sections)
sections: 3+2+2
signs: X-2-3

Addha Teen Taal (half Teen Taal)
(8 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 2+2+2+2
signs: X-2-0-3

Theka Quwali
(8 beats, two sections)
sections: 4+4
signs: X-2

Basant Taal
( 9 beats, 9 sections)
sections: 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1
signs: X-2-3-4-0-5-0-6-0

Shoolfakta Taal
(10 beats, 3 sections)
sections: 4+2+4
signs: X-2-3

Jhumpa Taal
(10 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 2+3+2+3
signs: X-2-0-3

Sool Taal
(10 beats, 5 sections)
sections:2+2+2+2+2
signs: X-0-2-3-0

Part III

Mani Taal
(11 Beats, 4 sections)
sections: 3+2+3+3
signs: X-2-3-4
Ruther Taal
(11 beats, 11 sections)
sections:1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1
signs: X-2-0-3-4-5-0-6-7-8-0

Char Taal
(12 beats, 6 sections)
sections: 2+2+2+2+2+2
signs: X-0-2-0-3-4

Vikram Taal
(12 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 2+3+3+4
signs: X-2-0-3

Vishav Taal
(13 beats, 9 sections)
sections: 2+2+1+1+2+1+1+1+2
signs: X-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Deepchandi
(14 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 3+4+3+4
signs: X-2-0-3

Dhamaar
(14 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 5+2+3+4
signs: X-2-0-3

Ada Char Taal
(14 beats, 7 sections)
sections: 2+2+2+2+2+2+2
signs: X-2-0-3-0-4-0

Part IV

Jhumra
(14 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 3+4+3+4
signs: X-2-0-3
Guj Jhumpa Taal
(15 Beats, 4 sections)
sections: 4+4+4+3
signs: X-2-0-3

Chitra Taal
(15 beats, sections 5)
sections: 2+3+4+4+2
signs: X-2-3-4-0

Yatishekhar Taal
(15 beats, 10 sections)
sections: 1+2+2+1+1+2+1+1+2+2
signs: X-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Punjabi
(16 Beats, 4 sections)
sections: 4+4+4+4
signs: X-2-0-3

Theka Tuppa
(16 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 4+4+4+4
signs: X-2-0-3

Tilwara
(16 beats, 4 sections)
sections: 4+4+4+4
signs: X-2-0-3

Vishnu Taal
(17 beats, 5 sections)
sections: 2+3+4+4+4
signs: X-2-3-4-0

Mut Taal
(18 beats, 9 sections)
sections: 2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+2
signs: X-0-2-3-0-4-5-6-7
Also see Famous Northern Indian Taals Part I, Part II, Part III & Part IV

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15. Famous Northern Indian Taals Part IV

Jhumra
(14 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

Maatras

1       2      3

4       5      6       7

8     9   10

11    12    13     14

Boles

Dhin dhin nuk

Dhin dhin dhage tirkut

Tin tin nuk

Dhin dhin dhage tirkut

Guj Jhumpa Taal
(15 Beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

Maatras

1       2       3       4

5      6       7      8

9      10     11    12

13    14      15

Boles

Dha dhin   nuk   tuk

Dha dhin  nuk   tuk

Dhin  nuk   tuk    kit

Tuk  gadi    gan

Chitra Taal
(15 beats, sections 5)

Taal signs

X

2

3

4

0

Maatras

1         2

3       4        5

6       7      8      9

10    11  12   13

14    15

Boles

Dhi     na

Dhin   dhi   na

Tu    na     ku    ta

Truk dhi   na  dhin

Dhi    na

Yatishekhar Taal
(15 beats, 10 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Maatras

1

2    3

4   5

6

7

8    9

10

11

12  13

14  15

Boles

Dha

Tata dhi

Na  truk

dhin

dhin

Na  tata

Dhage

Na,dha

Truk dhina

Gadi gan

Punjabi
(16 Beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

Maatras

1        2     3     4

 5      6      7     8

9      10    11   12 

13    14    15   16

Boles

Dha -dhi  -k  dha

Dha -dhi  -k  dha

Ta   -Ti    -k    Ta

Dha -dhi  -k  dha

Theka Tuppa
(16 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

Maatras

1      2     3     4

 5      6      7     8

9     10  11   12 

13    14  15    16

Boles

Dhin  ta dhin  dhin

Dhin  ta   dhin    –

Dha  ghe din    –

Dhin  ta  dhin  dhin

Tilwara
(16 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

Maatras

1       2     3     4

 5     6    7     8

9    10   11   12 

13  14  15    16

Boles

Dha tirkut dhin dhin

Dha  dha   tin   tin

Ta  tirkut dhin dhin

Dha dha  dhin  dhin

Vishnu Taal
(17 beats, 5 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

 3

4

0

Maatras

1      2

3      4     5

 6     7      8     9

10   11   12  13

14  15   16  17

Boles

Dhi   na

Dhin dhi  na

Dhin truk dhi   na

Dhin dhi  na  dhin

Dhi  na   dhi  na

Mut Taal
(18 beats, 9 sections)

Taal signs

 X

0

2

3

0

4

5

6

7

Maatras

 1     2

3     4

5      6

7     8

9     10

11   12

13   14

15   16

17   18

Boles

Dha  –

Dhi   d

Nu   k

Dhi   d  

Nu   k

Ti     t

Ku    t

Ga   di 

Ga    n

Also see Famous Northern Indian Taals Part I, Part II, Part III & Part V

sangtar.com > Music TheoryBasic Theory > (also in Rhythm Practice)

14. Famous Northern Indian Taals Part III

Mani Taal
(11 Beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

  X

  2

 3

4

Maatras

  1        2        3

  4         5

 6        7       8

 9      10       11

Boles

Ta       Dhi      T

 Ki         T

Dha    ki       t

Ta       ki       t

Ruther Taal
(11 beats, 11 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

4

5

0

6

7

8

0

Maatras

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Boles

Dhin

Na

dhin

na

Ta

tin

na

Ku

Ta

Dhi

Na

Char Taal
(12 beats, 6 sections)

Taal signs

X

 0

2

0

 3

4

Maatras

1         2

  3       4

5           6

7         8

 9       10

11          12

Boles

Dha   dha

Din     ta

Ke,te   dha

Din     ta

Ti,te   kut

Ge,de   ge,na

Vikram Taal
(12 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

  X

 2

 0

3

Maatras

1          2

3          4         5

6         7         8

9      10      11      12

Boles

Dha     –

Dhin    Ta        –

Ku      –         Ta

Tit    kut     gadi    gan  

Vishav Taal
(13 beats, 9 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Maatras

1       2

3       4

5

6

7     8

9

10

11

12      13

Boles

Dha   –

Dhi  na

na

ke

Dhi   –

Dhin

na

na

Ku       ta

Deepchandi
(14 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

Maatras

1        2       3

4       5       6      7

8        9      10

11     12     13    14

Boles

Dha  Dhin   –

Dha   Ge   tin     –

Ta     tin       –

Dha   Ge   Dhin  –

Dhamaar
(14 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

Maatras

1      2       3       4       5

6        7

8       9      10

11    12     13       14

Boles

Ke    dhi    t        dhi     t

Dha   –

Ke     ti         t

Ti       t        ta        –

Ada Char Taal
(14 beats, 7 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

0

3

0

4

0

Maatras

1         2

3         4

5     6

7     8

9      10

11   12

13     14  

Boles

Dhin   Dhin

Dha   tirkut

Tu   na

Ku   ta

Dhin Dhin

Na  Dhin

Dhin    na

Also see Famous Northern Indian Taals Part I, Part II, Part IV & Part V

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13. Famous Northern Indian Taals Part II

Teevra
(7 beats, 3 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

3

Maatras

1        2        3       

4          5

6        7     

Boles

Dha    din     Ta

Tit      kit

Gadi   gan

Pushto Taal
(7 beats, 3 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

3

Maatras

  1        2        3       

4          5

6        7     

Boles

Truk  Dhin    –

Dha   Dha

Tin     –

Addha Teen Taal (half Teen Taal)
(8 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

  X

   2

  0

   3

Maatras

   1               2

    3            4

  5            6       

   7              8

Boles

Dha,dhi      -,na

Dha,dhi      – ,na

Ta,tin      – ,na

Dha,dhi      – ,na

Theka Quwali
(8 beats, two sections)

Taal signs

X

2

Maatras

1        2        3        4

5        6        7        8

Boles

Dha   kut     dha   Dhin

Ta     kut     ta      tin

Basant Taal
( 9 beats, 9 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

3

4

0

5

0

6

0

Maatras

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Boles

Dha

det

det

thun

thun

tir

kut

gadi

gan

Shoolfakta Taal
(10 beats, 3 sections)

Taal signs

X

2

3

Maatras

1          2          3           4

5         6

7         8         9          10

Boles

Dhin   dhin     dha     tirkut

Tu      na

Kut    dhin    dhin        na

Jhumpa Taal
(10 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

  X

  2

 0

3

Maatras

  1              2

  3          4           5

 6           7   

 8           9         10

Boles

Dha           –

Dha      ge        Ti

Te         Tin

Dha       Ki         T

Sool Taal
(10 beats, 5 sections)

Taal signs

X

0

  2

 3

 0

Maatras

1          2

3          4

  5           6

 7            8

 9          10

Boles

Dha     dha

Dhin      Ta

Kit       Dha

Tir         Kut

Gadi    Gan

Also see Famous Northern Indian Taals Part I, Part III, Part IV, & Part V,

sangtar.com > Music TheoryBasic Theory > (also in Rhythm Practice)

12. Famous Northern Indian Taals Part I

These are some of the famous Taals in Northern Indian music. Although most Tabla players know all the following Taals, but they don’t get to play them very often. Most commonly used Taals are ‘Teen Taal’ (16 beats), ‘Aik Taal’ (12 beats), ‘Roopak’ (7 beats), ‘Dadra’ (6 beats), ‘Kehrva’ (8 beats) and ‘Jhup Taal’ (10 beats). Soon there will be videos, showing you all these taals on the Palms and on Tabla.

Teen Taal
(16 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs X       2       0       3      
Maatras 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Boles dha dhin dhin dha dha dhin dhin dha dha tin tin ta ta dhin dhin dha

Aik Taal
(12 beats, 6sections)

Maatras

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Taal signs

x

 

0

 

2

 

0

 

3

 

4

 

Teka

dhin

dhin

dha,ge

tirkat

tu

na

ku

ta

dha,ge

tirkat

dhin

na

Roopak
(7 beats, 3 sections)

Taal signs

0

2

3

Maatras

1        2        3       

4          5

6        7     

Boles

Tin    tin      na

Dhin     na

Dhin    na

Daadra
(6 beats, 2 sections)

Taal signs

X

0

Maatras

1          2          3     

4        5        6      

Boles

Dha    Dhin        na

ta    tin      na

Kehrva
(8 beats, two sections)

Taal signs

X

0

Maatras

1        2        3        4

5        6        7        8

Boles

Dha   ge     na     ti

Na     ke     dhi        na

Jhup Taal
(10 beats, 4 sections)

Taal signs

  X

  2

 0

3

Maatras

  1              2

  3          4           5

 6           7   

 8           9         10

Boles

Dhin          na

Dhin     Dhin       na

Tin        na

Dhin     Dhin       na

Also see Famous Northern Indian Taals Part II, Part III, Part IV & Part V,

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11. How to Learn, Read and Play Taals

To master a Taal, first memorize the boles, then learn to read (show) it on your palm. If you know a Taal’s flow by heart, then you can take any boles (sounds) and make them fit in that Taal.

Showing a Taal on your palm
Method:

  1. Get your left palm out and count 1,2,3,4, 5,6,7,8 (beats in a Taal vary Taal to Taal) in any constant speed. Take a little paus before ‘5’, thus accenting 1st and 5th beat. Or count, 1 and 5 loudly than the others.
  2. Now each time you say a number, touch your left palm with one of the finger tips of your right hand.
  3.  Now clap on one (very quietly) with all four fingers on your left palm and count 2, 3, 4 with using your index, second and third finger tips.
  4.  On 5, do not clap, move your right hand away to the right instead, leaving this beat empty.
  5. Count 6,7,8 the same as 2,3,4 by using your index, second and third finger tips.
  6. You just counted the ‘Kehrva Taal’ on your palm.  It will look something like this:

Kehrva
(8 beats, two sections)

Taal signs X 0
Beats 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Boles Dha Ge Na Ti Na Ke Dhi na
Hands Clap 1st 2nd 3rd Wave 1st 2nd 3rd

The Purpose:
The purpose to count on hand is getting to know a Taal. You can sing anything while giving the Taal with your hand. It is a perfect way to find out if your piece ends on one (sum) or not. Or you can try to make a pick up or a fill. Once again, this is how the palm system goes:

  1. we clap on every clap point (that is the Sum and the other Taali points in a Taal)
  2. We count all the other beats with our finger tips just to keep rhythm.
  3. We wave our right hand to the right to show Khali (empty point).

Sometimes only the Sum (first beat) and the Khali (ligheter point/s) are shown on the hand. It is called ‘giving Khali-Taali’. Please refer to definitions of rhythmic words to know more about these words.

A key to pronounce and memorize Tabla Boles (sounds)
The Tabla boles (sounds) can be really hard to remember if you see them individually. The key to memorize them is to see them as a group. Try to form a combination bole (sound). Sometimes the combination boles are spread over two, three or four beats. If that is the case, then I have tried to spell them as they appear in the list of combined boles in the last post. See the broken ‘words’ and pronounce them together in whatever time they are written in. If there is no combination bole (sound) then try to read a section together. Memorize it then read the next section. In most Taals, you will find that you only have to memorize a portion of it. As the whole Taal forms a poetry of boles. For example let’s see ‘Daadra Taal’s’ (name of a 6 beats pattern) structure:

Taal Daadra
(6 beats, 2 sections)

Taal signs X 0
Beats 1 2 3 4 5 6
Boles Dha Dhin na Dha tin na

Let’s separate Dayan and Bayan and see what is going on

Taal signs X 0
Beats 1 2 3 4 5 6
Dayan (right) Ta Tin Na Ta Tin Na
Bayan (left) Ge Ghe Ge

Here you see that in the both sections, the right hand is playing the same thing. To make the first beat and the first section heavier, two boles (sounds) have been added with the left hand. As I have described before, ‘ta+ge’ is ‘Dha’ and ‘tin+ghe’ is ‘Dhin’.

So find this kind of hidden repetition in the sections of Taals. It is just like any drum patterns. If you take them apart and write them in sections, you will see that how the bass drum separates the Taali (heavier) and Khali (lighter) sections.

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10. Murdung or Pakhavaj

While we are talking about rhythmic instruments, I thought I should write at least one post about Tabla’s southern counterpart Murdung.MurdangamMurdung is also called Murdungum or Mridungam. It is a very ancient drum and is mentioned in the oldest scripture available (Rigveda 5.33.6.). In ancient times it was called ‘Pushkur’. Pushkur was the favorite drum of Gods. All Godly dances were performed on the rhythms of Pushkur. There are thousands of ancient statues and carvings that give Murdung a very long history.

Pakhavaj, Muraj or Murdal are all Murdung’s other names. Murdung is especially famous in southern India. When northern Indians adapted a version of Murdung, they called it Pakhavaj. A Pakhavaj (or murdung) is considered more complicated and harder to play than a Tabla. But since Tabla’s invention, Pakhavaj’s popularity is gone down. You can only see it in the temples and religious group singings in northern India now. But Murdung (Murdungum) is still the main rhythmic instrument for the southern Indian music. All over India good musicians still know Murdung’s importance in development of Indian rhythm and they respect the instrument and its players a lot.

Shape of Pakhavaj:
PakhavajAs shown in the picture, Pakhavaj is made from the one piece of the wood. The bass side is bigger than the treble side. Pakhavaj’s Bayan (left side) is not inked and dough is used to get the bass sound. Higher or lower notes are achieved by putting more or less dough on the head. Because Pakhavaj is one piece, so hitting one side makes both sides ring. That ring distinguishes Pakhavaj’s all over sound from Tabla. The ring is especially obvious when a Thaap (all four fingers flat like ‘Te’ sound in Tabla) is played. A lot of Thaap sounds are used in Pakhavaj, where in Tabla lots of individual fingers are used to get different sounds.
The high side of Pakhavaj is always tuned and the procedure to tune it exactly the same as Tabla’s Dayan. So there is no need to repeat the instructions.

Sounds Of Pakhavaj:
The Pakhavaj sounds are divided into two categories:
1. Muted Boles (sounds): the sounds which do not ring are closed or muted boles
2. Open boles (sounds): the sounds, which are allowed to ring, are called open boles.
There are differences in scholars that what the basic sounds of Pakhavaj are. But the following diversion seems very practical:

Main Sounds:
Ta, te, di, thun, na, dha, d, dhay, dee, gu, khirer, jhen, mu,
Secondary sounds:
Ran, ke, gay, n. dhu, dhee, lan, thayee, daan, kee, tee, thurer,

As I mentioned earlier that Murdungum is basically a southern Indian instrument, so I will not go into details on this here. Once we have covered most of the Northern Music theory, then we may come back to it. The southern Taal structures and playing styles are different than the northern Indian ones. It is a good idea to master the northern Indian style and structure before going into the southern rhythms.
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