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Understanding Talamala

 

The tala is one of the three components of musical trinity; namely the melody (raga), drone (sur), and rhythm (tala). It is so important that one cannot sing without obeying rhythm. This page will acquaint one to the concepts of rhythm.

 

Tala – rhythmic form

 

Tala literally means “clap.” In music, tala is a rhythmic cycle.

 

 

Tala can be examined with a tala diagram

 

 

 

Matra = fundamental unit of time (measuring time).

 

The number of matras helps identify the tala.

 

16 matras = 1 cycle.

 

The first matra in any cycle is known as the sam.

 

Vibhag – divides the tala into sections based on the flow of the tala. The number of matras per vibhag does NOT have to be equal.

 

tali – points of emphasis; usually have open baya; CLAP

 

khali – points of de-emphasis; usually ends open baya, closed baya, or no baya; WAVE

 

TALA NUMBERS

 

X = sam

 

2, 3, 4… = tali (after sam)

 

0 = khali.

 

One complete cycle is known as an avartan. There are sixteen matras per avartan.

 

To describe tala structure, the following can be said. There are four vibhags divided 4+4+4+4. (4+4+4+4=16). This tala has talis on sam, matra 5, and matra 13 with a khali on matra 9.

 

TALA IDENTIFICATION

 

Ultimately, in conjunction with the tala structure, talas in North Indian music are defined by the theka. The theka is the bol formation of how the tala is played on the rhythmic instrument. The theka is the most simplest and standard way of playing the tala.

 

UNDERSTANDING TALA NOTATIONS

 

X

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

dha

ti

ṭe

ti

ṭe

tā

ti

ṭe

ka

ṭa

ga

di

ga

na

 

The top red numbers are the tala signs. The X indicates sam, the subsequent 2, 3, 4, etc. indicates talis following the sam. The 0 indicates khali. The above tala has sam on matra 1, khali (0) on matra 5, and another tali (after sam) on matra 7, shown by a number 2 (meaning second tali.)

 

The middle black numbers are the matra numbers. This indicates position of the tala based on the number of matras the tala has. The above tala has eight matras.

 

The last row has the bols that are to be played. The appropriate bols are given at their respective matras in the tala.

 

To understand tabla bols, (which is the convention of KKSongs Talamala), please click here for the tabla bols and their sound files.

 

To understand khol bols, please click here for the khol bols and their sound files.

 

UPDATED: November 20, 2010