
An overview of the course.
Learn proper tabla hand placement with relaxed elbows and wrists, ring and little fingers on the Shyahi, index on the Kinaar, and cupped U-shaped fingers for the Dagga.
Learn to play the tabla by mastering open and closed sounds and practicing single and combined strokes like Na, Tha, Ti, Thun, Ge, and Dha.
Explore kayda, a rule-based tabla composition with mukada (theme), paltas (variations), and tehai ending; ensure variations use only theme words and endings stay the same to master techniques and vocabulary.
Explore the 2nd kayda's combined syllables in sum and khali, eight beats per half in four-beat phrases, with 6+6+4 variations using dha, tita, ta ta, thin na, dhin na.
Learn kayda 2 part 2 by infusing rests into phrasing, using dha and tita notation, and performing a 64-beat tehai split into three 20-beat phrases with two 2-beat gaps.
Master tabla fingering techniques through four phrase exercises, practicing ne ne, dha ti ge na, and ke with one finger, then speed up for a faster, fluid sequence.
Comprehensive guide to playing the Tabla
Over view
With over 30 years of experience of teaching Tabla to hundreds of students, many of whom have taken tabla as a profession, Muthu kumar have organised a systematic, step by step approach to learning the tablas.
The approach is to learn tabla like a language - learn the alphabets or the sounds and form words and rhythmic sentences.
The goa is to be able to play a tabla solo or accompany other musicians
The whole course is taught in three levels - Beginner, Intermediate and advanced.
The Beginner courses B1, B2 and B3 will help an absolute beginner to understand the correct sitting position, hand placement, fingering techniques, strokes and sound productions. The student will also learn the one handed and the combined strokes. and learn to play some simple compositions. In this course, the student will learn all the basic concepts relating to Taal and compositions like Kayda and tukdas.
In the Intermediate course, More vocabulary is learnt by studying more complex kaydas and Gath compositions. Popular Taal like Teen taal , Ek taal, Rupak taal and Jhap taal will be studied.
In the advanced level, an outline of a tabla solo is prepared for the student to work on. Compositions in other taals or rhythm cycles are also learnt. Fast compositions like Relas are also learned.
Among the various compositions taught in this course will be many Kaydas, Gaths, Tukdas, Chakradaar, relas, and various taals.