Taals

[Giridhar Iyengar]

hi o knowledgeable ones,

i just got a tape of Alla Rakha and Zakhir Hussain
called "Maestro's Choice (series one)" by Music_Today.

it's got Matta Taal (27:40)
Jai Taal (20:52)
Pashto (8:26)

Could someone tell me what exactly these taals are, i.e. how many beats/bar
if that's the right phrase and how the beats are arranged? And what's 'Pashto?'

I was hoping to start some discussions on indian rhythms as well.

Thanks..
..giri ( giri...@engin.umcich.edu )

[Dinesh K. Prabhu]

In article <wjD...@engin.umich.edu> giri...@engin.umich.edu (Giridhar Iyengar) writes:
GI>hi o knowledgeable ones,
GI>
GI>i just got a tape of Alla Rakha and Zakhir Hussain
GI>called "Maestro's Choice (series one)" by Music_Today.
GI>
GI>it's got Matta Taal (27:40)
GI> Jai Taal (20:52)
GI> Pashto (8:26)
GI>
GI>Could someone tell me what exactly these taals are, i.e. how many beats/bar
GI>if that's the right phrase and how the beats are arranged? And what's 'Pashto?'
GI>
GI>I was hoping to start some discussions on indian rhythms as well.
GI>
GI>Thanks..
GI> ..giri ( giri...@engin.umcich.edu )
GI>

Here is a small list of various taals that I have encountered in
Hindustani (khayaal+dhrupad) music. The taal for which I don't
know the arrangement of strokes is "jai taal". Also, the strokes
of pashTo and teevra taal might be interchanged.

daadra taal - 3+3 = 6
roopak taal - 3+2+2 = 7
pashTo taal - 3+2+2 = 7
teevra taal - 2+2+3 = 7 [rare]
keharva taal - 4+4 = 8
dhumaali taal - 4+4 = 8 [rare]
maTTa taal - 4+2+3 = 9 [rare]
jhaptaal - 3+3+2+2 = 10
sooltaal - 2+2+2+2+2 = 10 : also called soolfaakta taal [rare]
chaar taal ki savaari - 4+4+1.5+1.5 = 11
saaDe gyaarah taal - 4+4+2+1.5 = 11.5 [rare and unusual]
chautaal - 2+2+2+2+2+2 = 12 : also called dhrupad taal
ektaal - 2+2+2+2+2+2 = 12
jai taal - (maatras ?) = 13
aaDa chautaal - 2+2+2+2+2+2+2 = 14 [rare]
chaachar taal - 4+3+4+3 = 14 : slightly quicker than jhoomra taal
deepchanDi taal - 3+4+3+4 = 14
dhamaar taal - 5+5+2+2 = 14
jhoomra taal - 4+3+4+3 = 14 : slightly slower than chaachar taal :-)
teen taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16
punjaabi taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal
sitaarkhaani - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal
tilvaaDa taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal
ikwaai taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal [rare]

Dinesh
(pra...@amelia.nas.nasa.gov)

[Giridhar Iyengar]

Thanks for the info on taals, Dinesh. I have one question.
What's a "Theka?" As in the different taals that have 16 beats,
but have different 'thekas' than teentaal. some kind of accent??

peace..
..giri

[ban...@sundagger.lerc.nasa.gov]

In article <1992Feb5.0...@nas.nasa.gov> pra...@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Dinesh K. Prabhu) writes:
> Here is a small list of various taals that I have encountered in
> Hindustani (khayaal+dhrupad) music. The taal for which I don't
> know the arrangement of strokes is "jai taal". Also, the strokes
> of pashTo and teevra taal might be interchanged.

Before I get into the gory details, the internal structure of a tAl often
differs from one gharAnA to the next. Sometimes even the total number of
mAtrA-s does too, usually by a factor of 2. So take the following in that
light.

>
> daadra taal - 3+3 = 6
> roopak taal - 3+2+2 = 7
> pashTo taal - 3+2+2 = 7
> teevra taal - 2+2+3 = 7 [rare]

either 3+2+2 or 3+4

> keharva taal - 4+4 = 8

or 4 = 4 !!! This is the version I learned, though the
ThekA is the common one.

> dhumaali taal - 4+4 = 8 [rare]
> maTTa taal - 4+2+3 = 9 [rare]

^ == often 1.5+1.5 which would put it in the
sawArI family of tAl-s.

> jhaptaal - 3+3+2+2 = 10

more commonly 2+3+2+3 =10

> sooltaal - 2+2+2+2+2 = 10 : also called soolfaakta taal [rare]

sometimes 4+4+2 =10

[[portion of list deleted]]

> deepchanDi taal - 3+4+3+4 = 14
> dhamaar taal - 5+5+2+2 = 14

also sometimes 3+4+3+4 = 14

> jhoomra taal - 4+3+4+3 = 14 : slightly slower than chaachar taal :-)
> teen taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16
> punjaabi taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal
> sitaarkhaani - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal
> tilvaaDa taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal
> ikwaai taal - 4+4+4+4 = 16 : different Theka than teentaal [rare]

There are many variations on the basic tIntAl, including the ones you mention.
One more is the jat (sometimes referred to as the 16-beat jat to distinguish
it from dIpchanDi which is also called 14-beat jat). The ThekA is similar to
dIpchanDi with the addition of one (blank, i.e. no stroke on the tablA) mAtrA
in each set of three.

There are also numerous variations on the 4/8 and 6/12 mAtrA tAl-s which,
presumably because of widespread use and association with specific types of
music, have been given separate names and the status of distinct tAl-s. Some
names: bhajanI/chhepkA (4 or 8), khemTA (6 or 12).

Many of the "rare" tAl-s mentioned above, such as teevrA, dhAmAr, etc.,
are associated with the pakhAwaj and have been adapted to the tablA. It is
possible, though difficult to play pakhAwaj-type strokes on the tablA and
some gharAnAs insist on playing these tAls-s as they would be on the pakhAwaj.
Others have developed alternative ThekA-s and bol-s for the tablA.

More later

Amitava

[dmruna...@gmail.com]

pashto is a taal of 7 matra. for more information about pashto tal . check this link. it may help you . https://chandrakantha.com/tala_taal/pashtoo/pashtu.html