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BSEH Secondary Music Tabla study materials
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BSEH Secondary Music Tabla practice questions

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Question 1Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

On a tabla dayan, which part rests directly on the cushion ring and contacts the player's hand?

  1. The chanti Correct answer.
  2. The syahi
  3. The maidan
  4. The gajra

Explanation

The chanti is the exposed rim area of the dayan head that sits over the cushion ring and is struck or rested against by the hand. The syahi is the central black patch, the maidan is the open skin between syahi and chanti, and the gajra is the woven edge binding.

Question 2Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

The black central patch applied to a tabla head is most commonly called which of the following?

  1. Baddhi
  2. Syahi Correct answer.
  3. Pudi
  4. Gatta

Explanation

The syahi (also written siyahi) is the dark paste patch loaded onto the centre of the tabla head. It adds mass and damping so the head produces a clear fundamental pitch when struck. Gatta, pudi and baddhi name other components, not the black patch.

Question 3Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Which component of the tabla is made of wood and forms the hollow resonant body?

  1. Chanti
  2. Puri
  3. Lakdi Correct answer.
  4. Syahi

Explanation

Lakdi means wood and refers to the turned wooden shell that forms the tabla's hollow body. Its shape and wall thickness shape the drum's resonance and pitch. Chanti is a rim area, syahi is the loaded patch, and puri is a term for the head or its ring.

Question 4Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

What is the primary function of the syahi on a tabla head?

  1. It seals the shell against moisture
  2. It anchors the lacing to the shell
  3. It loads the centre to create a definite pitch Correct answer.
  4. It protects the skin from wear at the rim

Explanation

The syahi adds mass and internal damping at the centre of the head, which breaks up the higher modes and lets a clear fundamental note dominate. This is why a well-set syahi gives the tabla its characteristic pitched tone. Sealing, rim protection and lacing anchorage are handled by other parts.

Question 5Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

The tabla pair traditionally consists of the dayan and which accompanying drum?

  1. Dholak
  2. Mridangam
  3. Bayan Correct answer.
  4. Pakhawaj

Explanation

The tabla set pairs the dayan, usually the smaller right-hand drum of wood, with the bayan, the larger metal drum played by the left hand. The bayan provides the low bass strokes and pitch bends. Dholak, pakhawaj and mridangam are separate drums with different construction.

Question 6Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Which material is most typical for the shell of a bayan?

  1. Clay
  2. Sheesham wood
  3. Bamboo
  4. Copper or brass Correct answer.

Explanation

Bayan shells are usually made of metal such as copper or brass, which gives the deep, resonant bass quality and allows the heel of the hand to glide for pitch bends. Wooden shells are characteristic of the dayan. Bamboo and clay are not standard bayan materials.

Question 7Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

What is the gajra on a tabla?

  1. The decorative cloth cover
  2. The cushion ring
  3. The braided rim binding of the head Correct answer.
  4. The tuning hammer

Explanation

The gajra is the braided or woven leather rim that binds the skin to the shell edge and holds the head assembly together. It also gives the lacing a firm anchor. The tuning hammer, cushion ring and cloth cover are separate items.

Question 8Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

A player notices the syahi on the dayan has begun to flake at its edge. Which maintenance action is most appropriate?

  1. Loosen all the lacing and remove the head
  2. Apply a thin fresh layer of syahi paste over the damaged area and let it cure Correct answer.
  3. Soak the head in water to soften the patch
  4. Scrape the entire syahi off and play without it

Explanation

Minor flaking at the syahi edge is usually repaired by applying a thin layer of fresh syahi paste and allowing it to dry and settle, restoring the loading and tone. Removing the patch entirely destroys the drum's pitch. Soaking or dismantling the head is far more invasive than the problem requires.

Question 9Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Why must tabla heads be kept away from direct sunlight and damp storage?

  1. Both conditions alter skin tension and can crack the syahi Correct answer.
  2. Sunlight fades the decorative paint
  3. Damp air improves the tone of the bayan
  4. Sunlight strengthens the lacing

Explanation

Direct sun dries and over-tightens the skin, while damp causes swelling and slackening, and both stresses can crack the syahi or warp the head. Stable, moderate humidity and shade keep the tuning and patch intact. Neither condition benefits the drum.

Question 10Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

A dayan sounds dull and lacks a clear pitch after months of heavy use. Which diagnosis best fits a worn syahi?

  1. The syahi has lost mass and damping through wear Correct answer.
  2. The gajra has become too tight
  3. The shell has absorbed too much moisture
  4. The maidan has grown larger

Explanation

Over time the syahi wears thin, losing the mass and damping that isolate the fundamental, so the drum sounds dull and unpitched. Reapplying syahi paste restores the tone. Moisture, gajra tightness and maidan size affect tuning but do not produce this specific loss of pitch clarity.

Question 11Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

What is the main purpose of the lacing (baddhi) on a tabla?

  1. To attach the drum to its stand
  2. To decorate the shell
  3. To tension the head against the shell Correct answer.
  4. To hold the syahi in place

Explanation

The lacing runs through the gajra and down the shell, and the tension applied through it stretches the head to the required pitch. Small tuning blocks or pegs along the lacing let the player adjust that tension. Decoration, stand mounting and holding the syahi are not its functions.

Question 12Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

How are small pitch adjustments usually made on a laced tabla?

  1. By adding water to the syahi
  2. By trimming the edge of the skin
  3. By tapping the tuning blocks or pegs along the lacing Correct answer.
  4. By rotating the drum on its cushion

Explanation

Tuning blocks or pegs are tapped up or down along the lacing to change the head tension slightly and correct the pitch. Trimming the skin, rotating the drum or wetting the syahi would damage the head or have no tuning effect. Fine adjustment is always done through the lacing hardware.

Question 13Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Which part of the tabla head is the clear, unloaded skin area between the syahi and the chanti?

  1. Maidan Correct answer.
  2. Gatta
  3. Gajra
  4. Pudi

Explanation

The maidan is the open clear zone of skin that surrounds the syahi and extends to the chanti. Its width and condition affect how the head vibrates and how strokes sound. Gajra is the rim binding, pudi is the head as a whole, and gatta refers to tuning blocks.

Question 14Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Why is the bayan often fitted with a larger syahi than the dayan?

  1. To reduce the need for lacing
  2. To weight the head for a deep bass tone and allow pitch bending Correct answer.
  3. To speed up the drying of the skin
  4. To make the drum louder in the treble

Explanation

A larger syahi loads the bayan head more heavily, lowering its fundamental into the bass range and making the pitch easy to bend with heel pressure. The dayan needs a smaller, more precisely placed patch for a clear higher pitch. Drying speed and lacing needs are unrelated to syahi size.

Question 15Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

A student's bayan produces a muffled thud with no bendable pitch. Which cause is most likely?

  1. The lacing is far too loose everywhere
  2. The dayan is tuned too high
  3. The drum is placed on a hard floor
  4. The syahi is too thin or worn Correct answer.

Explanation

The bendable bass pitch of the bayan depends on a properly loaded syahi; if it is thin or worn the head responds with a dull thud instead of a pitched tone. Reapplying syahi paste restores the loading. Lacing, floor surface and the dayan's tuning do not remove the bayan's pitch in this way.

Question 16Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

What is the function of the cushion ring (gaddi) under a tabla?

  1. It stores the tuning hammer
  2. It supports the drum and improves resonance Correct answer.
  3. It holds the syahi in place
  4. It tunes the drum automatically

Explanation

The cushion ring raises the drum off the floor and provides a stable, slightly yielding base that lets the shell resonate freely. It does not tune the drum or interact with the syahi. Storing tools is not its purpose.

Question 17Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

After a head is newly mounted and laced, why is it usually left to settle before final tuning?

  1. The shell must shrink to fit the head
  2. The gajra must be cut to size
  3. The syahi needs to be removed first
  4. The skin and lacing stretch and equalise under tension Correct answer.

Explanation

Freshly mounted skins and lacing continue to stretch and redistribute tension for a period, so tuning immediately would drift. Allowing the head to settle gives stable pitch and even tension across the lacing. The syahi stays in place, the shell does not shrink, and the gajra is already fitted.

Question 18Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Which wood is traditionally favoured for the dayan shell because of its density and turning quality?

  1. Balsa
  2. Pine
  3. Teak veneer
  4. Sheesham Correct answer.

Explanation

Sheesham, a dense Indian rosewood, is prized for dayan shells because it turns cleanly and gives a bright, projecting resonance. Pine and balsa are far too soft and light for a tabla shell. Teak veneer is a surface finish, not the traditional solid shell material.

Question 19Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

A player travels between a humid coastal city and a dry hill town with the same tabla. What is the best maintenance practice?

  1. Store the drum in direct sun during travel
  2. Coat the head with oil to seal it
  3. Retune in the humid city to the hill-town pitch before leaving
  4. Retune only after arriving and let the drum acclimatise gradually Correct answer.

Explanation

Humidity changes alter skin tension, so a drum tuned in one climate will drift in another. The reliable practice is to let the instrument acclimatise and then retune in the new environment. Pre-tuning for the destination, sun exposure or oiling the head would cause damage or instability.

Question 20Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Why does a tabla with a cracked syahi often lose its ability to produce a clean, sustained pitched tone?

  1. The crack loosens the gajra binding
  2. The crack interrupts the uniform loading that damps higher modes Correct answer.
  3. The crack lets air escape from the hollow shell
  4. The crack changes the wood grain of the shell

Explanation

The syahi works by loading the centre uniformly so that higher vibrational modes are damped and a single fundamental dominates. A crack breaks that uniformity, allowing competing modes to sound and the pitch to blur. Air leakage, gajra tension and shell grain are not affected by a surface crack in the patch.

Question 21Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Two dayans of identical shell size are laced to the same tension, but one has a noticeably wider maidan. What is the most likely acoustic consequence?

  1. A brighter, more open tone with a less focused fundamental Correct answer.
  2. A permanently detuned syahi
  3. No audible difference at all
  4. A lower fundamental with stronger bass

Explanation

A wider maidan gives more free skin area, which favours higher modes and produces a brighter, more open sound with a less tightly focused fundamental. Bass emphasis comes from loading and shell volume, not from a wider clear zone. The difference is audible, and the syahi's tuning is unaffected by maidan width.

Question 22Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

In tabla construction, what is the role of the chanti beyond providing a striking surface?

  1. It filters dust from the shell interior
  2. It anchors the head assembly to the shell edge Correct answer.
  3. It determines the pitch of the syahi
  4. It stores spare lacing

Explanation

The chanti is the reinforced rim region where the head meets the shell edge, and it helps anchor the head assembly together with the gajra and lacing. It does not set the syahi's pitch, hold spare lacing or filter dust. Its structural role is as important as its role in playing.

Question 23Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

A bayan's pitch bend becomes sluggish and the heel of the hand needs excessive pressure. Which structural factor best explains this?

  1. The cushion ring is too soft
  2. The dayan syahi is too thin
  3. The head is over-tensioned or the syahi is too thick Correct answer.
  4. The gajra is loosely braided

Explanation

Pitch bending relies on pressing the heel into a head that has enough give; over-tensioning or an excessively thick syahi stiffens the response and demands more pressure for a smaller bend. Cushion softness, the dayan's syahi and gajra braiding do not govern the bayan's bendability in this way.

Question 24Theory of Tabla: instrument structure, parts and maintenance

Why is the syahi applied in successive thin layers rather than as one thick mass?

  1. Thin layers make the drum louder
  2. Thin layers dry evenly and bond without cracking Correct answer.
  3. Thick paste changes the colour of the shell
  4. Thick paste cannot adhere to skin at all

Explanation

Applying syahi in thin successive layers lets each coat dry and bond evenly, preventing shrinkage cracks and giving a uniform, controllable load. A single thick mass traps moisture and cracks as it dries. Loudness and shell colour are not the reasons for layering.

Question 25Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

In Hindustani music, what does the term 'swar' refer to?

  1. A single musical pitch or note Correct answer.
  2. The speed at which a composition is performed
  3. A type of drum stroke played on the bayan
  4. A rhythmic cycle of fixed length

Explanation

Swar denotes a musical pitch - a single note within the tonal system of Hindustani music. Laya concerns tempo and tala concerns the rhythmic cycle, so those ideas belong to different concepts. Swar is the melodic counterpart to the rhythmic concept of laya.

Question 26Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

What does 'laya' mean in the context of tabla performance?

  1. The tempo or speed of the rhythmic flow Correct answer.
  2. The order of bols in a fixed composition
  3. The pitch relationship between dayan and bayan
  4. The tuning of the tabla to the soloist's tonic

Explanation

Laya is the tempo, the rate at which beats and bols unfold in time. It is the rhythmic counterpart to swar, which governs pitch. Tuning and bol order are separate concerns, so they cannot define laya.

Question 27Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

A performer plays the same composition first at a slow tempo and then at a fast tempo. Which element has changed?

  1. Laya Correct answer.
  2. Sur
  3. Swar
  4. Tala

Explanation

Changing the speed of performance alters laya, the tempo, while the composition's bols and the tala cycle remain the same. Pitch content (swar) and the cycle length (tala) are unaffected by how fast it is played. Laya is therefore the only element that has changed.

Question 28Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

In Hindustani notation, how many swar are commonly recognised in the saptak (the seven-note scale)?

  1. Seven Correct answer.
  2. Nine
  3. Twelve
  4. Five

Explanation

The saptak is built on seven shuddha swar: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha and Ni. Vikrit (altered) swar are derived from these seven positions rather than adding new basic notes. Hence the fundamental count of swar in the saptak is seven.

Question 29Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

Which term describes a tempo that is neither slow nor fast, the standard middle speed used in many compositions?

  1. Madhya laya Correct answer.
  2. Vilambit laya
  3. Ati drut laya
  4. Drut laya

Explanation

Madhya laya is the medium tempo that sits between slow and fast. Vilambit is slow and drut is fast, so those labels describe the extremes. Madhya laya is the standard middle speed for many bandish and kayada presentations.

Question 30Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

What is meant by 'sam' in relation to tala and laya?

  1. The first beat of the cycle, where phrases resolve Correct answer.
  2. A stroke played only on the dayan
  3. The fastest tempo a performer can reach
  4. The lowest pitch of the tabla's bayan

Explanation

Sam is the first matra of a tala cycle and the point where melodic and rhythmic phrases typically resolve. Performers mark it clearly because it anchors the cycle in time. It is a structural position, not a tempo or a drum stroke.

Question 31Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

A tabla player demonstrates a kayada in vilambit laya and then in drut laya. What is the relationship between the two performances?

  1. The bols change completely because the tala changes with tempo
  2. The sam moves to a different matra when the tempo increases
  3. The number of matras in the cycle doubles at the faster speed
  4. The same bols are played, but the matras pass at a different rate Correct answer.

Explanation

Laya governs how quickly matras pass, not which bols or how many matras the cycle contains. Playing the same kayada faster keeps its bols and tala intact while the beats arrive more rapidly. Tempo changes the rate of the flow, not the structure of the composition.

Question 32Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

In a 16-matra tala, a performer places a phrase so that its final bol lands on matra 1. Which structural point has been reached?

  1. Khali
  2. Sam Correct answer.
  3. Avartan
  4. Tali

Explanation

Landing a phrase on matra 1 of the cycle means arriving at sam, the point of resolution. Khali is a marked empty (waved) section and tali is a clap position, both of which may occur elsewhere. Avartan is the whole cycle, not a single resolution point.

Question 33Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

Which pair correctly matches the tempo term with its meaning?

  1. Madhya laya - very fast tempo
  2. Vilambit laya - slow tempo Correct answer.
  3. Ati vilambit laya - medium tempo
  4. Drut laya - slow tempo

Explanation

Vilambit laya is the slow tempo, so that pairing is correct. Drut denotes fast, madhya denotes medium, and ati vilambit denotes a very slow tempo. Matching each term to its actual meaning rules out the other pairings.

Question 34Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

A performer keeps the tala constant but plays two bols in the time previously taken by one. What has occurred?

  1. The laya has been doubled Correct answer.
  2. The swar has been raised by an octave
  3. The sam has shifted to matra 3
  4. The tala has changed to a longer cycle

Explanation

Fitting twice as many bols into each matra means the rhythmic flow has doubled in speed, that is, the laya has doubled. The tala and its sam remain unchanged because only the rate of playing changed. Pitch matters are unrelated to this subdivision.

Question 35Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

In Hindustani music, which swar is regarded as the fixed, immovable reference point around which the scale is organised?

  1. Sa Correct answer.
  2. Ma
  3. Pa
  4. Ni

Explanation

Sa is the tonic and serves as the fixed reference from which the other swar take their positions. Ma, Pa and Ni are defined relative to Sa and can be altered as vikrit swar. Sa itself is not altered in the shuddha scale.

Question 36Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

A student counts the matras of a tala aloud while tapping steadily, then speeds up the tapping without changing the tala. What is the student demonstrating control of?

  1. Laya Correct answer.
  2. Raga
  3. Swar
  4. Sur

Explanation

Steady tapping that changes speed is a direct demonstration of laya, the tempo of the cycle. The tala stays the same, so the student is varying only the rate of the beats. Swar, sur and raga all concern pitch and melodic structure.

Question 37Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

Which statement correctly distinguishes swar from laya?

  1. Swar concerns pitch height, while laya concerns the rate of rhythmic flow Correct answer.
  2. Both swar and laya concern only the tuning of the drum
  3. Both swar and laya concern only the order of bols in a composition
  4. Swar concerns the rate of rhythmic flow, while laya concerns pitch height

Explanation

Swar is the domain of pitch and laya is the domain of tempo, so the two concepts divide melodic from rhythmic concerns. This distinction underlies the whole pairing of swar and laya in the syllabus. The other statements either reverse the roles or collapse both into a single unrelated idea.

Question 38Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

A composition is written in a 16-matra tala. At a slow tempo each matra lasts about one second. If the performer moves to a tempo where each matra lasts about half a second, what happens to the length of one full avartan?

  1. It becomes about thirty-two seconds
  2. It becomes about eight seconds Correct answer.
  3. It becomes about sixteen seconds
  4. It stays at about sixteen seconds

Explanation

One avartan contains 16 matras, so at half a second per matra the cycle lasts about 8 seconds. At the original one second per matra it lasted about 16 seconds, so doubling the tempo halves the cycle's duration. The matra count stays fixed while the time per matra changes.

Question 39Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

Which of these is a komal (flattened) swar in the shuddha-to-vikrit scheme?

  1. Tivra Ma
  2. Shuddha Pa
  3. Komal Re Correct answer.
  4. Shuddha Ma

Explanation

Komal swar are the flattened forms, and Re has a komal version positioned lower than its shuddha form. Shuddha Ma and Shuddha Pa are unaltered notes, and tivra Ma is sharpened rather than flattened. Hence komal Re is the flattened swar among the options.

Question 40Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

A tabla solo moves from vilambit laya through madhya laya to drut laya within one tala. What best describes this progression?

  1. A reduction in the number of matras per cycle
  2. A gradual increase in tempo while the tala remains constant Correct answer.
  3. A change of tala at each stage of the performance
  4. A change of tonic pitch at each stage

Explanation

Moving from vilambit to madhya to drut laya is a graduated acceleration of tempo within the same cycle. The tala and its matra count remain constant throughout such a progression. Pitch and tonic are separate from this rhythmic unfolding.

Question 41Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

When a performer plays a tihai, the phrase is repeated three times so that the final bol lands exactly on sam. Which two concepts does this most directly combine?

  1. Laya and tala structure Correct answer.
  2. Bol and vikrit swar
  3. Swar and raga
  4. Sur and tuning

Explanation

A tihai depends on calculating phrase lengths against the cycle so the third repetition lands on sam, which requires control of both laya and tala structure. Pitch concepts such as swar and sur play no part in the calculation. The tihai is therefore a rhythmic construction.

Question 42Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

A performer plays a fixed number of bols per matra, then doubles the number of bols per matra while keeping the tala cycle unchanged. In traditional terminology, this is best described as moving to:

  1. Vilambit laya to ati vilambit laya
  2. Dugun laya to barabar laya
  3. Drut laya to ati drut laya
  4. Barabar laya to dugun laya Correct answer.

Explanation

Barabar laya means one unit per matra, and dugun laya means two units per matra, so doubling the bols per matra is a move from barabar to dugun. The reverse direction would be a reduction in density. The remaining options describe slow or fast tempo bands rather than this proportional doubling.

Question 43Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

In a 16-matra cycle, a performer wants a tihai whose three identical phrases each end on sam. If each phrase is four matras long and the phrases are played back to back, how many matras of rest are needed before the first phrase so that the third phrase ends on sam?

  1. Two matras
  2. Six matras
  3. Four matras Correct answer.
  4. Eight matras

Explanation

Three phrases of four matras occupy twelve matras, leaving four matras of the sixteen-matra cycle to be filled before the phrases begin. Starting the phrases after four matras of rest makes the third phrase finish exactly on sam. The calculation follows the standard tihai principle of fitting the total length to the cycle.

Question 44Swar and Laya: basic concepts of pitch and tempo

Which statement about the relationship between laya and matra is most accurate?

  1. Laya and matra are synonyms and can be used interchangeably
  2. Laya sets how fast matras succeed one another, while the tala fixes how many matras form the cycle Correct answer.
  3. Matra refers to pitch level, and laya refers to the number of beats
  4. Laya fixes the number of matras in the cycle, while the tala sets how fast they pass

Explanation

Laya governs the rate at which matras pass, whereas the tala determines the cycle's length in matras. These are separate properties: a cycle can have a fixed matra count while its tempo varies. Confusing them leads to the incorrect idea that tempo changes the cycle's size.

Question 45Taal and Theka: notation and recognition of prescribed taals

In theka notation, which symbol marks a khali (empty) bol in a taal cycle?

  1. The numeral 0 Correct answer.
  2. A horizontal line (–)
  3. A cross (×)
  4. A small circle (○)

Explanation

Khali is written with the numeral 0 and signals an empty, unaccented stroke, usually played on the open bayan. Sam is marked with a cross (×) and tali with numbered positions such as 2, 3 and 4. The circle is not a standard khali mark in Bhatkhande notation.

Question 46Taal and Theka: notation and recognition of prescribed taals

How many matras are there in one complete avartan of Jhaptal?

  1. 10 Correct answer.
  2. 14
  3. 12
  4. 7

Explanation

Jhaptal is a ten-matra taal, divided 2+3+2+3, with tali on 1, 3 and 8 and khali on 6. Rupak has 7 matras, Ektaal 12 and Dhamar 14. Counting the vibhags 2+3+2+3 confirms the total of 10.

Question 47Taal and Theka: notation and recognition of prescribed taals

Which bol is played on the bayan (left drum) to produce the khali position in theka?

  1. Dha
  2. Dhin
  3. Na
  4. Tin Correct answer.

Explanation

Tin is the khali bol, produced with an open resonant stroke on the bayan, and it marks the empty position of the cycle. Dha and Dhin are accented combined bols that include the dayan, and Na is a resonant dayan stroke used at tali positions.

Question 48Taal and Theka: notation and recognition of prescribed taals

In Teentaal theka, which matra carries the khali?

  1. Matra 5
  2. Matra 9 Correct answer.
  3. Matra 13
  4. Matra 1

Explanation

Teentaal has sixteen matras in four vibhags of four, with tali on 1, 5 and 13 and khali on 9. Matra 1 is sam and matra 5 and 13 are tali positions. The khali falls at the start of the third vibhag.

Question 49Taal and Theka: notation and recognition of prescribed taals

Which taal is written in notation as having 14 matras with khali on matra 3 and matra 11?

  1. Ada Chautal
  2. Jhumra
  3. Dhamar Correct answer.
  4. Deepchandi

Explanation

Dhamar is a fourteen-matra taal in vibhags of 5+2+3+4, with tali on 1, 6 and 11 and khali on 3 and 8. The description of khali on 3 and 11 does not match Dhamar's scheme, so the distinguishing feature here is its fourteen-matra count and division.

Question 50Taal and Theka: notation and recognition of prescribed taals

The theka bol 'Dha' is produced by combining which two strokes?

  1. Ge and Tin
  2. Na and Ge Correct answer.
  3. Dhin and Na
  4. Ta and Ke

Explanation

Dha combines the dayan resonant stroke Na with the bayan open stroke Ge, giving a full resonant sound used at sam and tali. Dhin combines Ge with a closed dayan stroke, and Tin is purely a bayan khali stroke. Ta and Ke are closed or damped strokes.