Notation Writing and Reading
Notation writing and reading tests your ability to set tabla bols on the matra grid using the prescribed symbols. The examiner checks alignment, bar lines and tali and khali marks.
Symbols
- Matra numbers run above or beside the bols, from 1 to the cycle length.
- | marks a vibhag boundary; || marks the end of an avartan.
- × marks sam; 0 marks khali; 2, 3, 4 mark tali.
- Write the bols exactly under their matra; a split bol such as Dha Ge must not shift the count.
Worked example
Keherwa, 8 matras, 4+4: 1 Dha | 2 Ge | 3 Na | 4 Ti || 5 Na | 6 Ka | 7 Dhi | 8 Na || Tali is on 1 (×), khali on 5 (0), with vibhag bars after 4 and 8. In Rupak the first matra carries both × and 0 because sam is khali.
Reading
Read the symbol row first: it tells you where sam, tali and khali fall. Then read the bols in groups. Check that each vibhag has the correct number of matras. When reading a kayda, note the laya marking (barabar, dugun); the same bols at dugun occupy half the time per bol.
Traps
Do not put khali on a tali number. Do not omit the double bar at the avartan end. Do not write Teental as four unmarked lines without matra numbers. In Rupak, do not correct the khali sam to a tali; that changes the taal.