Tala Knowledge and Rhythmic Notation
What tala notation tests
You must know the structure of prescribed talas, write the theka in matras and vibhags, and mark sam, tali and khali correctly. The examiner also checks whether you can explain laya and avartan.
Core structures
- Teental: 16 matras, four vibhags of 4. Sam 1, tali 5 and 13, khali 9. Theka: dha dhin dhin dha | dha dhin dhin dha | dha tin tin ta | ta dhin dhin dha.
- Jhaptal: 10 matras, 2+3+2+3. Sam 1, tali 3 and 8, khali 6.
- Ektal: 12 matras, six vibhags of 2. Sam 1, tali 5, 9 and 11; khali 3 and 7.
- Dadra: 6 matras, 3+3; sam 1, khali 4.
- Keherwa: 8 matras, 4+4; sam 1, khali 5.
- Rupak: 7 matras, 3+2+2; sam is khali, tali 4 and 6. This is a favourite trap.
Worked example
Write one avartan of Teental and mark the hands. Reasoning: matra 1 is sam, so clap. Matra 5 is tali, clap. Matra 9 is khali, wave. Matra 13 is tali, clap. The bols fall as: 1 dha, 2 dhin, 3 dhin, 4 dha, 5 dha, 6 dhin, 7 dhin, 8 dha, 9 dha, 10 tin, 11 tin, 12 ta, 13 ta, 14 dhin, 15 dhin, 16 dha. Note that matra 13's bol is 'ta', not 'dha', because the fourth vibhag begins with ta in this common theka. If your prescribed textbook uses 'dha' at 13, follow it, but keep the tali position correct.
Traps
- Treating khali as a clap.
- Counting vibhags instead of matras.
- Making sam and tali the same thing.
- Writing Jhaptal as 3+3+2+2.