PSEB Matric Music Tabla key terms

The pair of tuned hand drums used in Hindustani music: the smaller, higher-pitched dayan (or dahina) on the right and the larger, lower-pitched bayan on the left. The player strikes both with the fingers and palm.

The larger left-hand drum of the tabla pair, usually made of copper or brass, which produces a deep bass sound. Its pitch can be bent by pressing the heel of the hand on the skin.

The smaller right-hand tabla drum, usually carved from a single block of wood, tuned to the tonic or a chosen pitch. It carries most of the clear, ringing strokes of a composition.

The black circular patch applied to the centre of each drumhead, made from iron oxide, soot and gum. It weights the skin to give a clear pitch and separates the ringing and bass areas.

The central area of the drumhead covering the syahi where strokes produce a resonant, pitched sound. On the dayan it gives the open na and tin, on the bayan the bass ga.

The outer rim area of the tabla skin, near the woven edge, where strokes give a dry, flat, non-resonant sound. Bols such as ta, kat and tete are played close to this rim.

The woven leather or rope ring that holds the drumhead taut on the dayan and is tapped with a small hammer to tune the drum. Tightening it raises the pitch, loosening lowers it.

The spoken syllables that name tabla strokes, such as dha, dhin, ta, tin, ge and ke. They act as a mnemonic language for playing and for reciting compositions aloud.

A composite bol combining a dayan stroke (na or ta) with a bayan bass stroke (ge), giving a full resonant sound. It opens many talas and often marks the sam.

A resonant composite bol played on both drums, similar to dha but with a different dayan stroke, producing a broad, open sound. It commonly appears in tintal theka and in gat compositions.

A ringing stroke played on the syahi area of the dayan with the index finger, giving a clear pitched tone. It is the dayan component inside the composite bol dha.

A resonant dayan stroke played near the syahi with a light finger contact, producing a bright ringing tone. It appears in theka patterns of tintal and jhaptal and in rela patterns.

The principal bass bol of the bayan, played with the flat hand or fingers and often modulated by heel pressure. It supplies the low pulse in dha, dhin and dha ge patterns.

A dry, flat stroke played on the kinar of the dayan with the ring or little finger, used in fast, dense patterns. Strings of tete and kata give rela and tukda their driving character.

The oral recitation of bols, with correct pronunciation and hand gestures, before or while playing. Examiners often ask for padhant to test whether the candidate truly knows the composition.

A fixed rhythmic cycle of a set number of beats, grouped into vibhags and marked by clap and wave positions. Tintal, jhaptal, rupak and dadra are common examples in the syllabus.

A single beat or unit of a tala cycle. Tintal has sixteen matras, jhaptal ten and dadra six, and each matra is counted aloud while keeping time.

A section or bar within a tala, formed by grouping matras. Vibhags are marked by a clap (tali), a wave (khali) or both, and their pattern distinguishes one tala from another.

The first and most important matra of a tala cycle, marked by a clap, where phrases resolve and compositions return. Landing on sam accurately is a basic test of rhythmic control.

A clap marking a stressed vibhag of a tala, shown by striking the hands together. Tintal has tali on matras 1, 5 and 13, and these positions shape the theka's emphasis.

A wave of the hand marking an unstressed vibhag, where the theka uses lighter, open bols. Tintal's khali falls on matra 9, and recognising it is essential for accompaniment.

Tempo, the speed at which matras pass. It is described as vilambit (slow), madhya (medium) or drut (fast), and a soloist may double or halve it during performance.

Playing at the same speed as the underlying pulse, one stroke or phrase per matra. It is the base laya from which dugun and chaugun are calculated in solo and accompaniment.

Laya at twice the base speed, with two matras of movement for every original beat. Players use dugun to build excitement and to show control before returning to barabar.

Laya at four times the base speed, giving four units per matra. Chaugun passages demand clean fingering and are a standard test in practical tabla examinations.

The basic repeating bol pattern that identifies a tala and keeps time in accompaniment. It is played with steady laya, and its tali and khali positions must be clearly audible.

A repeating melodic line, usually on sarangi or harmonium, that marks the tala cycle for a tabla solo. The tabla player weaves compositions around the lehra's sam.

A structured solo composition built from a small set of bols, developed through systematic variations (paltas) and closed with a tihai. It is the central test piece of tabla solo.

An opening solo composition in slow laya, played mostly on the bayan and developed gradually. It introduces the tala before a kaida and is associated with the Lucknow and Farrukhabad styles.

A fast solo composition of dense, continuous bols, usually in drut laya, with a rolling, flowing character. Relas often use tete, kata and tirakita patterns and end in a tihai.

A fixed solo composition, often with a distinctive melodic or syllabic shape, played in a set form rather than developed like a kaida. Gats may be fast or slow and vary by gharana.

A short, fixed solo composition ending on sam, usually played in fast laya. It is not varied like a kaida, and its final phrase is often a compact tihai.

A variation on a kaida's basic theme, changing the order or grouping of its bols while keeping the tala structure. A series of paltas shows systematic development of the theme.

A phrase repeated three times so that its final note falls on sam. It is used to close kaidas, relas, tukdas and even vocal or instrumental pieces.

A school or lineage of tabla playing, passing on a distinct repertoire, technique and style from teacher to student. The main tabla gharanas include Delhi, Lucknow, Ajrada, Farrukhabad, Benares and Punjab.

A tabla school known for powerful bayan work, resonant open strokes and a strong tradition of solo playing, associated with exponents such as Ram Sahai and later Kishan Maharaj.

The oldest recognised tabla gharana, traced to Siddhar Khan, famous for refined, balanced playing, extensive kaida development and precise, controlled bols. It strongly shaped modern tabla training.

A written system for recording talas and bols, usually showing matras in rows with vibhag marks, tali and khali symbols, and the bols written under each beat. It allows compositions to be preserved and read.

A tabla recital in which the player presents peshkar, kaida, rela, gat and tukda within one tala, accompanied by a lehra. The player controls laya and builds from slow to fast.

The tabla player's role of supporting a vocalist or instrumentalist by playing theka and suitable fillers in the given tala. The player must follow the soloist's laya and phrases without obscuring them.