Tabla

This article is about the Indian drum. For the Arabian drum with the same name in Arabic, see Goblet drum.

Playing range

Classification	Indian Percussion instrument, goatskin heads with syahi
Bolt tuned or rope tuned with dowels and hammer
Related instruments
Pakhavaj, Mridangam, Khol

The tabla (Hindi: तबला, Tamil: தபேலா, Bangla: তবলা, Nepali: तबला, Urdu: طبلہ tablā from Arabic: طبل، طبلة tabl, tabla) is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in the classical, popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres. The term tabla is derived from an Arabic word, tabl, which simply means "drum." ^[1]

Playing technique involves extensive use of the fingers and palms in various configurations to create a wide variety of different sounds, reflected in the mnemonic syllables (bol). The heel of the hand is used to apply pressure or in a sliding motion on the larger drum so that the pitch is changed during the sound's decay.

History

The history of this instrument is uncertain, and has been the subject of sometimes heated debate. Rebecca Stewart^[2] suggested it was most likely a hybrid resulting from experiments with existing drums such as pakhawaj, dholak and naqqara. The origins of tabla repertoire and technique may be found in all three and in physical structure there are also elements of all three: the smaller pakhawaj head for the dayan, the naqqara kettledrum for the bayan, and the flexible use of the bass of the dholak.

Sitar player Shahid Parvez Khan at a concert accompanied by the great Tabla wizard of the Benaras Gharana Pandit Samta Prasad

A common legendary account credits the 13th century Indian poet Amir Khusrau as the inventor by splitting a single pakhawaj drum into two. ('thoda, tab bhi bola - tabla': 'When broke, it still spoke' - a fairly well-known, though almost certainly mythical Hindi pun) None of his writings on music mention the drum, but this apparent tradition of late invention, combined with the absence of the instrument in South Indian music and the closed-ended, paired design that relates it to the Western clay-drums and tympani, altogether supports the view that the tabla is a comparatively recent development in northern Indian music. Reliable historical evidence^{[citation needed]} places the invention of this instrument in the 18th century, and the first verifiable player of this drum was Ustad Suddhar Khan of Delhi.

Muktesvara temple (6th-7th century) and Bhuranesvara (and three other cave temples) of Badari in Bombay (6th century) contain depictions of the puskara drum. Musicians often placed the puskara's smaller vertical drum (called 'alinga'), on their lap and played more than one drum at a time.

Similar regional instruments include the Punjabi dukkar, the Kashmiri dukra, the duggi in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and the mridangam. The mridangam (Southern equivalent of the Northern pakhavaj) is the principal drum in South Indian Carnatic music. The dhol (dholak) of eastern Afghanistan is related in terms of both construction and playing style. The main distinction of the tabla is the pairing of two different types of single-headed drums, whereas the dukkar, dukra, and duggi are pairs of the same type and the mridangam and dhol are double-headed, barrel-shaped drums.

Nomenclature and construction

The smaller drum, played with the dominant hand, is sometimes called dayan (lit. "right"; a.k.a. dāhina, siddha, chattū) but is correctly called the "tabla." It is made from a conical piece of mostly teak and rosewood hollowed out to approximately half of its total depth. The drum is tuned to a specific note, usually either the tonic, dominant or subdominant of the soloist's key and thus complements the melody. The tuning range is limited although different dāyāñ-s are produced in different sizes, each with a different range. Cylindrical wood blocks, known as ghatta, are inserted between the strap and the shell allowing tension to be adjusted by their vertical positioning. Fine tuning is achieved while striking vertically on the braided portion of the head using a small hammer.

The larger drum, played with the other hand, is called bāyāñ (lit. "left"; a.k.a. dagga, duggī, dhāmā). The bāyāñ has a much deeper bass tone, much like its distant cousin, the kettle drum. The bāyāñ may be made of any of a number of materials. Brass is the most common, copper is more expensive, but generally held to be the best, while aluminum and steel are often found in inexpensive models. One sometimes finds that wood is used, especially in old bāyāñs from the Punjab. Clay is also used, although not favored for durability; these are generally found in the North-East region of Bengal.

Both drum shells are covered with a head (or puri) constructed from goat or cow skin. An outer ring of skin (keenar) is overlaid on the main skin and serves to suppress some of the natural overtones. These two skins are bound together with a complex woven braid that gives the assembly enough strength to be tensioned on the shell. The head is affixed to the drum shell with a single cow or camel hide strap laced between the braid of the head assembly and another ring (made from the same strap material) placed on the bottom of the drum.

The head of each drum has an inner called the syahi (lit. "ink"; a.k.a. shāī or gāb). This is constructed using multiple layers of a tuning paste made from starch (rice or wheat) mixed with a black powder of various origins. The precise construction and shaping of this area is responsible for modification of the drum's natural overtones, resulting in the clarity of pitch and variety of tonal possibilities unique to this instrument. The skill required for the proper construction of this area is highly refined and is the main differentiating factor in the quality of a particular instrument.

For stability while playing, each drum is positioned on a toroidal bundle called chutta or guddi, consisting of plant fiber or another malleable material wrapped in cloth.

Gharānā — tabla tradition

The term gharānā is used to specify a lineage of teaching and repertoire in Indian classical music. Most performers and scholars recognize two styles of tabla gharana: Dilli Baj and Purbi Baj. Dilli (or Delhi) baj comes from the style that developed in Delhi, and Purbi (meaning eastern) baj developed in the area east of Delhi. Delhi Baj is also known as Chati baj (Chati is a part of Tabla from where special tone can be produced).

Musicians then recognize six gharānās – schools or traditions – of tabla. These traditions appeared or evolved in presumably the following order:

Other tabla performers have identified further derivations of the above traditions, but these are subjective claims not universally recognized.^{[citation needed]} Some traditions indeed have sub-lineages and sub-styles that meet the criteria to warrant a separate gharānā name, but such socio-musical identities have not taken hold in the public discourse of Hindustani art music, such as the Qasur lineage of tabla players of the Punjab region.

Each gharānā is traditionally set apart from the others by unique aspects of the compositional and playing styles of its exponents. For instance, some gharānās have different tabla positioning and bol techniques. In the days of court patronage the preservation of these distinctions was important in order to maintain the prestige of the sponsoring court. Gharānā secrets were closely guarded and often only passed along family lines. Being born into or marrying into a lineage holding family was often the only way to gain access to this knowledge.

Today many of these gharānā distinctions have been blurred as information has been more freely shared and newer generations of players have learned and combined aspects from multiple gharānās to form their own styles. There is much debate as to whether the concept of gharānā even still applies to modern players. Some think the era of gharānā has effectively come to an end as the unique aspects of each gharānā have been mostly lost through the mixing of styles and the socio-economic difficulties of maintaining lineage purity through rigorous training.

Nonetheless the greatness of each gharānā can still be observed through study of its traditional material and, when accessible, recordings of its great players. The current generation of traditionally trained masters still hold vast amounts of traditional compositional knowledge and expertise.

This body of compositional knowledge and the intricate theoretical basis which informs it is still actively being transmitted from teacher to student all over the world. In addition to the instrument itself, the term tabla is often used in reference to this knowledge and the process of its transmission.

Tabla terminology

Ustad - a master of the tabla technique and gharana, or school. Hindus are referred to as Pandit.
Gharana - any of the six schools (Punjab gharana, Delhi gharana, Benares, Ajrara, Lucknow, Farukhabad) of tabla.
Syahi - the black spots on the tabla, also called gab. Composed of a dried paste derived from iron filings and applied in several separate layers to the head of the drum. Sometimes called the shyani.
Keenar - the outer ring of skin on the head of each of the two tabla drums. In Hindi, known as the chat.
Sur - The area between the gaab and the keenar. In Hindi, known as the maidan.
bol - both mnemonic syllables and a series of notes produced when stroked. E.g. Na, tin, Dha, Dhin, Ge, Ke, etc.
Theka - a standard series of bols that form the rhythmic basis of tabla accompaniment for a given tala.
Rela - a sort of rapid drum-roll.
Chutta - the cushions used when placing the tabla.
Baj, Baaj, or Baaz - a style of playing, different from the gharānā. Two main styles developed, Purbi Baj and Dilli Baj. Dilli, or Delhi, baj is the *style of bols and playing that originated in the city of Delhi. Purbi (meaning "eastern") developed in the area east of delhi. Both have different ways to play bols.
Bāyāñ or Duggi- The metal drum providing the bass notes in tabla.
Dayan or Tabla - The wooden drum providing the treble notes in tabla.

Lay (or "Laya")' - tempo.
tala - meter. Example: Dadra Tala, Ada Chautal, Teental, and the most common, keherwa.
Vibhag Section of a tabla taal where bols can be placed.
Tali - A vibhag signified by a clap.
Khali - A vibhag signified by waving of the hands.
Ghatta - Wooden dowels used to control the tension.

When we say about Tabla one name comes 1st.and he is Ustad Zakir hossain.

Zakir Hussain

Ustad Zakir Hussain (Hindi: ज़ाकिर हुसैन, Urdu: ذاکِر حسین), (born 9 March 1951), is an Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor and soundtrack composer.

Early life

Hussain was born in Mumbai, India to the legendary tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha^[1]. He attended St. Michael's High School in Mahim, and graduated from St Xaviers, Mumbai.^[2]

His younger brothers are a noted percussionists, Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi.

Musical career

As he was the elder son of famous musician Alla Rakha, Hussain was a child prodigy, and was touring by the age of twelve. He went to the United States in 1970, beginning his international career which includes more than 150 concert dates a year. ^[3]. A prolific composer, he has received widespread recognition.

Hussain is a founding member of Bill Laswell's 'World Music Supergroup' Tabla Beat Science.^[4]

Hussain participates in the Silk Road collaborative musical project. [1] He teaches Tabla to advanced students in both San Francisco and Mumbai. Zakir participates in the Global Drum Project with percussionists from around the world.

In 1992, Hussain founded Moment! Records, which features original collaborations in the field of contemporary world music, as well as live concert performances by great masters of the classical music of India. The label presents his own world percussion ensemble, The Rhythm Experience, both North and South Indian classical recordings, Best of Shakti and the Masters of Percussion series. Moment Records’ 2006 release Golden Strings of the Sarode, with Aashish Khan and Zakir Hussain, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album category for that year.

John McLaughlin collaborations

Hussain worked with John McLaughlin on several Indo-Jazz projects, beginning with their collaboration in the band Shakti (band) on the albums Shakti (album) (1975 Columbia), A Handful of Beauty (1976 Columbia), and Natural Elements (1977 CBS). McLaughlin later appeared on Zakir's album Making Music. Twenty years later, they rejoined in the band Remember Shakti, recording the albums Remember Shakti (1999 Universal Records), The Believer (2000 Universal Records), Saturday Night in Bombay (2001 Universal Records), Live at 38th Montreux Jazz Festival (18 July, 2004), and Live at Miles Davis Hall (8 July, 2004). They also appeared in the DVD The Way of Beauty. Both bands performed live both in the U.S. and abroad as recently as 2008 ^[5].

Mickey Hart collaborations

Hussain has collaborated with Mickey Hart on many projects, beginning with Hart's first solo album Rolling Thunder, and including Diga, At The Edge, Planet Drum, Mickey Hart's Mystery Box, Supralingua, Spirit into Sound, and Global Drum Project. He has been part of several of his bands including the Diga Rhythm Band, Planet Drum, Bembe' Orishas, and the Global Drum Project. These projects have brought him together with such masters of world percussion and music as Sikiru Adepoju, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, Babatunde Olatunji, and Giovanni Hidalgo.

The first Planet Drum album, released in 1991 on the Rykodisc label, went on to earn the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album. The Global Drum Project album and tour brought Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju, and Giovanni Hidalgo together again in a reunion sparked by the 15th anniversary of the ground-breaking album Planet Drum. The album Global Drum Project has won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 51st Grammy Awards Ceremony held on 8 February 2009.^[6]

Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer collaborations

When Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer were asked to compose a triple concerto by the Nashville Symphony, they both named Hussain as their first choice for the third member. The piece, titled The Melody of Rhythm; Concerto premiered on September 9, 2006 with Leonard Slatkin conducting the Nashville Symphony. The trio composed several more songs together and included both the concerto and additional works on a CD released in 2009 entitled The Melody of Rhythm - Triple Concerto & Music for Trio (2009 E1 Music). On the recording, the orchestral parts are performed by the The Detroit Symphony Orchestra with Leonard Slatkin once again holding the baton. The liner notes indicate the trio has more projects in mind for the future. ^[7]

Film career

Hussain starred in the Merchant Ivory Film Heat and Dust in 1983, for which he also composed the score. He composed, performed and acted as Indian music advisor for the film Vanaprastham^[8], a 1999 Cannes Film Festival entry which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (AFI Fest) in 1999, and won awards at 2000 Istanbul International Film Festival (Turkey), 2000 Bombay International Film Festival (India), and 2000 National Film Awards (India). He has composed soundtracks for several movies, most notably In Custody and The Mystic Masseur by Ismail Merchant, and has played tabla on the soundtracks of Francis Coppola's Apocalypse Now, Bernardo Bertolucci's Little Buddha, and other films.^[9]

He starred in several films specifically showcasing his musical performance both solo and with different bands, including the 1998 documentary "Zakir and His Friends"^[10], and the documentary "The Speaking Hand: Zakir Hussain and the Art of the Indian Drum" (2003 Sumantra Ghosal)^[11]. He also performs in the DVDs The Rhythm Devils Concert Experience (2008), and The Way of Beauty (2006) with the band Remember Shakti.

Personal life

Zakir Hussain married Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and teacher, who is also his manager.

He was named an Old Dominion Fellow by the Humanities Council at Princeton University, where he resided for the 2005–2006 semester as full professor in the music department. He was also a visiting professor at Stanford University.

Discography

Global Drum Project (2007) – Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju, Giovanni Hidalgo - Shout Factory
Soukha - V. Selvaganesh (with John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, Vikku, Shrinivas) - Naive
Sangam (2006) - Jazz collaboration with bandleader Charles Lloyd.
Maestro's Choice Series One - Alla Rakha & Zakir Hussain (2005)
Punjabi Dhamar (2004)
Raag Chandrakauns (2004)
Live at 38th Montreux Jazz Festival (18 July, 2004) - Remember Shakti
Live at Miles Davis Hall (8 July, 2004) - Remember Shakti
The Best of Mickey Hart: Over the Edge and Back (2002) – Mickey Hart
Selects (2002)
Saturday Night in Bombay (2001) - Remember Shakti (Universal Records)
Tala Matrix (2000) – Tabla Beat Science
Spirit into Sound (2000) – Mickey Hart
The Believer (2000) - Remember Shakti
Remember Shakti (1999) - Remember Shakti
And the Rhythm Experience (1998)
Supralingua (1998) – Mickey Hart
Essence of Rhythm (1998)
Magical Moments of Rhythm (1997)
Kirwani (1997)
Mickey Hart's Mystery Box (1996) – Mickey Hart
Raga Aberi (1995) - Shankar
Jog And Rageshri (1994)
Music of the Deserts (1993)
Flights of Improvisation (1992)
The One and Only (1992)
Planet Drum (1991) – Mickey Hart
At the Edge (1990) – Mickey Hart
Tabla Duet (1988)
Making Music (1987)
Morning Ragas (1979) with Vasant Rai
The Apocalypse Now Sessions - Rhythm Devils (1979) Rykodisc
Natural Elements (1977) - Shakti with John McLaughlin
A Handful of Beauty (1976) - Shakti with John McLaughlin
Diga (1976) – Diga Rhythm Band
Shakti (1975) - Shakti with John McLaughlin
Rolling Thunder (1972) – Mickey Hart
Shanti (1971)
Evening Ragas" (1970) Vasant Rai

Filmography

The Rhythm Devils Concert Experience (2008 – DVD) – The Rhythm Devils
The Way of Beauty (2006 - DVD) - Remember Shakti
The Speaking Hand: Zakir Hussain and the Art of the Indian Drum (2003) Sumantra Ghosal)
Zakir and His Friends (1998)
Heat and Dust (1983) Merchant Ivory Film

Soundtracks

One Dollar Curry (2003) - Vijay Singh
The Mystic Masseur (2001) - Ismail Merchant
Vanaprastham (1999) - Shaji N. Karun
Little Buddha (1993) - Bernardo Bertolucci
In Custody (1993) - Ismail Merchant
Apocalypse Now (1979) - Francis Coppola

Awards and accolades

Awarded the titles of Padma Shri in 1988, and Padma Bhushan in 2002, becoming the youngest percussionist to be awarded these titles, given to civilians of merit by the Indian government.
Awarded the Indo-American Award in 1990 in recognition for his outstanding cultural contribution to relations between the United States and India.
Presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1991 by the President of India, making him one of the youngest musicians to receive this recognition from India's governing cultural institute.
In 1992 Planet Drum, an album co-created and produced by Hussain and Mickey Hart, was awarded the first-ever Grammy for Best World Music Album, the Downbeat Critics’ Poll for Best World Beat Album and the NARM Indie Best Seller Award for a World Music Recording.
Recipient of the 1999 National Heritage Fellowship, the United States’ most prestigious honor for a master in the traditional arts, presented by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the United States Senate on September 28, 1999^[15].
In 2005, he was named an Old Dominion Fellow by the Humanities Council at Princeton University, where he resided for the 2005–2006 semester as full professor in the music department, teaching a survey course in Indian classical music and dance.
Recipient of the prestigious Kalidas Samman in 2006, an award for artists of exceptional achievement, from the government of Madhya Pradesh.
Golden Strings of the Sarode (Moment! Records 2006) with Aashish Khan and Zakir Hussain was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Traditional World Music Album category in 2006.
In 2007, readers’ polls from both Modern Drummer and Drum! magazines named Zakir Hussain Best World Music and Best World Beat Drummer respectively.
On 8 February, 2009 for 51st Grammy Awards, Zakir Hussain won the Grammy in the Contemporary World Music Album category for his collaborative album "Global Drum Project" along with Mickey Hart, Sikiru Adepoju & Giovanni Hidalgo.

Monday, March 8, 2010

An important musical instruments, TABLA