What a taal is
A taal measures time in matras, beats, gathered into a cycle, the avartan, that comes round again and again. Its matras are grouped into vibhags, and each vibhag begins with a clap (tali) or a silent wave (khali). The first matra of the cycle is sam, marked X: where the cycle begins, and where phrases, taans and tihais land.
On the tabla a taal is played as its theka, one bol to a matra, so that the cycle can be heard. Open, ringing bols (Dha, Dhin) mark the claps; closed ones (Tin, Ta) the wave.
The taals
- Teentaal16 matras · X 2 0 3
- Ektaal12 matras · X 0 2 0 3 4
- Jhaptaal10 matras · X 2 0 3
- Keherwa8 matras · X 0
- Rupak7 matras · 0 2 3
- Dadra6 matras · X 0
- Jhoomra14 matras · X 2 0 3
- Deepchandi14 matras · X 2 0 3
- Tilwada16 matras · X 2 0 3
- Addha16 matras · X 2 0 3
- Chautaal12 matras · X 0 2 0 3 4
- Dhamar14 matras · X 2 0 3
All of them at once
| Taal | Matras | Vibhags | Signs | Theka |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teentaal | 16 | 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 | X 2 0 3 | Dha Dhin Dhin Dha Dha Dhin Dhin Dha Dha Tin Tin Ta Ta Dhin Dhin Dha |
| Ektaal | 12 | 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 | X 0 2 0 3 4 | Dhin Dhin DhaGe TiRaKiTa Tu Na Kat Ta DhaGe TiRaKiTa Dhi Na |
| Jhaptaal | 10 | 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 | X 2 0 3 | Dhi Na Dhi Dhi Na Ti Na Dhi Dhi Na |
| Keherwa | 8 | 4 + 4 | X 0 | Dha Ge Na Ti Na Ke Dhi Na |
| Rupak | 7 | 3 + 2 + 2 | 0 2 3 | Tin Tin Na Dhi Na Dhi Na |
| Dadra | 6 | 3 + 3 | X 0 | Dha Dhi Na Dha Ti Na |
| Jhoomra | 14 | 3 + 4 + 3 + 4 | X 2 0 3 | Dhin –Dha TiRaKiTa Dhin Dhin DhaGe TiRaKiTa Tin –Ta TiRaKiTa Dhin Dhin DhaGe TiRaKiTa |
| Deepchandi | 14 | 3 + 4 + 3 + 4 | X 2 0 3 | Dha Dhin – Dha Dha Tin – Ta Tin – Dha Dha Dhin – |
| Tilwada | 16 | 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 | X 2 0 3 | Dha TiRaKiTa Dhin Dhin Dha Dha Tin Tin Ta TiRaKiTa Dhin Dhin Dha Dha Dhin Dhin |
| Addha | 16 | 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 | X 2 0 3 | Dha Dhin – Dha Dha Dhin – Dha Dha Tin – Ta Ta Dhin – Dha |
| Chautaal | 12 | 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 | X 0 2 0 3 4 | Dha Dha Din Ta KiTa Dha Din Ta TiTa KaTa GaDi GaNa |
| Dhamar | 14 | 5 + 2 + 3 + 4 | X 2 0 3 | Ka Dhi Ta Dhi Ta Dha – Ga Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta – |
Which taal for what
Teentaal, sixteen matras, is the commonest of all: gats and bandishes at every speed. Ektaal and Jhoomra carry the slow bada khayal, as does Tilwada. Jhaptaal, ten matras in uneven vibhags, and Rupak, seven that begin on khali, give a lilt the even taals don't have. Keherwa and Dadra are the taals of bhajans, folk songs, ghazals and film songs, and the light pieces a bansuri plays so often; Deepchandi and Addha are thumri's. Chautaal and Dhamar belong to the pakhawaj and to dhrupad.