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Taal · 16 matras

अद्धाAddha

Sixteen matras, counted like Teentaal, with a rest in each vibhag that gives it a lilt: a taal of thumri, ghazal and bhajan.

  • 16 matras
  • 4 vibhags: 4 + 4 + 4 + 4
  • X 2 0 3
  • Thumri, ghazals, bhajans, folk
X203DhaDhin–DhaDhaDhin–DhaDhaTin–TaTaDhin–Dha16matrasPractise with it on Meend’s tabla →
80 madhya
About these soundsMeend makes the harmonium and santoor sounds itself. They aren’t recordings of real instruments, so they sound close, but not quite the same. They are here to let you hear how the swaras go.The tanpura and tabla are recordings of real ones.

Addha has sixteen matras in four vibhags of four, counted X 2 0 3 like Teentaal. But it doesn't walk evenly: each vibhag has a rest on its third matra, and the stroke after it comes like a skip. That swaying, uneven feel makes it a favourite for thumri, ghazal, bhajan and folk song. Sitarkhani, played for light gats on the sitar, is close kin.

The theka

  1. X
    1. 1Dha
    2. 2Dhin
    3. 3–
    4. 4Dha
  2. 2
    1. 5Dha
    2. 6Dhin
    3. 7–
    4. 8Dha
  3. 0
    1. 9Dha
    2. 10Tin
    3. 11–
    4. 12Ta
  4. 3
    1. 13Ta
    2. 14Dhin
    3. 15–
    4. 16Dha

Dha Dhin – Dha: the silent third matra and the Dha after it are the heart of the taal. The khali vibhag, from the 9th matra, is Dha Tin – Ta: the bayan's Dhin gives way to the dayan's Tin, and Ta, until the last vibhag brings Dhin back.

Counting with the hands

Clap, clap, wave, clap, X 2 0 3: sam on the 1st matra, talis on the 5th and 13th, khali on the 9th.

  1. XClap: sammatras 1–4
  2. 2Clapmatras 5–8
  3. 0Wavematras 9–12
  4. 3Clapmatras 13–16

The bols

BolHow it is playedOn
NaThe dayan’s rim, struck with the tip of the index finger, lifted at once so it ringsDayan
GeThe bayan, open: the bass, its pitch bent by the heel of the handBayan
DhaNa and Ge at onceBoth
TinThe dayan between the rim and the black syahi, ringingDayan
DhinTin and Ge at onceBoth
TaAs Na, on the dayan’s rim; inside TiRaKiTa, closedDayan

How fast it is played

Mostly in madhya laya, from about 60 to 120 matras a minute: slow enough for its lilt to sway, fast enough to move.

Layakari: dugun, tigun, chaugun

Dugun: two to each matra
  1. X
    1. 1DhaDhin
    2. 2–Dha
    3. 3DhaDhin
    4. 4–Dha
  2. 2
    1. 5DhaTin
    2. 6–Ta
    3. 7TaDhin
    4. 8–Dha
  3. 0
    1. 9DhaDhin
    2. 10–Dha
    3. 11DhaDhin
    4. 12–Dha
  4. 3
    1. 13DhaTin
    2. 14–Ta
    3. 15TaDhin
    4. 16–Dha
Tigun: three to each matra
  1. X
    1. 1DhaDhin–
    2. 2DhaDhaDhin
    3. 3–DhaDha
    4. 4Tin–Ta
  2. 2
    1. 5TaDhin–
    2. 6DhaDhaDhin
    3. 7–DhaDha
    4. 8Dhin–Dha
  3. 0
    1. 9DhaTin–
    2. 10TaTaDhin
    3. 11–DhaDha
    4. 12Dhin–Dha
  4. 3
    1. 13DhaDhin–
    2. 14DhaDhaTin
    3. 15–TaTa
    4. 16Dhin–Dha
Chaugun: four to each matra
  1. X
    1. 1DhaDhin–Dha
    2. 2DhaDhin–Dha
    3. 3DhaTin–Ta
    4. 4TaDhin–Dha
  2. 2
    1. 5DhaDhin–Dha
    2. 6DhaDhin–Dha
    3. 7DhaTin–Ta
    4. 8TaDhin–Dha
  3. 0
    1. 9DhaDhin–Dha
    2. 10DhaDhin–Dha
    3. 11DhaTin–Ta
    4. 12TaDhin–Dha
  4. 3
    1. 13DhaDhin–Dha
    2. 14DhaDhin–Dha
    3. 15DhaTin–Ta
    4. 16TaDhin–Dha

A tihai

TiRaKiTa Dha, a matra's rest, three times: eight matras. To land on sam it begins on the 10th matra.

1st avartan

  1. X
    1. 1Dha
    2. 2Dhin
    3. 3–
    4. 4Dha
  2. 2
    1. 5Dha
    2. 6Dhin
    3. 7–
    4. 8Dha
  3. 0
    1. 9Dha
    2. 10Tin
    3. 11–
    4. 12Ta
  4. 3
    1. 13Ta
    2. 14Dhin
    3. 15–
    4. 16Dha

2nd avartan

  1. X
    1. 1Dha
    2. 2Dhin
    3. 3–
    4. 4Dha
  2. 2
    1. 5Dha
    2. 6Dhin
    3. 7–
    4. 8Dha
  3. 0
    1. 9Dha
    2. 10TiRaKiTa
    3. 11Dha
    4. 12–
  4. 3
    1. 13TiRaKiTa
    2. 14Dha
    3. 15–
    4. 16TiRaKiTa

3rd avartan

  1. X
    1. 1Dha
    2. 2Dhin
    3. 3–
    4. 4Dha
  2. 2
    1. 5Dha
    2. 6Dhin
    3. 7–
    4. 8Dha
  3. 0
    1. 9Dha
    2. 10Tin
    3. 11–
    4. 12Ta
  4. 3
    1. 13Ta
    2. 14Dhin
    3. 15–
    4. 16Dha

For the flute

Start the tabla, then play these with it: they begin with its next sam. Leave each vibhag's third matra to the swara before it, as the theka leaves it to a rest.

A lilting phrase
S–RGR–S–G–PDP–G–
Down to Ni below, and home
D–PGR–S–N–SRS–––

Questions

How many matras does Addha have?

Sixteen, in four vibhags of four. Its signs are X 2 0 3.

How is Addha different from Teentaal?

They share their count, but Teentaal is even and Addha sways: a rest on the third matra of each vibhag, and the stroke after it.