Playing along with a theka
A theka is the tabla's way of saying a taal: one bol to each matra, round and round. Playing a composition over it, you always know where you are in the cycle, and where sam, the first matra, falls: the place phrases land.
Start slowly. A bandish learnt at a comfortable tempo, every swara in its matra, can be taken faster later; one learnt fast stays untidy. Raise the tempo a few matras a minute at a time.
The taals
Each taal has a page of its own, with its theka written out, how to count it on the hands, its bols and a tihai: Teentaal, Ektaal, Jhaptaal, Keherwa, Rupak, Dadra, Jhoomra, Deepchandi, Tilwada, Addha, Chautaal and Dhamar. Where a taal is played more than one way, its other thekas are here to choose.
Tuned to your Sa
A tabla player tunes the dayan, the right-hand drum, to the singer's or the flute's Sa, so that its ringing strokes sit in the music. Meend's dayan follows the Sa you choose above, and the tanpura, if you turn it on, plays in the same Sa.
In the app each item of your riyaz keeps its own taal and tempo, the tabla plays from the practice page, and Meend listens through it, timing your practice and following your swaras as you play.