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The South Indian rhythm system of Carnatic music is based largely on mathematics for stringing together rhythm cells of various durations to !t a given rhythm cycle. "e rhythm system of North India is based primarily on !xed, extended composi-

tions rendered on North Indian tabla. "e goal of this article is to adapt shorter tabla phrases into potent grooves for accompanying music in practical, real-world applications. Before presenting speci!c examples, here is some general background of North Indian music.

TERMINOLOGYDayan: Although the pair of drums is called tabla, the term “dayan” is

applied to the high drum made from wood. Dayan literally means right or right drum.

Bayan: "e metal low drum that produces bass tones. Bayan literally means left or left drum.

Bol: "is means “word” and refers to the syllables that are an onomato-poetic representation of tabla sounds. Bol can also represent an entire composition.

Tala: "e rhythmic component of North Indian classical music per-formed on any percussion instrument such as tabla, pakhawaj, or naqqara.

Sam (pronounced Sum): Beat one of a given rhythmic cycle, emphasized by a clap of the hand, notated using “+”.

Bharee: "e portion of a tabla phrase that is emphasized with bass tones of the bayan. Literally meaning “full.”

Khali: the portion of a phrase not emphasized by bass bayan tones. Khali means “empty” and is indicated by a outward wave of the hand, no-tated using “o”.

Matra: Meaning “stroke” or beat. Kinar: "e outer portion of the dayan that is metallic in character. "e

kinar stroke (na/ta) is the most commonly used stroke on tabla.Sur: the harmonic tone (tin) that results when the dayan is struck di-

rectly between the kinar and the gab. Gab: Black circle for closed tones: tete/tira kita, made from rice powder

and iron !lings, formed into a paste, rubbed onto the goatskin in lay-ers.

RHYTHMIC CYCLESTintal: 16-beat cycle subdivided into four equal groups (4 + 4 + 4 + 4 =

16)Jhaptal: 10-beat cycle subdivided into four groups (2 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 10)Kaharwa: 8-beat cycle subdivided into two equal groups (4 + 4 = 8)Rupak Tal: 7-beat cycle subdivided into three groups (3 + 2 + 2 = 7)Dadra Tal: 6-beat cycle subdivided into two equal groups (3 + 3 = 6).

CLASSIFICATION OF TABLA BOLS One of the more challenging and beautiful aspects of tabla is the use of spoken syllables (“bols”) to represent drum sounds. However, this language-based system can be somewhat daunting to students trained using drumset notation. Always try to speak each phrase clearly to grasp the inherent rhythmic “poetry.” Drumset variations are derived using a general categorization of tabla

Drumset Adaptations of North Indian TablaBy Jerry Leake

bols. To avoid hampering improvisation and variation we will not es-tablish a strict system. Below is an abridged list of tabla bols with basic classi!cations of sound quality: sustaining or non-sustaining tones, high-pitched, bass sounds. To the right of each bol are suggested drumset interpretations. "e third column includes western notation.

Drumset Notation

Dayan (high drum)ta/na: single stroke on high cymbal, hi-hat, drum, metallic in sound. snare Long sustaining tone.

tin/tun: single stroke, cymbal, hi-hat, produces the open “ring” of snare the tabla. Long sustaining tone.

Bayan (low drum)ge/ga: single stroke, bass drum or toms bass tone, sustaining.

Tabla and Bayan, sustaining tones cymbal or hi-hatdha (na + ge) most with snare or basscommon stroke on drum, strongtabla strong emphasis. emphasis.

dhin (tin + ge) open hi-hat or bell open “ring” of tabla with of cymbal withlow bayan, emphasis bass drum; receives emphasis.

non-sustaining toneste te: paired strokes on paired strokes on dayan,medium drumset, eighth notetempo (eighths). ride or hi-hat.

tira kita: four successive four strokes strokesusing dayan and hi-hat/cymbalbayan. Fast tempo and snare; (sixteenths). paradiddles.

KEHARWA ON DRUMSET Keharwa is a popular 8-beat “folk” tal that transcribes to one- or two-bar grooves on drumset. Variations are often derived by starting from di#erent beats of the phrase resulting in unique and evolving develop-

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ment. Phrase displacement requires no change in technique; however, the rhythm will sound and feel quite di#erent. Annotations will indicate which phrases to displace. Each example includes the tabla language followed by the corre-sponding drumset transcription. Always speak the phrase !rst (refer to the video link), speak while playing drumset, and play drumset without speaking.

STYLISTIC POSSIBILITIES Each variation can be played at slow, medium, and fast tempo. In slow to medium tempo these examples work well in Latin settings; by swing-ing the phrase they work in contemporary jazz and hip-hop styles. A more Jo-Jo Mayer-inspired “drum’n’bass” approach results at fast tempo with rim clicks on snare replacing open drum tones.

1.

2. (Also start from the 2nd beat.)

3. (Also start from the 2nd and 3rd beat.)

4.

5.

6. (Also start from the 2nd beat.)

7. (Also start from the 4th beat of bar 2.

See a video of examples given in this article by accessing the digital version of this issue at www.pas.org/publications/jan13digitaledition/ Video

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8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

KAIDA ON DRUMSET Among the many tabla compositional forms, kaida is most widely used because of the tremendous variety of rhythm and variation. A kaida consists of a main theme with variations derived by extrapolating and developing elements of the original theme, shu$ing the deck of possi-bilities. Presented below are nine tintal (16-beat) kaida themes, with the player encouraged to explore variations by shu$ing the elements.

1.

2.

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3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

16

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9.

VIDEO (1) practice the spoken tabla phrase; (2), hear phrases played on tabla; (3), hear phrases played on drumset; (4) hear phrases played simultane-ously on tabla and drumset. My New England Conservatory student Zach Para is heard playing all drumset examples.

CONCLUSION Rhythmic inspiration can be derived from seemingly unlimited sourc-es, cultures, and concepts to broaden a player’s vocabulary and imagina-tion. "ese ideas are not designed to make you sound like a tabla player;

the sounds of each instrument are unique. However, by discovering the ancient origins of world music, one may fully realize the in!nite possi-bilities.

Jerry Leake is an Associate Professor of Percussion at Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory. He leads the world-rock-fu-sion octet Cubist (cubistband.com), which performs compositions from his 2010 acclaimed Cubist CD. In 2011 he released Cubist Live with re-nowned Berklee faculty, and Mobeus with jazz legend Rakalam Bob Mo-ses. Jerry is cofounder of the world-music ensemble Natraj and performs with Club d’Elf and the Agbekor Society. Jerry has written eight widely used texts on North and South Indian, West African, Latin American percussion, and advanced rhythm theory (Rhombuspublishing.com). Jer-ry is also former president of the Massachusetts PAS Chapter, and was a presenter of his “Harmonic Time” concept at a 2011 TEDx Seminar in Cambridge, Mass. PN