Why I Love Playing the Tabla

What is the tabla?

The tabla is a percussion instrument similar to the bongos that is used in indian and middle eastern classical music. Over the years it has found its way into mainstream media, for example, it was recently used in the background track of Selena Gomez's "Come & Get It" The history of the tabla is rich and dates as far back as 200 BCE. The tabla has also been used in solo arrangements and masters often host tabla concerts in which they play original pieces and also ones passed down through multiple generations. The tabla consists of two parts, the larger more bass-like bayan, and the smaller more higher pitched dayan also simply called tabla.

How is it played?

The tabla is played with the hands, most right handed individuals use the left hand solely for the bayan and the right hand for the dayan. Unlike western music, most tabla players do not utilize any form of sheet music. Teachers impart the knowledge of pieces solely through the use of spoken syllables, as shown in the picture below:

Quite similar to other arts, tabla teachers (gurus) often follow a lineage where they pass down a unique set of compositions to their students who pass it down to their students and so on.

My Experience with the Tabla

I was introduced to the tabla when I was about 11 years old. My mother had taken me to a local teacher who taught a group of students some of which were children of family friends. This teacher taught in the comfort of his home, and never asked to be paid a single dime for his teaching. He would wake up every morning on Saturday at 5am and start practicing tabla until the first students arrived at 8am. He taught beginner students from 8am to 9:30am, intermediate students from 9:30am - 11am, and advanced students from 11am to 1:30pm. I of course started at the beginner level, and eventually because of my teacher's motivation and mother's support was able to reach the advanced level in a span of two years. After spending two years with this teacher, I lost contact with him because of family relocation, but I never lost my interest in the tabla and to this day I try my best to practice it when I have time, learning new tricks online (mostly from YouTube videos).

Who is often considered the best tabla player?

Though there are many great players that are vying for the title of best tabla player, Ustad Zakir Hussain is considered widely to be the top tabla player in the world. He often holds concerts with some of the world's other greatest percussions and has decades of experience with the drum. Here is a short solo video of Zakir Hussain at work:

Which famous YouTuber also plays the tabla?

JusReign who currently has almost 750,000 subscribers is also a tabla player. Here is a video of him showing off his skills in a Pumped Up Kicks rendition:

Conclusion

I hope you guys learned something new about the tabla today, and that I have sparked your interest in learning more about eastern classical music.

Until next time, thank you! Peace :)