SKYPE Lesson with Melissa, Atlanta, GO

Tabla & Solkattu Lessons

• Ever wanted to learn how to play the North Indian Tabla?
• Fascinated by numbers, structure and mathematics?
• Looking for an instrument that will enhance your focus and meditation?
• Looking for an instrument that will teach you about discipline and patience?

Look no further, THIS is the program for YOU!

What are Tablas? Tablas are the ancient Mother Drums of North India. They are highly spiritual instruments that are a life long study. One thing for sure, you will understand rhythm at such a deeper and inspiring level after studying this instrument.

What is Solkattu? Solkattu is the mother ship theory of rhythm. (at least that is my experience). It can help you strengthen your sense of rhythm in ways that are indescribable.

What is Kanjira? Kanjira is a instrument from the frame drum/tambourine family, found in South Indian Carnatic music. Today, this instrument can be heard on various pop, Jazz and folk musics. You would not believe the sound this little frame drum can make…

 

DETAILS : 

This program is structured for students who would like a  BEGINNING course to the incredible world of Tabla and Indian music.  Program will be tailored to match students background, open to beginners and players with up to a year of previous experience. Students MUST have a pair of tablas to take this program (suggested purchase through Ali Akbar School) and Kanjira (Suggested purchase through Cooperman Co).

You will be learning Tabla in the Lucknow Gharana (style), learned from Marla’s Tabla teachers Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri and Randy Gloss . Solkattu material learned from her South Indian Teachers, Poovlar Srinivasaan and Trichy Sankaran

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Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Marla’s Tabla Teacher (and one INCREDIBLE player)

BASIC TABLA SYLLABLES AND PLAYING TECHNIQUES:

• When you play the tabla, each stroke has a corresponding syllable.
• We will learn a variety of traditional playing strokes to enable you to play a wide range of compositions.

BASIC THEKA’S (GROOVES):

• We will learn commonly used “theka’s”, that you can easily use in a variety of performing contexts (ie Kirtan, Hybrid World Music Ensembles).  
• These thekas can be easily applied to your other instruments.

TABLA PHRASES + COMPOSITIONS:

• We will learn commonly used phrases and traditional compositions, such as Kiada, Chakradhar and Tukras

INTRODUCTION TO THE KANJIRA (Optional)

• Learn the basic strokes, phrases and compositions that make this drum sing so powerfully

HAND CLAPPING FOR VARIOUS TIME CYCLES:

• Each tala (time signature) has a hand clapping pattern to accompany it.  
• We will learn various hand clapping patterns, which helps give musicians an understanding of where they are in the time cycle when playing or reciting compositions.
• Hand clapping is also a great tool to learn when composing.

SOLKATTU RHYTHMIC EXERCISES:

• We will learn various solkattu (South Indian Vocal Rhythmic Recitation) exercises and compositions that can help you feel comfortable in the most challenging talas (7 beat, 11 beat tala’s ect)

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE MASTERS:

• Traditional Indian music has an incredible pool of Master musicians, who have been carrying on the music from generation to generation. Marla will give you a complete list of notable Indian musicians for you to listen to