Some commonly used Thekas
Thekas
for some basic talas
Theka
is the term for the repeating syllabic pattern of the full tala cycle.
Some thekas in common use are
described below:
In the following text, each theka is
displayed as follows: the top line calls out where the tali and khali
are located in the cycle; the middle line calls out the tabla bols
(syllables); the last line calls out the matras (beats)
1. Ektal; (basic theka at fast
speed. The slow theka has a lot of "filler" strokes).
There is some divergence of opinion over whether the divisions should be
conceptualized as 4-4-4, 2-2-2-2-2-2, 4-4-2-2, etc. But the important thing is
the khali at 7. (This tala is called ektal because it used
to have only one tali and one khali. Ek means one in
Hindi.)
X
0
2
Dhin dhin | dhage terekite | tun na
|
1 2 3
4
5 6
o
3
4
kat ta | dhage terekite | dhin
na |
7 8 9
10
11 12
Iktala ( a
variant of ektal)
X
o
2 o
3 4
Dhi dhin dha traka | tu na kat ta | dhi na dhi na |
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
8 9 10 11 12
2. Teental;
(16 beats; 4-4-4-4)
(again, played rather differently in slow speeds):
X
2
Dha dhin dhin dha | dha dhin dhin dha |
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
8
o
3
Dha tin tin ta | na
dhin dhin dha |
9 10
11 12 13 14
15 16
For euphonic reasons the theka is often
pronounced "na dhin dhin na" instead of "Dha dhin dhin dha".
3. Jhaptal; (10 beats; 2-3-2-3)
X
2
0
3
Dhin na | dhin dhin na | tin na | dhin dhin na
1 2 3
4 5
6 7 8
9 10
4. Rupak;
(7 beats, 3-2-2)
0
1
2
Tin tin na | dhin na | dhin na
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
A peculiarity is that the sam is the same as
the khali. Therefore the tabla player has the added responsibility of
sounding the khali syllable very clearly, so as to help the soloist to
remain on track.
5. Dadra. (6 beats; 3-3)
This tala is also widely used in folk song.
X
o
Dha dhin na | dha tin na
1 2
3 4 5 6
X
o
Dha ge na te | na ka dhe na |
1 2
3 4 5 6
7 8
Variants
:
There are many variations of this tala. All are 4-4, with the same tali and
khali pattern. A tali on the first beat, a khali on the 5th beat.
X
o
Dha ge na dhe | na ka dhe na |
1 2
3 4 5 6
7 8
(Dhumali)
X
o
Dha dhin dha dhin | dha tin ta tra ka |
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
8 .
X
o
Dha dhin dha tin | traka dhin dhage traka |
1 2
3 4 5 .
6 7
. 8
X
o
Dha dhin na tin | ta dhin dha tin |
1 2
3 4 5 6
7 8
(Bhajani keherwa)
X
o
Dhin dhin na -
ke tin | tin tin
na -
ke dhin |
1 2 3
4 5
6
7 8
(Panjabi Dhumali)
X
o
1 2 3 .
4 5
6 7 .
8
Dhin dhin dhadha tin | ta
tin dhadha dhin
7. Deepchandi;
(14 beats; 3-4-3-4)
A peculiarity of this tala is that some
beats (#3, 7, 10 and 14) are silent. This is indicated by the sign
- at those places.
x
2
dha dhin - | dha
dha tin
- |
1 2 3
4 5
6 7
o
3
ta tin - |
dha dha
dhin - |
8 9 10
11 12
13 14
There is a 16 beat variant of this, which can also
be considered as a variant of teental :It is also called Panjabi; notice
the similarity with Panjabi dhumali, a variant of keherwa.
x
2
dha - dhin -
| dha dha
tin -
|
1 2 3
4 5
6 7 8
o
3
ta - tin
- | dha
dha dhin
- |
9 10 11
12 13
14 15
16
8. Sitarkhani;
(16 beats; 4-4-4-4)
This is a variety of teental. The divisions are the same as teental.
X
2
Dha dhin - ge
dha | dha dhin -
ge dha |
1 2 3
4 5
6
7
8
o
3
dha tin - ke
na | na
dhin -
ge dha
9 10 11
12 13
14 15
16
9. Choutaal; (12
beats; 4-4-2-2)
This is used only with Dhrupad. It is the standard tala for Dhrupad.
There are other versions of the syllables.
X
2
3
4
Dha dha dhin ta | tete dha din ta | tete kata | gadi gana
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
8 9 10
11 12
10. Tevra; (7 beats, 3-2-2)
This tala, used by Dhrupad singers, is an analogue of rupak tala.
X
2
3
Dha din ta | teta kata | gadi gana
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
11. Basant
(rare)
X 2 3
4 0
5 0 6
0
Dha det | det | thun | thun | tita kata | gadi gana
1 2 3
4 5
6 7 8
9
13. Jhampak (rare)
X
2 3
4
Dha -
| dhi na
ka | dhe -
| dhi na
na ka
1 2 3
4 5
6 7 8
9 10
11