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Home - updated February 2010 New course starting March 13th A ten week course in learning the technique behind these amazing Indian drums. Starting from the very beginning, this course gives a grounding in basic strokes, basic phrases and the cyclic nature of Indian music. The course is once a week, one hour on a Saturday at 11am, for 10 consecutive Saturdays. Cost is £100 for those without a set of tabla (good quality sets will be provided) and £80 for those bringing their own. Drop in classes cost £12 a session. It is strongly recommended that you take the course rather than doing drop in sessions. The course is designed to build on principles from the ground up and will build a solid foundation, allowing your hands to learn easily. Conversely, a few drop in sessions may provide a taster but won't help you get to grips with the subject matter in the same way. Tabla is not like other drums. The technique is totally different. Once you get the strokes correct your can get your teeth into some of the interesting rhythms to be made through combining them. Then the real fun begins. So really, what I'm trying to say is that an investment of a few hours in learning technique will reap its rewards later many times over. I taught a 5 day course in Goa, India for a couple of years. Drawing on that experience, I aim to tailor the course to a practical and engaging introduction to the instrument. WHY LEARN TO PLAY TABLA? Well, firstly just listen to a true master play this instrument. This You Tube clip is of Pandit Shiv Shankar Ray performing solo to harmonium. I am very lucky to be one of his students. Pandit Shiv Shankar Ray playing tabla solo The tabla is an impressive sounding instrument unique in its construction and sound characteristics. On a practical level, the drums are very portable which means they can be played almost anywhere. A kit drummer has the hassle of transporting a car load of hard cases. The volume of the tabla is also something that I found attractive when I first discovered them. They're not loud and annoying like many big drums. In terms of the actual performance of the instrument, these drums are versatile! You can get all kinds of interesting sounds out of the dayan (smaller drum) and you can even play basslines with the bigger one (bayan) by using pressure on the skin. Tabla can be used as accompaniment in many situations as well as played as a solo instrument. It's fantastic as a form of medititave practice too. Practicising compositions of the tabla stimulates the mind, uses your body and focuses concentration, exercises motor coordination skills and makes you feel good! Need any more reasons to give it a try? Of course, to pursue the tabla seriously is a long and committed path and the skills required to play dazzling tabla solo do not come quickly. As with many arts, the pleasure is in the journey: discovering one new ability after another and exploring them and seeing where they take you next. Suitable for anyone with an enquiring mind and a little bit of patience! The practice of this instrument can work as a great benefit for the mind as well as a great complement to the practice of other musical instruments. No experience of drumming is necessary. It is usually necessary to sit on the floor cross legged (on a cushion) but if that is not for you, we can work something out to suit your needs. Groups will be a maximum of 4 and a minimum of 2 people. Starting Saturday March 13th and taking place at Adaptatrap in Trafalgar Street, Brighton To reserve a place just send an email and I'll fill you in on the details. Places are limited so please let me know as soon as you can if you are interested. Tablas can be provided for those who don't have their own. If you'd like to attend but don't think that you can commit to 10 weeks then please still get in touch and we can work out a shorter version for you.
Version 2 of Marc's Learning Tabla for Beginners Cd-Rom / Dvd is now available. You can get it direct from me or you can buy it at earthvibemusic.com. If you want to get it from me for just £12.50 please mail for details. A free copy will be included in future tabla courses More information on this product here May 2009 New excerpt added: This is from the Kirtan session on May 9th at Triyoga, Chalk Farm, London with Narayani. This is a Krishna Govinda chant to Teental.
This site is an outlet for creative communication in the sphere of music. I'm particularly interested in Indian folk and classical music and I'm really interested in anyone with a vision to perform the real thing or a form of fusion. I'm always looking for musicians to play with or record with. I'm based in Brighton UK now but I tend to spend a lot of time in India too. It would be good to use this space to discuss ideas about practice, technique and all things baffling in the world of indian classical music as I'm sure anyone delving into this subject must experience the same problems. I'd like to pool some inspiring contributions here too. Not sure how this is going to work but let's see what's possible. Click for forums.
To contact me, mail me through marc@mnm.co.in. Cheers Marc
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Many thanks to my teachers past and present for sharing this art and providing the inspiration and having so much patience. I am now very happy to be a student of Shri Shiv Shankar Ray who is an astounding performer and a fantastic teacher of the instrument. He is from Calcutta and was himself a disciple of the great Jnan Prakash Ghosh. His site which I recently built, is here Big thanks also go to Steve Morley who taught me in Brighton for a number of years. Steve is a great teacher and spends a lot of time considering the processes of teaching and learning and as a result has a great deal to offer. www.tablaworkshops.com is his website. Last but certainly not least, thanks to Kailash Nishad of Benares for displaying the 'pickles' of his talent which inspired me in the first place to spend so many hours since trying to nurture a small proportion of the skills he can effortlessly muster!! A true living maestro indeed. I learnt for 5 weeks with Kailash in the beginning and that was an unforgettably inspiring time. Musical instruments at Earthvibemusic.com Musical instruments at Adaptatrap (Brighton) RESOURCES Tanpura - Riyazstudio.com Lahra very usable free program - Taalpulse.net Practice and compositional tools - Swarsystems.com |
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