PLAY TABLA MINI-VIDEOS
(Please scroll down to see the mini-videos)
I have adapted the original 1998 Play Tabla self-teaching video (released by the group: SS, CHJ and FS) so that it appears as fifteen mini-videos especially to be viewed on line, assisted by Conrad Weiskrantz (the video editor of Play Tabla).
Conrad supplied all the original time codes to work from and we used the original Master copy so the result is of top quality. It was a very enjoyable project for the both of us and took over six months until completion.
Conrad has made two very pleasing trailers for the mini-videos and there are two small scintillating performances by Pandit Sharda Sahai taken from the rushes, the second of which I have just released. Pandit Sharda Sahai is so very amazing, as can be seen throughout these videos.
Please enjoy below our YouTubes of the Two Performances, Two Trailers and the Fifteen Self-Teaching Mini-Videos.
Caroline Howard-Jones, script writer and director of Play Tabla
5 December 2015
Please scroll down to see all of this page
Play Tabla - Oxford, 1st performance in Tintal
In the 1998 video Play Tabla, the Tal Tintal was taught after the discussion about time and time cycles. I decided to end this video with a straightforward rendering of Tintal and some Tintal variations while the credits were shown.
This is one of two small performances taken from the rushes. They are fun to watch one after the other. The speed of each is a little different and although the content is the same there are a lot of subtle differences. Definitely they take you into the mood of the Tal Tintal.
Play Tabla - Oxford, 2nd performance in Tintal
This is the second small performance by Pandit Sharda Sahai in the Tal Tintal, taken from the Play Tabla rushes. It was released by me the day before the Shradhanjali tribute concert for Shardajee at the Tabernacle on Sunday, 6 December 2015. This was an amazing concert with Shardaji's son Sanju Sahai and Ramesh Mishra. Click on the following link and you'll get a video snatch of this concert:-
Play Tabla - Oxford, Trailer
Play Tabla - Oxford, a set of truly inspirational mini videos, remastered and re-issued from the 1998 video Play Tabla, featuring the virtuoso Pandit Sharda Sahai. The teaching is slow and clear enough for beginners to follow, you will be guided by us to be a more accomplished tabla player.
Simply play your tabla along with us and enjoy!
Play Tabla - Oxford, Trailer
Follow along with your Tabla with this next installment of highlights!
PLAY TABLA - OXFORD, THE 15 SELF-TEACHING MINI-VIDEOS
Bol (Stroke)
The wonderful sound of tabla is always given life, variation and beauty by the bayan (left hand drum) strokes. Have a look at this and discover the left hand strokes Ghe and Ke - an open and a closed stroke. Find out how to play one of the most important phrases for tabla which is TeTe. Discover another phrase called Tira Kita.
KAYADA (theme)
Learn this fundamental composition to create your own strong foundation and correct technique for all your future tabla playing. It is a rhythmic theme (Kayada) and its variations (Palta). Learn how to make high and low pitched sounds. Play along session included.
More strokes including TA NA
Find out how to play the open strokes Tun and Tin by following the voice, the movements of the arm and hand, and the sounds made. Watch tabla students learning. Here is shown the most important stroke of tabla, the tuning stroke Ta. Discover how to do do the combination strokes Dha and Dhin. Learn another Kayada theme, using the new strokes.
DHA DHA TE TE
More information on the new Kayada which is "one of the most important practice Kayadas for professional players". Look at four new Paltas (improvisations and variations) and learn how play them. Play along with us! The yellow guidance page has four more Paltas -try to play in double and single time.
How to tune tabla
How to tune and look after the tabla. An informal fun and very useful discussion with Pandit Sharda Sahai and his students. Do you need a set of tablas? Know what to look for in order to get a good set?
Improvise!
Join our informal group for a Kayada featuring the Tira Kita phrase and find out how to create new ways of improvistation. Try to join in clapping the beat and speaking the composition. Also take note of the two versions of the cadential phrases called Tihai.
Fast Phrases for RELA
Here are some fast phrases to use in Rela. Rela is like a very fast Kayada. They stand on their own and these phrases are good to practice on their own. They are also used in compositions. Try the first one which is phrase number 3 by following the hands and the "Left Two One Left" prompts.
Tal
This is an informal chat with Pandit Sharda Sahai to discuss Tal. Because it is about "time" we met at the 'River Isis' - which is the name for the River Thames in Oxford. There is a sign language (tali - khali) demonstrated by hand gestures which tells what time we are using for music. There are also different sign languages for the different paths (theka) a rhythm can take in the same time signature. How slow can time be? How fast can time be? This is a wonderful discussion and the actual Tintal which is the 16 beat time cycle is taught later on in a future section - so watch this space!
Ari Layakari - an introduction to cross rhythms
Ari Layakari - an introduction to cross rhythms! Don't worry - just look at this demonstation - we simply add two extra strokes to every line of your Kayada no 2 to easily change the speed into Tigun. This will go a bit faster than your original speed as it is in groups of three strokes rather than groups of two strokes. You can also do 3 strokes over 2 beats which is called Derhgun, which will be slower than your original. This might be a bit difficult to understand first go, if so, simply skip to next mini video which will clarify things - email me if not. The next mini video shows how you can play this very easily.
Ari Layakari - practical- playing Kayada no 2 in Tigun!
Ari Layakari practical - follow us playing Kayada no 2 in Tigun (3 against 1). We are now changing the speed of the kayada. Pandit Sharda Sahai explains this well. Dha Dha Te Te simply lengthens into Dha Dha Te Te Te Te by repeating the last two strokes. This happens for each line. In a later section called "Ari Layakari demonstration" we show how to do Ari Layakari using the original kayada without the two extra strokes…
The new Na (Ta) stroke
The new Na (Ta) stroke is shown here. This is a bright tabla open sound which comes from striking the edge of the tabla on the chanti. Phrase no 6 using this new stroke is taught and you might remember this fast phrase from the demonstration in the earlier mini video section called "Fast phrases for Rela" - return to this section when you want to remind yourself of what it sounds like played fast! New Na plus Ghe is a new Dha and this is used for the next kayada together with a new phrase Tin Na Kita Taka and its mirror Dhin Na Kita Taka.
Kayada no 4
In this mini video we have a new Kayada - Kayada no 4 and this composition uses the rela type phrases previously taught. The paltas for this kayada are interesting because they use the Dha Tira Kita phrase which is a 3 beat phrase and so crosses over the main beat. These can be arranged in different ways to create variety. Watch and listen and play along - this section is simply a play along session.
Learn two different Bedamdar Tihais in this section
Learn two different Bedamdar Tihais in this section. Tihais are the cadential ending phrases which finish anything played on tabla. These Tihais are a bit different to the ones previously shown. Look at the yellow guidance page to see how these are written down. Listen out for other Tihais being played by Pandit Sharda Sahai, especially the secret one behind the yellow page! Listen and watch the amazing demonstration at the end of this section… Any problems?
Ari Layakari demonstration
Join our informal group for a Kayada featuring the Tira Kita phrase and find out how to create new ways of improvisation. Try to join in clapping the beat and speaking the composition. Also take note of the two versions of the cadential phrases called Tihai.
Tintal
The wonderful sound of tabla is always given life, variation and beauty by the bayan (left hand drum) strokes. Have a look at this and discover the left hand strokes Ghe and Ke - an open and a closed stroke. Find out how to play one of the most important phrases for tabla which is TeTe. Discover another phrase called Tira Kita.