What will I learn during the first year?

This is a common question for prospective students and parents interested in enrolling their children in Tabla class. To start, our focus is on teaching the proper technique. This includes learning how to sit with the instrument (posture); where to place your hands; and some of the fundamental notes, or bols, of the Tabla.

Mastering your first kaida

The students in the video below have been learning for a year or less. They are performing the first primary kaida almost all students learn. Known to all Tabla players, this kaida is constructed from the most basic and important bols on Tabla – Dha, Na, Taa, Ti Ta, Tin, and Dhin.

Mastering this kaida and the bols played in it represent the first major milestone in a student’s journey of playing Tabla.

What can I expect next?

Now that you have learned the first Kaida and your hands are settled on the instrument, students begin to branch out into various sounds with different hand movements. You will learn new kaidas, relas, and taals.

In the next post in this series, we’ll introduce some of the concepts year 2 and 3 students can expect to learn and perform.