Hindustani and Western rhythm
TaalTaalA recurring cycle of counted units that organises rhythm. The cycle gives a framework for compositions and rhythmic elaboration.Source: N3 §§3.1–3.3.1, pp. 21–22.More in the glossary and Western meter
Count one of the six taalsTaalA recurring cycle of counted units that organises rhythm. The cycle gives a framework for compositions and rhythmic elaboration.Source: N3 §§3.1–3.3.1, pp. 21–22.More in the glossary, then compare it with how a Western time signatureTime signatureThe numbers in a score that specify written time units and their beat grouping. They do not state the tempo.Source: AB G1 §2; G3 §1; G5 §1. and 2 moreMore in the glossary would write the same count. You will see what the two ideas share and where the comparison stops working.
Count along
A matraMatraOne unit of time within a taal. Matras locate beats and rhythmic events inside the cycle; their duration depends on the tempo.Source: N3 §3.3.2, pp. 22–23.More in the glossary is one beat in the cycle. LayaLayaThe pace of musical time. Vilambit, madhya and drut describe slow, medium and fast laya relative to the performance context, not fixed universal speeds.Source: N3 §3.3.3, p. 23 (tempo definition; fixed doubling contradicts the corrected relative categories). and 2 moreMore in the glossary is its speed, shown here as matrasMatraOne unit of time within a taal. Matras locate beats and rhythmic events inside the cycle; their duration depends on the tempo.Source: N3 §3.3.2, pp. 22–23.More in the glossary per minute. Press play to follow the claps, wave on khaliKhaliA wave-marked position or division in a taal’s hand-counting pattern. Khali is shown with 0 in Bhatkhande notation; it does not require silence.Source: N3 §§3.3.7–3.3.9, p. 24. and 1 moreMore in the glossary, and return to sam. The sounds are counting clicks.
Stopped
X · clap (taali) · sam
- 1Dha
- 2Dhin
- 3Dhin
- 4Dha
2 · clap (taali)
- 5Dha
- 6Dhin
- 7Dhin
- 8Dha
0 · wave (khali)
- 9Dha
- 10Tin
- 11Tin
- 12Ta
3 · clap (taali)
- 13Ta
- 14Dhin
- 15Dhin
- 16Dha
A taalTaalA recurring cycle of counted units that organises rhythm. The cycle gives a framework for compositions and rhythmic elaboration.Source: N3 §§3.1–3.3.1, pp. 21–22.More in the glossary is a cycle; a time signatureTime signatureThe numbers in a score that specify written time units and their beat grouping. They do not state the tempo.Source: AB G1 §2; G3 §1; G5 §1. and 2 moreMore in the glossary is a way of writing beats
A taalTaalA recurring cycle of counted units that organises rhythm. The cycle gives a framework for compositions and rhythmic elaboration.Source: N3 §§3.1–3.3.1, pp. 21–22.More in the glossary repeats as a cycle (avartan) that always returns to sam, its first matraMatraOne unit of time within a taal. Matras locate beats and rhythmic events inside the cycle; their duration depends on the tempo.Source: N3 §3.3.2, pp. 22–23.More in the glossary. Its divisions (vibhags) are marked by claps and a wave. A Western time signatureTime signatureThe numbers in a score that specify written time units and their beat grouping. They do not state the tempo.Source: AB G1 §2; G3 §1; G5 §1. and 2 moreMore in the glossary tells you how beats are grouped into bars on the page. You can write a taalTaalA recurring cycle of counted units that organises rhythm. The cycle gives a framework for compositions and rhythmic elaboration.Source: N3 §§3.1–3.3.1, pp. 21–22.More in the glossary's count with barlines, but the barlines describe the notation, not the taalTaalA recurring cycle of counted units that organises rhythm. The cycle gives a framework for compositions and rhythmic elaboration.Source: N3 §§3.1–3.3.1, pp. 21–22.More in the glossary: the same count can be written in more than one way.
Claps and waves are not the same as loud and soft
TaaliTaaliA clap-marked position in a taal’s hand-counting pattern. Claps distinguish divisions from khali waves and help track the cycle.Source: N3 §§3.3.7–3.3.9, p. 24. and 1 moreMore in the glossary (a clap) and khaliKhaliA wave-marked position or division in a taal’s hand-counting pattern. Khali is shown with 0 in Bhatkhande notation; it does not require silence.Source: N3 §§3.3.7–3.3.9, p. 24. and 1 moreMore in the glossary (a wave) are hand gestures that show where each vibhagVibhagA smaller division of matras within a taal. Divisions make the cycle easier to follow and need not all contain the same number of units.Source: N3 §3.3.6, pp. 23–24. and 1 moreMore in the glossary starts. KhaliKhaliA wave-marked position or division in a taal’s hand-counting pattern. Khali is shown with 0 in Bhatkhande notation; it does not require silence.Source: N3 §§3.3.7–3.3.9, p. 24. and 1 moreMore in the glossary is not simply a quiet beat, and a clap is not simply an accent. In Western rhythm, accent describes stress in the sound itself. The gesture, the drum stroke and what you actually hear can differ.
- NIOS, Hindustani Music (242), Book 1, ch. 3: Elements of Tala, §§3.3.8–3.3.9, p. 24
- Srinivasamurthy, Holzapfel, Ganguli and Serra (2017), Aspects of Tempo and Rhythmic Elaboration in Hindustani Music, §3.2.8
- Gotham, Hamm and Shaffer, Open Music Theory: Simple Meter and Time Signatures, “Terminology”
- Gotham, Hamm and Hughes, Open Music Theory: Other Rhythmic Essentials, “Syncopation”
LayaLayaThe pace of musical time. Vilambit, madhya and drut describe slow, medium and fast laya relative to the performance context, not fixed universal speeds.Source: N3 §3.3.3, p. 23 (tempo definition; fixed doubling contradicts the corrected relative categories). and 2 moreMore in the glossary is the speed of the matrasMatraOne unit of time within a taal. Matras locate beats and rhythmic events inside the cycle; their duration depends on the tempo.Source: N3 §3.3.2, pp. 22–23.More in the glossary
LayaLayaThe pace of musical time. Vilambit, madhya and drut describe slow, medium and fast laya relative to the performance context, not fixed universal speeds.Source: N3 §3.3.3, p. 23 (tempo definition; fixed doubling contradicts the corrected relative categories). and 2 moreMore in the glossary is how fast the matrasMatraOne unit of time within a taal. Matras locate beats and rhythmic events inside the cycle; their duration depends on the tempo.Source: N3 §3.3.2, pp. 22–23.More in the glossary pass, like tempo in Western music. It is not the same as how many notes a performer plays inside each matraMatraOne unit of time within a taal. Matras locate beats and rhythmic events inside the cycle; their duration depends on the tempo.Source: N3 §3.3.2, pp. 22–23.More in the glossary: a fast passage over a slow cycle is still in a slow layaLayaThe pace of musical time. Vilambit, madhya and drut describe slow, medium and fast laya relative to the performance context, not fixed universal speeds.Source: N3 §3.3.3, p. 23 (tempo definition; fixed doubling contradicts the corrected relative categories). and 2 moreMore in the glossary. Use the slider above to change the layaLayaThe pace of musical time. Vilambit, madhya and drut describe slow, medium and fast laya relative to the performance context, not fixed universal speeds.Source: N3 §3.3.3, p. 23 (tempo definition; fixed doubling contradicts the corrected relative categories). and 2 moreMore in the glossary without changing the cycle.
Ragapedia wrote these comparisons by combining separately cited Hindustani and Western sources. No source institution has endorsed them, and a musician has not yet reviewed this lesson.