Taal12 matrasDhrupad
Chautaal Online — the twelve matras of dhrupad
Chautaal is the taal of dhrupad, played on the pakhawaj. Twelve matras in six vibhags of two, with four claps: chau means four. Ektaal has the same twelve and the same claps, but its bols belong to the tabla and to khyal.
- Matras
- 12
- Vibhags
- 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2
- Taali, claps on
- 1, 5, 9, 11
- Khali, a wave on
- 3, 7
Sangat plays the Chautaal theka on its recorded tabla, re-pitched to your Sa, anywhere from 10 to 720 BPM. It is a tabla, not a pakhawaj, but the bols and the cycle are the same. So you can count Chautaal, clap it and sing over it.
You can play it here as often as you like. In the app, Chautaal is part of Sangat Pro, with all 70 taals. Ten taals are free, Ektaal among them.
Counting Chautaal, matra by matra
Chautaal has 12 matras in 6 vibhags (2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2). The hand keeps the cycle: a clap for each taali, an open wave for khali. Sam, matra 1, is where every cycle begins and every phrase aims to land.
| Matra | Bol | Vibhag | Hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | dha | 1 | sam — clap (X) |
| 2 | dha | 1 | |
| 3 | din | 2 | wave (0) |
| 4 | ta | 2 | |
| 5 | kita | 3 | clap (2) |
| 6 | dha | 3 | |
| 7 | din | 4 | wave (0) |
| 8 | ta | 4 | |
| 9 | tita | 5 | clap (3) |
| 10 | kata | 5 | |
| 11 | gadi | 6 | clap (4) |
| 12 | gana | 6 |
Books spell the bols a little differently, such as dhin for din and gadhi ghena for gadi gana. The cycle is the same.
Chautaal and Ektaal
The two taals have the same frame. Both have 12 matras in six vibhags of two. Both clap on 1, 5, 9 and 11, and wave on 3 and 7. What differs is the drum, the bols and the music sung over them.
| Chautaal | Ektaal | |
|---|---|---|
| Drum | Pakhawaj, played with open palms | Tabla, played with the fingers |
| Music | Dhrupad | Khyal, slow and fast |
| Theka | dha dha | din ta | kita dha | din ta | tita kata | gadi gana | dhin dhin | dhage tirakita | tu na | kat ta | dhage tirakita | dhi na |
| Sound | Bold, open strokes | Lighter strokes, with quick tirakita runs |
If you sing khyal, practise Ektaal. If you sing dhrupad, or a bandish written in Chautaal, practise Chautaal.
Practising Chautaal
- Open Chautaal and set Sa to your key, so the tabla and the tanpura agree.
- Start near 60–80 BPM, a steady madhya laya.
- Say the bols aloud with the hand signs — clap, wave, clap, wave, clap, clap — for a few cycles before you sing. The two claps close together, on 9 and 11, tell you sam is four matras away.
- Sing a sargam line over the theka, starting and ending on sam. Then sing it twice as fast, two notes to a matra (dugun), and land on sam again. Dhrupad singers do this with the words of the composition.
New to matras, vibhags and khali? Taal basics explains them with every free taal side by side.
Questions
How many beats (matras) are in Chautaal?
Chautaal has 12 matras, divided into 6 vibhags of 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2.
What are the bols of Chautaal?
The theka is: dha dha | din ta | kita dha | din ta | tita kata | gadi gana. Some books write din as dhin, and gadi gana as gadhi ghena.
Where are the claps and khali in Chautaal?
The claps fall on 1, 5, 9 and 11, and khali (a wave) on 3 and 7. The four claps give the taal its name: chau means four.
What is the difference between Chautaal and Ektaal?
They share 12 matras, six vibhags of two, and the same claps and waves. Chautaal is played on the pakhawaj for dhrupad, with open bols like dha dha din ta. Ektaal is played on the tabla for khyal, with bols like dhin dhin dhage tirakita.
What music uses Chautaal?
Dhrupad above all, with the pakhawaj. Some lakshan geets in Bhatkhande’s books are set in Chautaal too.
Can I practise Chautaal online?
Yes. The player on this page plays the Chautaal theka on a recorded tabla tuned to your Sa, with a tanpura behind it. In the Sangat app, Chautaal is part of Sangat Pro.