Matta Taal, online — nine matras, four-two-three

Matras

9, in vibhags of 4 + 2 + 3

Taali

claps on 1 and 5

Khali

wave on 7

Tradition

Hindustani

Nine matras in an uneven walk: four, then two, then three. Matta Taal exists for musicians who want their taal sense stretched — the vibhags are just irregular enough that autopilot fails, and failing autopilot is the entire point of practising it. Sit with it for a week and Jhaptaal starts to feel like a lullaby.

dha tirakita dhin na | tu na | kat ta dha

Odd cycles are hardest to practise precisely because so few recordings loop them cleanly at your tempo. Sangat solves the boring half of that: a real tabla, re-pitched to your Sa, repeating the nine without drift at anything from 10 to 720 BPM while the cycle ring shows where the short vibhag bites.

Matta is included in the free ten. Open it, count 4–2–3 out loud, and enjoy being a beginner again for an evening.