Taal7 matrasHindustani
Rupak Online — seven matras that begin with a wave
Rupak is the only common taal whose sam is khali: the cycle begins on a wave of the hand, not a clap. That inversion trips everyone exactly once, in public, and is never forgotten afterwards. Seven matras — three, two, two — carrying khyal, bhajans and a great deal of light-classical repertoire.
- Matras
- 7
- Vibhags
- 3 + 2 + 2
- Taali, claps on
- 4, 6
- Khali, a wave on
- 1 sam itself
The way to make the empty sam feel like home is repetition against a theka that never wavers, which is a fair description of Sangat: real recorded tabla, re-pitched to your Sa, looping from a patient 10 BPM to a blistering 720. Watch the bols light up until tin on the silent sam stops surprising you.
Rupak is in the free ten. Open it and make friends with the wave.
Counting Rupak, matra by matra
Rupak has 7 matras in 3 vibhags (3 + 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 | tin | 1 | sam — wave (0) |
| 2 | tin | 1 | |
| 3 | na | 1 | |
| 4 | dhi | 2 | clap (1) |
| 5 | na | 2 | |
| 6 | dhi | 3 | clap (2) |
| 7 | na | 3 |
Practising Rupak
- Open Rupak in Sangat and set Sa to your key, so the tabla and the tanpura agree.
- Most songs in Rupak sit around 80–140 BPM.
- Sam is a wave, not a clap, so land on tin with an open hand. Practise starting a phrase on matra 1 and ending it on matra 1 of the next cycle until the empty sam feels like arriving.
- Sing an alankar or a sargam line over the theka, starting and ending each phrase on sam. Raise the tempo only once you land on sam without thinking about it.
New to matras, vibhags and khali? Taal basics explains them with every free taal side by side.
Questions
How many beats (matras) are in Rupak?
Rupak has 7 matras, divided into 3 vibhags of 3 + 2 + 2.
What is the theka of Rupak?
The standard theka is: tin tin na | dhi na | dhi na.
Where are the claps and khali in Rupak?
The claps fall on 4 and 6; sam, matra 1, is khali — shown with a wave.
What music uses Rupak?
Rupak is used in khyal, bhajans, ghazals and light-classical songs.
Can I practise Rupak online for free?
Yes. Rupak is one of the ten free taals in Sangat: a recorded tabla re-pitched to your Sa, from 10 to 720 BPM, in the browser with no account.