TanpuraTablaFree
Tanpura and tabla together Online, in your scale
Riyaz often wants both: the tanpura to hold Sa, the tabla to keep the taal. Here they play together from one button, tuned to the same Sa. Choose your Sa, the tanpura’s first string and a taal, then press play.
Sa C♯ · 138.59 Hz
Both are real recordings. The tanpura’s strings are tuned to your Sa, and the tabla’s dayan and bayan are re-pitched to it, so the drum agrees with the drone. Switch either one off under the tempo when you want only the other.
Setting up
- Your Sa.Choose the key you sing from. Most male khyal singers sing near C♯ and most female singers near G♯. Not sure? How to find your Sa takes a minute.
- The first string.Pa suits most ragas. Choose Ma for a raga without Pa, such as Malkauns, and Ni for a raga where Ni stands out. Which tuning for which raga has all eighteen.
- The taal.Teentaal carries most khyal. Keherwa and Dadra carry most bhajans and light songs. Ektaal, Rupak and Jhaptaal are for khyal in their own cycles.
- The tempo.Start slow, around 60 to 80 BPM, and say the bols with the hand signs for a few cycles before you sing. Speed up only once you land on sam without thinking.
The six taals
Each has a page of its own, with its theka written out matra by matra.
| Taal | Matras | Vibhags | Claps | Wave (khali) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teentaal तीनताल | 16 | 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 | 1, 5, 13 | 9 |
| Keherwa कहरवा | 8 | 4 + 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Dadra दादरा | 6 | 3 + 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Ektaal एकताल | 12 | 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 | 1, 5, 9, 11 | 3, 7 |
| Rupak रूपक | 7 | 3 + 2 + 2 | 4, 6 | 1 |
| Jhaptaal झपताल | 10 | 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 | 1, 3, 8 | 6 |
Questions
Can I play a tanpura and tabla together online?
Yes. On this page one button starts both, tuned to the same Sa: a recorded tanpura and a recorded tabla, in your browser, free and with no account.
Do the tanpura and the tabla play in the same scale?
Yes. Both follow the Sa you choose. The tanpura’s strings are tuned to it, and the tabla is re-pitched to it, so the drum and the drone agree.
Which taal should I practise with?
Teentaal, sixteen matras, is the taal of most khyal and the one most often counted. For bhajans and light songs, Keherwa (eight matras) or Dadra (six). Ektaal, Rupak and Jhaptaal teach longer and uneven cycles.
What tempo should I start at?
Around 60 to 80 BPM for madhya laya. The tabla here goes from 10 to 720 BPM, so you can go far slower for a bada khyal, or faster for a drut one.
Can a harmonium play along too?
Yes, in Sangat. Its harmonium plays each line in your Sa over the tanpura and tabla, then waits for you to sing it back. The tanpura, ten taals and three ragas are free.