World Percussion 
| Teentaal |
TeentaalPeyman Nasehpour © 2002 The King of Indian Taal-s Teentaal Theka, Kaida-s and Tihai-s
Introduction Indian musicians believe that teentaal is the King of taal-s (rhythms) and because of this I give here some compositions in this taal. Teental is the most common rhythm used in Indian Classical music (vocal, instrumental and dance music) with all different laya-s (tempos). There are so many versions in different gharana-s (stylistic schools of music in India). I give the one who has written in the great book, Tabla -- Lessons and Practice 2nd Edition, by Pandit Aloke Dutta. Teentaal is in16 matra-s (beats) divided into 4+4+4+4. The most famous teentaal theka (main cycle) is: Dha Dhin Dhin Dha Dha Dhin Dhin Dha Na Tin Tin Na Ta Dhin Dhin Dha
Now I give some teentaal kaida-s. I should mention that kaida is derived from the Arabic-Persian name Ghaedeh that literally means rule.
Teentaal Kaida No. 1 from [D]: Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na Ta Ta Te Te Dha Dha Dhin Na
Now I give some kaida-s similar to the teentaal kaida No. 1. I have composed them some years ago, but it is very natural that some other people have composed the same or similar kaida-s. Dha Te Te Tu Na Dhe Dhe Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na Ta Te Te Tu Na Te Te Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na Ta Te Te Ta Ke Na TeTe Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Te Te Te Te Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na Ta Te Te Te Te Ta Te Te Te Te Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na Dha Dhi Na Dhi Na Dha Dhi Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na Na Tu Na Tu Na Na Tu Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na Dha Tu Na Dha Tu Na Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na Ta Tu Na Ta Tu Na Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Tu Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Tu Na Ta TeRe KeTe Ta Ke Na Tu Na Dha Dha Te Te Dha Dha Dhi Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 2 from [D]: Dha Te Te Dha Te Te Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Te Te Ta Te Te Ta Ta Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
This is a very famous kaida and there are lots of different variations. So it is better to refer to the books and I give only two similar kaida-s. Te Te Dha Te Te Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Te Te Ta Te Te Ta Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Te Te Te Te Ta Te Te Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
In this kaida I have not used the same phrases such as Dha Te Te & Dha Dha Te Te but structurally it is similar to the kaida No. 2. Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta Ke Na Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Similar to kaida No. 2 it is possible to compose lots of different variations. But I only give one: Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha -- Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha -- Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta -- Ta Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta -- Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 3 from [D]:
"Ustad Habibuddin Khan had two styles, which is easy to
understand because his father, Shammu Khan of Ajrara School, with whom he
started learning, died only four years after his institution. As a result, he
continued his studies with Natthu Khan of the Delhi School. For example he
played a kaida, from Delhi, which goes as follows:
I give some kaida-s similar to kaida No. 3, which I have composed them some years ago. Again I emphasize that it is quite natural that the same or similar kaida-s have been composed by other people. Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Te Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Te Te Ta Te Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Tu Na Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Tu Na Ta Ke Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Dha Ge Na Te Te Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Te Te Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Te Te Te Te Ta Ke Na Te Te Te Te Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 4: Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta Ti Ta Ke Na Ta Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Ending a teentaal kaida with the phrases "Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na" and similarly "Ta Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na" is so popular in Indian tabla solo recitals. Here I give some samples: Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Na Ti Ta Ke Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ka Ta Ta Ti Ta Ke Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dhe Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta TeRe KeTe The Te Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Dha Na Tu Na Dha Tu Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Na Tu Na Ta Tu Na Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Dha -- TeRe KeRe Dhe Te Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta -- TeRe KeRe The Te Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 5: Tu Na Dha Ge Na Tu Na Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Tu Na Ta Ke Na Tu Na Ta Ke Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 6: Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ti Ta Ke Na Ta Ti Ta Ke Na Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 7: Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ta Te Te Ta Ke Na Ta TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na Variation of Kaida No. 7: Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ta Te Te Ta Ke Na Ta TeRe KeTe Ta Ke Na Ta TeRe KeTe Dha Dha Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ga Dhi Na Ge Na
Now I give some teentaal kaida-s ending with the phrases "Dha Ge Na Tu Na Ke Na" and similarly "Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na".
Teentaal Kaida No. 8: Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Tu Na Ke Na Ka Ta Ta Ti Ta Ke Na Ta Ti Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na Variation of Kaida No. 8: Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha -- Dha Ge Na Dha Ge Na Na Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Tu Na Ke Na Ka Ta Ta Ti Ta Ke Na Ta -- Ta Ke Na Ta Ke Na Na Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 9: Dha Ge Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Te Te Ta Ke Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Kaida No. 10: Dha Ge Na Dha -- Dha TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Dha Tu Na Ke Na Ta Ke Na Ta -- Ta TeRe KeTe Dha Ge Na Dha Dhi Na Ge Na
Teentaal Tihai-s: Tihai indicates the end of a composition. Tihai is the figure at the end of an elaborated or fixed composition, which begins on any matra in the given taal and, after being played three times, ends on sam (the first matra of a taal). Repeating three times a phrase in 11 beats can be a tihai for teentaal, because (3)(11)=33=(2)(16)+1 and the 33rd beat of the composition will be the first beat (sam) of the third cycle of the composition in teentaal. Now I give some examples of teentaal tihai-s.
Teentaal Tihai No. 1: Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Dha, -- Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Dha, -- Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Ti Na Dha Ge Na Dha.
Teentaal Tihai No. 2: Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Dha, -- Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Dha, -- Ka Ta Dha Ti Dha Ge Na Na Ti Dha Ge Na Dha Ti Dha Ga Tu Na Ke Na Dha.
Teentaal Tihai No. 3: Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha,-- Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha,-- Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Te Te Dha Ge Na Dha.
Teentaal Tihai No. 4: Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha, -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha, -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha -- Ti Dha.
Teentaal Tihai No. 5: Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha, -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha, -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha -- Din -- Dha -- -- -- Te Te Ka Tha Ga Di Ge Ne Dha. Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank Pt. Arvind Parikh (master of Indian sitar) and Mr. Lakshman Rai for their help, encouragement and support. References: [C]: David R. Courtney, Fundamentals of Tabla, Vol. I, Sur Sangeet Services, Houston, 1998. [D]: Aloke Dutta, Tabla (Lessons and Practice), 2nd Edition, Texas, 1995. Date of Publication: April, 4th 2002 | |
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