Sunday, February 22, 2009

Desi drums

This may sound funny to many (read Pakistanis) but err...I've now got a tabla. It's my friend's. I'll return it when the obsession gets off. The tabla itself looks funny. Two drums, lying there peacefully, quiet. It's just a matter of playing them, when they start speaking and laughing and crying. They create the environment, they set the mood and they are unlimited; you can't say you've learnt it all. Little did Amir Khusro know what a universe he has created, when he invented tabla in the thirteenth century. Music doesn't end.

Like any other instrument it's difficult, requires a hell of practice. I tried playing dadra and teen taal. Different areas on the same drum produce different sounds when struck with different intensity and different pressure. I know five sounds of the smaller one and about six of the larger, there must be so many others and the combination even greater. Mastering the sounds is different than mastering the rhythm. One may be a good player but may not have a good sense of rhythm.

Mozart effect might be controversial but I'm sure I'll discover a rhythm therapy.

7 comments:

Saad Javed said...

Recording sunayee kal class mein...again, some professor wud pik us 2 up n humiliate us...lol

Abdullah Shahid said...

Aahahaha...that was all Kate Winslet's fault :-D

iram tahir said...

rythem therapy is a gud idea,all d best 4 it, it will b a gud addition to medical science. i believe music hold enough magic to do miracles.

The Gori Wife said...

I'm hoping to bring one back with me next time I visit Pakistan. I've never gotten to play one...

Abdullah Shahid said...

Good luck with it. It's really interesting. :-)

luckyfatima said...

Why would it be weird to play tabla? Too traditional? Better to want an electric guitar? No shame in tabla. I hope you learn to play well.

Abdullah Shahid said...

You just got it right. Plus, the people who would be impressed by an electric guitar would be far more than people who would be impressed by a tabla. People would hate tabla and would shower sarcasm on a tabla player. Electric guitar would be acceptable to them as it is modern and western and because the goras play it. That's all. But I don't really care about what people say. :-)

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