Ektaal
एकताल
The twelve-beat taal of slow and fast khayal
Also spelled: Ektal, Ek Taal, Ektala
A twelve-beat cycle in six divisions of two. Bada khayal is most often sung in vilambit (slow) Ektaal, and chhota khayal and tarana in drut (fast) Ektaal.
12 Matras (beats)
6 Vibhags (divisions) 2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2
1, 5, 9, 11 Taali (claps) on beats
3, 7 Khali (wave) on beat
Theka
X = sam · 0 = khali · other numbers = taali, counted in order
Practise Ektaal on Tabla Online| Matra | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bol | धिं | धिं | धागे | तिरकिट | तू | ना | क | त्ता | धागे | तिरकिट | धी | ना |
| Bol (Roman) | Dhin | Dhin | Dhage | Tirakita | Tu | Na | Ka | Tta | Dhage | Tirakita | Dhi | Na |
| Sign | X | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Dhage and tirakita each take a single beat: all four syllables of tirakita are spoken within one matra. Vilambit Ektaal uses this same theka, only at a very slow tempo.
How to recite it (kriya)
- 1 Beat 1 (sam): clap
- 2 Beat 2: count on the little finger
- 3 Beat 3 (khali): wave the hand to the right
- 4 Beat 4: count on the little finger
- 5 Beat 5 (taali): clap
- 6 Beat 6: count on the little finger
- 7 Beat 7 (khali): wave the hand to the right
- 8 Beat 8: count on the little finger
- 9 Beat 9 (taali): clap
- 10 Beat 10: count on the little finger
- 11 Beat 11 (taali): clap
- 12 Beat 12: count on the little finger
Learning this with a teacher
These pages will take you a long way on theory. The singing needs a guru — live online classes, one level at a time, with exam preparation built in.