The Tal
In Indian music Tal unites the listener with the singer
in the rhythm and ecstasy of music. The various ragas and raginis are
rendered in accordance with the tempo of the tal differentiated by means
of matras ranging from six to sixteen. No classical music composition
can be rendered without tal. In Hindustani classical music, the Tal is
provided by the tabla, pakhawaj or mridang. Folk music also requires tal
for its effective rendering and the instruments used for it are many including
the dhol (drum), dholak, nagara, majira, chang and daf. Rajasthani folk-songs
make use of six, seven or eight matras of tal on the dholak, tabla and
nagara. The Kaharwa tal is generally played on the daf or the chang. The
musical instruments used with folk song help to keep the tal which occupies
in music, the same place as grammar does in language.
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