Lesson 2: Understanding Rhythm and Notation

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Lesson 2: Understanding Rhythm and Notation

Recall from Lesson 1, that two pillars in learning the kartal, or any rhythmic instrument for all intents and purposes, are producing clear sounds and maintaining constant rhythm. This is mandatory and a critical prerequisite before beginning this lesson. The kartal keeps the rhythmic cycle known as “tāla.” In fact, the word “karatāla” literally translates to “making claps or rhythms.” The primary function of kartals is to mark the most important points of the tāla. The tāla is not the rhythmic grove that is played on the mridanga (known as a theka). The tāla is the theoretical background of the rhythm. Tāla theory is a nicely complex theory about how a rhythm changes through time, the accent and de-accented spots, and clapping convention. It is useful for the study of a classical drum like mridanga, tabla, or pakhawaj. For studying kartals, the basic rhythmic ideas will be practical.

UNDERSTANDING NOTATION

Indian music is not usually written down in books, but is carried through oral tradition in succession, known as paramparā. However, as it becomes difficult to remember how rhythms and theories are composed, special notation is created to help the student. Figure 2.1 shows an example of this.

X		0
1	2	3	4
OPEN	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN

Figure 2.1

Each block consists of a unit of time, known as a mātrā or a beat. Since there are four full blocks, there are four mātrās. In the audio clip below, each striking of the kartal is separated by one second. Therefore, the value of a mātrā in Figure 2.1 is 1 second long.

The start of each mātrā is numbered on top of the blocks in black. The first block is shown with a black “1”, because it is the start of the first mātrā. The numbers in red are known as tāla numbers, which are more pertinent for persons playing drum instruments like mridanga and table. Just know that the first mātrā of each cycle is known as the sam. It is denoted by an “X”. This is the beat with the greatest force. Whatever sound is in that first beat, it should be played the loudest. Inside the blocks, the actual stroke on the kartals are shown. Each of these blocks can either show OPEN or CLOSED.

After completing the cycle of four mātrās, one cycle is completed. Audio Clip 2.1 plays four cycles of Figure 2.1. Use your kartals and strike them every 1.00 second. Then play Audio Clip 2.1 to get an idea how it should sound like.

FRACTIONAL BEATS

Sometimes, within a cycle, there may be fractional beats or fractional mātrās. For most part, the fractional mātrās will be in halves. Figure 2.2 shows how Line 2 takes each mātrā from Line 1 and divides then by half. Although Line 2 has eight blocks, they are still four mātrās. Each mātrā has two blocks. Therefore, the two blocks are half-mātrās. Likewise, in Line 3, four blocks make one full mātrā. Therefore, each block is a quarter-mātrā. Yet, Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3 are all four mātrās. Of course, one will ask, “How did we know that there are four? Couldn’t Line 3 be 16 mātrās, which will yield Line 2 requiring each stroke to consume two mātrās, or Line 1 requiring each stroke to consume four mātrās?” The answer is that it is dependent on the rhythmic cycle. That will be given, so there is no ambiguity there. To understand how fractional rhythms sounds like, listen to the audio clip below. Line 1 is defined as 2 seconds per mātrā. Line 2 has each mātrā spaced out as 1 second per mātrā (half of 2 seconds). Line 3 has each mātrā spaced out as 0.5 seconds per mātrā (quarter of 2 seconds, or half of 1 second).

OPEN

Figure 2.2.

PRACTICE

Here is good practice on understanding notation and how to keep rhythm with closed and open sounds. Few pointers to remember is that if a stroke lasts more than one mātrā, then it can be shown by having the stoke name take up the space of two mātrās, or have the stroke name written on the first mātrā where it is struck, and have the following mātrās be empty (silent).

X					0
1	2		3	4	5		6		7	8
OPEN			CLOSED	CLOSED	OPEN				CLOSED	CLOSED
X					0
1	2		3	4	5		6		7	8
OPEN	CLOSED		OPEN	CLOSED	OPEN		CLOSED		OPEN	CLOSED
X					0
1	2		3	4	5		6		7	8
CLOSED	OPEN	OPEN	CLOSED	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN	CLSD	CLSD	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN
X					0
1	2		3	4	5		6		7	8
CLOSED			OPEN	OPEN	CLOSED				OPEN	OPEN
X					0
1	2		3	4	5		6		7	8
CLOSED			OPEN	CLOSED			OPEN		CLOSED
X					0
1	2		3	4	5		6		7	8
CLOSED

Figure 2.3

* NOTE: This audio Clip is played at 1 second/mātrā. Remember, at this point, speed is not important, but the ability to maintain a rhythm at a chosen speed.

UPDATED: September 12, 2017