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Online tabla lessons

tabla and other Indian instruments   music lessons with Skype video one-on-one with tabla teacher

Learn tabla online, with a webcam, PC and your personal tabla teacher. Choose a guru from our many professional tabliyas (tabla players), contact us for a free online introduction, buy tabla lessons online, and learn the magic of tabla right in the comfort of your home!

About tabla

Tabla, the most prominent percussion instrument of the north Indian classical music (Hindustani music) tradition, is unmatched in its versatility, expression, grace, and power. As accompaniment for a Hindustani vocal or instrumental performance, tabla provides a solid rhythmic foundation while also featuring intricate and complex rhythmic patterns. But as a solo instrument at the hands of a master percussionist, the tabla soars like no other percussion instrument.

Like other Indian instruments, tabla was taught and propagated by several prominent gharanas, or "houses," Each gharana features a unique performance style developed by its founder, along with a rich repertoire of solo compositions. Today's tabla players need no longer limit themselves to one gharana, but can learn from all gharanas and benefit from the tabla's rich musical heritage.

About tabla lessons

Learning tabla usually involves learning a variety of solo compositions such as kaidas (theme and variations), relas, and tukdas, many of which are simple and designed for beginner and intermediate students. These solo compositions establish the student's physical technique. Students must also memorize and recite these compositions repeatedly, learning to properly express the musical nature of the composition. Accompaniment technique is gradually introduced over time as the student is able to master the bols, phrases, and compositions.

WorldMusicGuru tabla teachers

WorldMusicGuru features many accomplished tabla teachers from various gharanas. Most are professional musicians, and are familiar with the repertoire of various gharanas. Many are disciples of today's more prominent tabla maestros.

Equipment you need

Tabla lessons feature fast finger motion, so a webcam needs to support the "VGA at 30 fps (frames per second)" feature, along with high video resolution (1.3 or 2.0 MP video resolution). See our recommendations. You can also purchase a professional tabla at reasonable rates on our website.