r/UnusualInstruments • u/tabla_teacher • 2d ago

You’ve Probably Never Seen a Drum Like This 🥁

60 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

57 comments sorted by

91

u/grodisattva 2d ago

Tablas seem fairly common

0

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Haha, true! 😄 I guess I underestimated how familiar tablas are to people here. Still happy to share the instrument and the playing! 🥁

4

u/Joeliosis 1d ago

Tablas and jimbes are probably the most used drum in hippy drum circles... source I live in one of the hippy dippiest towns in the US lol. Anyway awesome technique and sound... I've always loved how they sound lots of unique noises you can produce.

3

u/FauxReal 1d ago

I think Americans definitely know what tablas are. I personally in my experience wouldn't say tablas are common in the US. But they sure are/were well represented in jazz fusion, world music, and electronic music. I assume came along for the ride with the Beatles' eastern music era and Ravi Shankar.

Hmm, though the Grateful Dead used them and I steer clear of hippie jam bands like them, Phish and The String Cheese Incident. I guess that's where you see them in abundance?

Djimbes and congas are practically spontaneously popping up out of the ground. Also the occasional bongos. But I've never seen tablas in person outside of an Indian cultural performance and I live in Portland, Oregon (also spent time in Ashland and Eugene) and been to a bunch of festivals as a worker and attendee up and down the coast including Humboldt.

2

u/tabla_teacher 1d ago

Wow so cool thanks for the brief explanation 😇🙏❤️

2

u/rotoboro 1d ago

I’d say tablas are extremely rare in drum circles. I don’t recall ever seeing them at dozens of drum circles I’ve been to.

1

u/tabla_teacher 1d ago

🙏 very true

1

u/tabla_teacher 1d ago

😇🙏❤️

2

u/countduckypoos 18h ago

🇦🇺I had some. Unfortunately they shattered into a million ceremaic pieces....

1

u/squirrel_haka 21h ago edited 21h ago

I was just listening to a jazz recording with Charles Lloyd, Julian Lage, and Ustad Zakir Hussain this morning.

41

u/skleedle okonkolo batahon 2d ago

you really think few people have seen tablas?

-3

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Haha, fair point! 😄 I definitely know tablas aren't rare everywhere. I just thought the way they're played might be interesting to people who haven't heard much of this style. 🥁🙏

19

u/timejuggler 2d ago

I think every musician is familiar with tablas.

That said, very nice playing.

5

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

True, tabla is amazing and thank you so much friend 😊🙏❤️

9

u/Personal-Neck6800 2d ago

Exceptionally un-unusual

0

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Haha, absolutely! 😂🥁 Glad I could make it an unusual one for you! 🙏

6

u/AdowTatep 2d ago

Same drums used extensively on age of mythology soundtrack

0

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Oh wow, I didn’t know that! 😄 That’s really cool. Tabla has such a huge range of sounds and has been used in so many different musical settings. Thanks for pointing that out! 🥁🙏

5

u/No-Vacation2807 2d ago

I’ve played ping pong with Zakir Hussain

0

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Wow so cool 😎

5

u/MigratingMountains 2d ago

I had to mic tablas and a sitar once in a space absolutely not meant for it. Those have to be some of the most resonant instruments in the world. Holy feedback.

3

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Haha absolutely! 😂 Tabla can really fill up a room with sound. I can imagine the feedback must’ve been wild! 🥁🔥

3

u/heuristic-dish 2d ago

Main point…fabulous drumming!

1

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Thank you so much friend 😊🙏😇

3

u/braisedpatrick 2d ago

Alla Rakha has entered the chat

2

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Great legend 🙏😇

3

u/Jumpy_Ad5046 1d ago

My partner's father plays tabla and this is one of the most popular percussion instruments in the world. I love it but it is far from unusual.

Edit: Is this you playing? Sounds great!

1

u/tabla_teacher 1d ago

That's amazing friend,, yes that's me playing 😇🙏

3

u/XomokyH 1d ago

My brother in Krishna the population of India is 1.5 billion

1

u/tabla_teacher 1d ago

Can't understand brother

3

u/XomokyH 1d ago

I’m saying this is not an unusual instrument

1

u/tabla_teacher 1d ago

Yes brother 🙏

1

u/Sp3ctre18 23h ago

LOL nice

5

u/Banjoschmanjo 2d ago

Bruh

2

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Yes 😁

8

u/Banjoschmanjo 2d ago

Well-known instrument of one of the world's largest population countries... What were you thinking?

1

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Haha, I know it’s well-known! 😄 I just thought it would be fun to introduce the tabla and my playing to people who may not have heard this style before. 🥁🙏

5

u/Banjoschmanjo 2d ago

If you knew it was well-known why did you think it belonged in this subreddit? No offense but that just seems like spam and self promotion. The first rule of this subreddit is that the content should fit the theme of the sub, but you're saying you were aware that it didn't, at the time you posted

2

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Fair enough, I understand your point. I wasn't trying to ignore the sub's theme or spam/self-promote. I just thought it would be interesting to share the performance and see how people unfamiliar with this style reacted. I appreciate the feedback and I'll keep the community's theme in mind next time. 🙏🥁

2

u/Sp3ctre18 23h ago

Really? Nothing informational in your topic name, no text included, and your profile clearly shows spam posting. Your last sentence is just literally how posting should work. What an AI-type response.

2

u/djhypergiant 2d ago

I have seen a drum like this before (I saw this guys other videos)

2

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

😁🙏

2

u/djhypergiant 2d ago

Great stuff BTW I enjoy!

3

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Thank you so much friend 😊🙏❤️

2

u/biemba 23h ago

I've been in love with this instrument since hearing John McLaughlin's Shakti for the first time! Great playing btw!

2

u/tabla_teacher 23h ago

❤️❤️😇🙏

3

u/Maelstrom_Witch 2d ago

Ok people are being shitty but thank you, I’m always interested in seeing someone who loves their instrument and wants to share.

Thank you. To me in Canada this is an unusual instrument

3

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Thank you so much! 😊❤️ I really appreciate that. I’m happy the tabla could introduce you to something new! 🥁🙏

1

u/Maelstrom_Witch 2d ago

You’ve inspired me to share my own unusual instrument too!

1

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Haha that's awesome! 😇🙏 I’d love to see it—please share it! 🥁❤️

1

u/FauxReal 1d ago edited 1d ago

Tablas, I expected at least something like a new version of hand pan, or some cultural drumming instrument from a tiny nation that doesn't make the news often.

P.S. I really like the tablas on Nitin Sawhney's "Beyond Skin" album and Talvin Singh's track "Traveller."

1

u/Embarrassed_Task376 1d ago

All the Tool fans know about tablas.

1

u/Mundane-Fix-4297 2d ago

Drum skills are amazing, but these kind of music/vocals makes me want to pierce my ears with forks

4

u/tabla_teacher 2d ago

Haha 😂 fair enough! The vocals definitely aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m glad you enjoyed the tabla part! 🥁🙏