The Art of Tablā Accompaniment in Vilambit Ektāl

Abstract

Accompaniment is by far the primary usage of the tablā in modern Hindustānī music. This research presents the framework by which tablā accompaniment is developed throughout a performance. This framework is developed through transcription and analysis of two performances provided by tablā musician, Vishwanath Shirodkar. Thought processes and theories on accompaniment are scrutinised through interviews and comparison with the transcriptions. The model proposed in this thesis is that the tablā accompanist has a pre-conceived tablā motif which he manipulates depending on certain parameters. These parameters include familiarity between co-performers, gender, tāl, and tempo.