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Top Tabla Teachers PERCUSSIVE INSTRUMENTS
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75 posts nautchwali 75 posts
nautchwali
The question of talent is an interesting one, and I think a cultural difference between Western and Indian classical music. I've found that doing well at most things (whether music lessons or university essays) has mostly to do with effort and organization (ie practise) and all those things. However, I do think that moving beyond "competence" does depend on talent.

So a good teacher doesn't just depend on his or her students' talent, but also doesn't stand in the way of it when it emerges.
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nautchwali 75 posts
nautchwali
I, like Aanaddha, chose not to name my two tabla teachers (or any of my kathak teachers), but I can offer some comments on good teaching.

If you take professionalism, knowledge, and personality as given, I think judgment and diagnostic skills are most important. A good teacher should be able tell what you are doing incorrectly (technically or musically) - why you are not getting the right sound, or playing fast enough or whatever - AND can either tell you something very simple ("lower your wrist," "give a little more power" etc) to fix it, or else give you another q'aida designed to practise that weakness.

Also, a good teacher knows how to deal out material. Are you ready for six new variations? Are you ready for this gat? Or do you need to bring what little you have to a higher stage first? Somewhere in "The Tabla of Lucknow" Afaq Husain Khan says something about this - "How can I give a student three maan to lift when he only has the strength to lift one?" (or some equivalent - don't have it with me now).

I want to be able to trust my teachers in these matters - I can motivate and discipline myself, and the music (or dance) inspires me on its own. But what to do, how much, how fast, and how to fix it - that's what I need.

(Surtaal - glad you like my handle. I thought of "Nautchgirl" but I think I'm too old. Sigh...)

Always spinning - Nautchwali
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jaan e kharabat 1,401 posts
jaan e kharabat
Aanaddha wrote:
The question is a voluntary one, as is any and all personal information given here in within the forums. But, seeing as how your curiosity is so demanding:

?
There is no need to be always on the defensive Aanaadhaji. If you see fit to post a comment on a topic I just figured that you might directly address the question on hand thats all. Your answer is acceptable, but for all the build up and the prologue, it falls a little short when discussing particularly effective teaching methods as taught to you.

As for me, I have had only a few months of formal training in tabla in my whole life and that with only one teacher. I am not really qualified to speak on what are great or not so great methods on teaching tabla having only experienced one teachers lessons, however I agree with you that carefull listening to what ever lessons one can is taught, and to our own practice of it, and critically applying the such lessons in daily practice makes for a good learning enviroment. But of course, this is not really specific to tabla, but can be applied to any learning situation.
If there are just ''six tones'' in an octave [sic] then why have frets for tones that don't exist?
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SurTaal 144 posts
SurTaal
Nautchwali- In my mind's eye, I see a you as a young Rekha! I appreciate your response. You are aware of your motivation and will power to learn, but recognize that a good teacher can take you a long way.

Aanaadhaji- excellent points about a good teachers empowering the student to explore and think for themselves. A teacher once convinced me that it is alright to question the traditional methods of teaching. This helped me gain much confidence and become a better student. Once I understood why a particular qaida, technique, or item of practice was prescribed, I would practice with greater enthusiasm. I also gain much when a teacher pushes me during practice to play clearer, faster, longer, etc.

Jaan bhai- Very funny! I could you see you rolling your eyes with with impatience and sarcasm as you typed your last post. "Answer the bloke's bloody question!"
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Aanaddha 1,932 posts
Aanaddha
jaan wrote:
.... this is not really specific to tabla, but can be applied to any learning situation.
Correct. I personally don't believe in god-given talent, but rather that anyone, with a proper amount of self-confidence, desire, motivation, time, and respect for the art or discipline can, if he or she wishes, become proficient at anything. It is only at this stage that a teacher begins his work.
This is the wonderful thing about Indian and Pakistani music - that there is so much to learn about that's applicable within and beyond one's chosen discipline or single source of learning; be it dance, vocal, instrumental, or percussion - they do not function seperately and you cannot profess to be proficient in one without having significant knowledge of the others.
If he could sing, and nature to accompany him, what need would he have for an instrument?
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