My latest recording, “On the Wrong Rela (Rail)” is a tabla solo in Ektaal (12 beats).
The theme is being on the wrong train, which often happens to me in the city of Chicago. Also, being on the wrong metaphorical train relating to life in general, as everyone finds themselves once in a while. The tabla compositional type called Rela comes from the Hindi word for the train/railway: Rail (रेल).

The solo is designed around this concept, with the Kayedas gradually adding more notes per beat (Cf. chhand) to mimic the train gradually getting faster in speed until it reaches its peak in the Rela section:
Lahera Melody: Kirvani
Theka
Uthan
Kayeda in Aar chhand (3 notes per beat) (all variations self-composed)
Kayeda in Kuar chhand (5 notes per beat) (self-composed variation of Tintaal Comp)
Kayeda in Biar chhand (7 notes per beat) (self-composed, based on DhateTeDhateTeDhaDha)
Kayeda in barabar chhand (8 notes per beat)
Mukra tehais (self-composed)
Gat
Rela
3 Tukras (One self-composed: “Ra – Ra – Sis Boom Dha -” see post)
3 Chakradar

This solo is performed on a tabla tuned to the pitch “D”, unlike my other recordings which use my favorite “C#” drum.

Note: My goal of this website is not to record multiple takes until I get a perfect take, but rather to record one live take at the end of my month of practice to have an audio document of my achievements and growth–mistakes and all–and to learn from those mistakes.