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How to count half beat . . .

I have learnt this technique from my Guru and great Tabla maestro Pandit Mukesh Jadhav.

To ease the explanation of half beat counting, lets take an example of Taal Roopak.

Lets assume you are reciting or playing Roopak Taal with single speed followed by double speed.
Single speed : 1 Avartan [ Cycle] of Roopak 
Double speed : 2 Avartan [ Cycles ] of Roopak as shown below [ 3.5 + 3.5 = 7 ]

Recommended tempo : 80 BPM

[melody start]
[Ti|Ti|Na|Dhi|Na|Dhi|Na][lyrics]
[1|2|3|4|5|6|7][lyrics]
[T2|T2|N1|D2|N1|D2|N1][tabla]
[T2T2|N1D2|N1D2|N1T2|T2N1|D2N1|D2N1][tabla]
[melody end]

Now, lets assume you want to play Roopak Taal in double speed only once. It means you should start after 3.5 beats.
So you need to play 3 beats i.e. Tin Tin Na and then count 1/2 [ 0.5 ] beat and play Roopak taal in double speed only once to reach on Sum.

Ok, so counting 3 beats is easy, but how to count that 1/2 beat ?

So lets, simplify those last 3.5 beats.

After playing first 3 beats, you have 1/2 + 3.5 beats which means you have 4 beats remaining.
In those four beats you can play 8 syllables in double, so lets add one more syllable "Kat" along with Roopak, then it looks like this.

Recommended tempo : 80 BPM
[melody start]
[Ti|Ti|Na|Dhi|Na|Dhi|Na][lyrics]
[1|2|3|4|5|6|7][lyrics]
[T2|T2|n1|(K4)T2|T2N1|D2N1|D2N1][tabla]
[melody end]

In the starting you can pronounce or play "Kat" syllable loudly, to get hold of that half beat.
Once you are comfortable, you can slowly practice counting "Kat" in mind without pronouncing and playing.

I personally feel very comfortable with "Kat" syllable to count half beat, you can choose any other syllable you are comfortable with.

Without "Kat", Recommended tempo : 80 BPM
[melody start]
[Ti|Ti|Na|Dhi|Na|Dhi|Na][lyrics]
[1|2|3|4|5|6|7][lyrics]
[T2|T2|n1|-T2|T2N1|D2N1|D2N1][tabla]
[melody end]

Here is one of my video, where I have used this technique frequently while accompanying the Marathi Song based on Taal Roopak.
Infact, it is not good idea to play such type of variety frequently while accompanying, but sometimes you fail to ignore your temptation :-)

Link : <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG89ZWClPxo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG89ZWClPxo</a>

Here is one of example of improvisation in Taal Zaptaal. Such improvisation is useful when accompanying string instruments.
In this example, Zaptaal is played in 2.5 beats after counting half.
Also, have a look at last Tihai like pattern composed in 19.5 beats and start after half beat.
Half beat is counted with "Kat" syllable.

Recommended tempo : 80 BPM
[melody start]
[Dhi|Na|Dhi|Dhi|Na|Ti|Na|Dhi|Dhi|Na][lyrics]
[1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10][lyrics]
[D2|N1|D2|D2|N1|T2|N1|D2|D2|N1][tabla]
[D2|N1|K4 (D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|T2|N1|K4(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1][tabla]
[D2|N1|K4(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|D2N1D2D2|N1T2N1D2|(D2N1)(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1][tabla]
[K4(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|D1D2|D2D1|D1T2|T2T1|D2N1D2D2|N1T2N1D2|(D2N1)D1][tabla]
[D2D2|D1D1|T2T2|(T1)(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|D1D2|D2D1|D1T2|T2T1][tabla]
[D2|N1|D2|D2|N1|T2|N1|D2|D2|N1][tabla]
[melody end]

Same improvisation without "Kat" syllable

Recommended tempo : 80 BPM
[melody start]
[Dhi|Na|Dhi|Dhi|Na|Ti|Na|Dhi|Dhi|Na][lyrics]
[1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10][lyrics]
[D2|N1|D2|D2|N1|T2|N1|D2|D2|N1][tabla]
[D2|N1|-(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|T2|N1|-(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1][tabla]
[D2|N1|-(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|D2N1D2D2|N1T2N1D2|(D2N1)(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1][tabla]
[-(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|D1D2|D2D1|D1T2|T2T1|D2N1D2D2|N1T2N1D2|(D2N1)D1][tabla]
[D2D2|D1D1|T2T2|(T1)(D2N1)|D2D2N1T2|N1D2D2N1|D1D2|D2D1|D1T2|T2T1][tabla]
[D2|N1|D2|D2|N1|T2|N1|D2|D2|N1][tabla]
[melody end]

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How to count half beat . . .