Introduction to Thali-Khali Counterparts

One of the most helpful things to understand about classical tabla compositions is the stress pattern created by open (stressed) and closed (unstressed) strokes on the baya (bass drum).

These stress patterns are often created with tālī-khālī (ताली-खाली) counterparts.

Tali-khali counterparts are simple to understand: any bol (stroke) which is played with an open baya will have two versions, or counterparts, in the language:

• A tālī version with open baya (stressed)
• A khālī version with closed baya (unstressed)

The video below demonstrates a few common tali-khali counterparts:

Very simple. The important thing to understand is that tali-khali counterparts can be thought of as two versions of the same stroke: an open version, and a closed version.

Note: Indians do not use the term “counterparts”, they simply say tali-khali. They may also call them khālī-bharī – खाली-भरी (“empty-full”), khulī-band – खुली-बन्द (“open-closed”), or khulī-mundī – खुली-मुंदी (“open-covered”).

Cyclic Compositions and Tali-Khali Stress Patterns

Tali-khali counterparts are used mostly in cyclic/theme-and-variation forms, such as the kayda, rela, bant and gat-kayda.

Below is a simple Dilli kayda with thali-khali counterparts connected by arrows:

(from Dilli Beginner Kayda 1)

Notice how the each half is the same except for the changes in tali-khali counterparts. These changes create the stress pattern of the kayda, the same pattern found in almost every tintal kayda, rela, bant, gat-kayda, and other forms. See The Structure of Kaydas section for a detailed discussion of tali-khali counterparts in the kayda.

Syllables of Tali-Khali Counterparts

You may have noticed that tali-khali counterparts all begin with the same pairs of syllables. Specifically, there are two pairs of syllable changes: one for single baya strokes, and one for combination strokes (baya and daya together).

Tali-Khali Syllables for Single Baya Bols

All single tali baya strokes begin with the sound “g”, while the khali versions begin with the sound “k”. The vowel stays the same.

• ga→ka / ग→क
• gha→ka / घ→क
• ge→ke / गे→के
• ghe→ke / घे→के
• gi→ki / गि→कि
• gī→kī / गी→की
• ghin→kin / घिं→किं

Tali-Khali Syllables for Combination Bols

All tali combination bols (right hand and left hand together) begin with the sound “d” (usually aspirated: “dh”), and their khali counterparts begin with the sound “t”. The vowel stays the same, except in the one case noted below:

• dha→ta / ध→त
• dhā→tā / धा→ता
• dhe→te / धे→ते
• dhet→tet / धेत्→तेत्
• dhi→ti / धि→ति
• dhī→tī / धी→ती
• dhin→tin / धिं→तिं
• dhin→tū / धिं→तू (different vowel)

There may be some syllables not mentioned here, and different lineages may have variations of these. But the system will be essentially the same.

Bols with No Tali-Khali Counterpart

Certain bols have no tali-khali counterpart at all. These include:

• nā / ना
• na / न
• ra / र
• ṛa / ड़
• ṛā / ड़ा
• ta / त (closed on the syahi)
• tak / तक्
• tī / ती (closed on the syahi)
• ṭa / ट

Listening for Tali-khali Counterparts

You will naturally get a feel for tali-khali counterparts by listening and speaking cyclic compositions in tintal, especially kaydas (see the Compositions Section). Listen closely to the spoken versions of kayda themes and try to follow the intonation and melody of the speaker. Try to identify the tali-khali counterparts in every kayda theme.