Glossary · glossary · 1 min read
Drut
द्रुत; fast tempo
Drut means a fast tempo, or pace, in Hindustani music. You will hear it as a performance moves towards its rhythmic climax, often with busier accompaniment.
By John, Music lover from Bangalore · Reviewed by BRR · Last reviewed 29 Sept 2026
Drut
Drut is the fast tempo of Hindustani music. It follows vilambit, meaning slow, and madhya, meaning medium. These words describe tempo, so drut tells you how fast the music moves, rather than which rhythmic cycle you are hearing.
A common setting is drut teentaal. Teentaal is a taal, or repeating rhythmic cycle, with 16 beats. As the tempo rises, the cycle is often felt in larger units, while the accompaniment becomes busier.
Where you will hear Drut
You will hear drut, the fast tempo of Hindustani music, as a performance moves towards its rhythmic climax. It follows vilambit, meaning slow, and madhya, meaning medium. This is where the rising pace and busier accompaniment become part of what you listen for.
A concert item usually ends with a fast section in drut teentaal. Teentaal is a repeating cycle of 16 beats, and it is the most common setting for drut. The tempo increases towards the ending, bringing the item to its rhythmic climax.
Keep going
- Taal for beginners: teentaal, keherwa and dadra with clap patterns · A taal is a repeating rhythmic cycle: count 16 beats for teentaal, eight for keherwa, and six for dadra. For teentaal, clap on 1, 5 and 13, wave on 9; for keherwa, clap on 1, wave on 5; for dadra, clap on 1, wave on 4.