Chautaal: the 12-beat taal of dhrupad

Chautaal

Count from one to twelve, then return to one. That is one cycle of chautaal, also called chartal. A taal is a repeating rhythmic cycle, and each beat is called a matra. Chautaal belongs to dhrupad, a musical form whose compositions are most often set in this taal.

Its twelve beats form six pairs: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2. Each pair is a vibhag, or division of the cycle. The accompanying drum is the pakhawaj, a barrel drum whose deep, open strokes suit chautaal's weight.

Chautaal beats, divisions and clap pattern

Count chautaal's twelve matras, or beats, in pairs: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2. Each pair is a vibhag, a division of the rhythmic cycle. There are six vibhags, each beginning with a clap or wave.

A clap marks tali, a clapped division. A wave marks khali, an empty division. Beat 1 is also sam, the first beat of the cycle.

• 1, 2: clap on 1 (sam).
• 3, 4: clap on 3.
• 5, 6: wave on 5.
• 7, 8: clap on 7.
• 9, 10: wave on 9.
• 11, 12: clap on 11.

Why chautaal is played on the pakhawaj

The claps and waves give you the pattern. The pakhawaj, the barrel drum that accompanies dhrupad, gives chautaal its sound. Its deep, open strokes suit the weight of this twelve-beat cycle.

The connection is also in the theka, the basic stroke pattern that expresses a rhythmic cycle. Chautaal’s theka uses pakhawaj bols, the syllables used to name drum strokes. So the drum is not just an accompaniment here. Its strokes are part of how you recognise the cycle.

The theka of chautaal

The theka is the basic pattern of drum strokes that expresses a taal, a repeating rhythmic cycle. Read chautaal’s pattern from left to right, keeping a steady count of twelve:

dha dha | din ta | kita dha | din ta | tita kata | gadi gana

Each pair fills one vibhag, or division, of two beats. The vertical lines separate the six divisions. These are bols, or stroke syllables, for the pakhawaj, the barrel drum that accompanies dhrupad.

The difference between chautaal and ektaal

Both chautaal and ektaal have twelve beats, arranged as six vibhags, or divisions, of two beats each. Counting twelve alone will not tell you which taal, or repeating rhythmic cycle, you are hearing.

Chautaal accompanies dhrupad singing on the pakhawaj, a barrel drum. Ektaal is associated with khayal singing and has a tabla theka. A theka is the drum pattern that expresses a taal. Their drum patterns sound different, despite sharing the same beat count and divisions.

Counting chautaal with the BeatRootRaga metronome

Select Ektaal (12) on the BeatRootRaga metronome to count twelve beats. Use it as a counting aid, not as a chautaal accent guide. The setting follows ektaal’s accent pattern, so its accents do not show you where to clap or wave for chautaal.