Krsna Kirtana Songs est. 2001                                                                                                                                                      www.kksongs.org

Approach to Teaching Khol

 

For devotees of Lord Krsna, the khol is almost always the instrument everyone wants to learn. However, intentions and desires would define what extent the instrument should be taught to. If one wants to be able to accompany harinams or artis, then the lowest standard of learning is required. To be able to accompany a classical bhajan requiring clean and crisp sounds, then one must take it to the second standard of learning. If one wishes to go to classical music, then tabla should be studied first, before learning the khol. Tabla will teach the discipline of learning an instrument in addition to sounds that cannot be produced on the khol. The khol is the ultimate basic which can be taken to higher extents with tabla knowledge.

 

My method of teaching students is to incorporate the low-degree standards, with second-degree skills as our main standard. I will use classical applications in order to assist a well as appreciate the primordial music of India. As the khol is a relatively easy drum, it would take two to three years in a non-gurukula setting.

 

YEAR ONE

- Introduction to the khol, parts, history, very simple tips on maintenance and care

- The concept of the bol

- The left hand bols (ka, gha, ge, finger ka)

- Intonation and variations of the ge bol (sliding, swooping, pressure, etc.)

- Right hand bols (ta, tin, ti, ra, te)

- Practicing strength on these bols

- Important phrases: trkta and garagana

- Embellishment and development on it

- Kirtan grooves using slow eight beats.

 

YEAR TWO

- Faster kirtan grooves using eight beats

- Kirtan connectors (Last lesson of low-degree)

- Introcution to the tala (tala diagram, structure, vibhag, matra, tali, khali, sam)

- Theka vs. prakar

- 8 matra talas : Prabhupada tala, kaherva forms, bhajani tala

- 12 matra tala: Bengali ektal

- 6 matra tala – dadra tala, khemta tala

- 16 matra tala - tintal

- 7 matra tala – rupak tala

- 14 matra tala – dipachandi tala

- 10 matra tala – jhaptala

- reviewing talas and purpose

- each tala featured will be look at the aspect of accompanying an artist: I usually bring an esraj, guitar, or harmonium to play along to serve them practice on playing theka and some prakars.

 

YEAR THREE

- Mukhra, Tihai, and Tod

- Reviewing each tala with these three pieces

- Vilambit lay of most of the talas

- Madhya lay reviewing

- Drut lay of most talas

- Basic classical accompanying. I’ll bring an instrument or I’ll sing to allow the student to understand accompanying in these tempos.

 

A good amount of the topics is featured on my khol guide found on my homepage. The first year is for all students, especially low-degree. The second degree is years 1 and 2 who wish to accompany classical bhajans. All three years are primarily for those who wish to study khol as a footstep for tabla and pursue classical music.