Tāḷa is the rhythmic framework in Carnatic music and provides a broad structure for rendition and repetition of melodic and rhythmic phrases, motives and improvisations. It consists of fixed length time cycles called āvartana. An āvartana of a tāḷa is divided into basic time units called akṣaras. The akṣaras are grouped into longer time units called beats, which are visually displayed through hand gestures. The sub-beat structure (which decides the number of akṣaras contained per beat) is called naḍe. The first akṣara pulse of an āvartana is called the sama. Most carnatic compositions are set to a specific tāḷa and begin on the sama. However, the compositions can also start after (or before) the cycle starts, and this offset of the start of the composition relative to the sama is called eḍupu, and is often measured in akṣaras. An avartana is also divided into possibly unequal sections called aṅga, which define the structure of the tāḷa. The aṅgas define the visual gestures used to show the progression through the tāḷa. 

On this page, we provide several annotated audio examples for different tāḷas, using compositions with different eḍupu. We describe the structure of each tāḷa. Along with the audible clicks to represent the beats of the tala, we also provide a visualization that shows the structure of the tāḷa and marks the progression through the cycles. In each of the video examples below, the waveform (top panel) and the log spectrogram (bottom panel) show the tāḷa annotations. The beats of the tala are numbered. Each annotation has an audible click to track the progression of the tāḷa. '1' denotes sama and is shown through a red colored time tick and has an audible click different from the other annotation clicks. Details specific to a particular tāḷas is provided when necessary. 

• Ādi tāḷa
• Rūpaka tāḷa
• Miśra chāpu
• Khaṇḍa chāpu
• Other tāḷas

Ādi tāḷa

Each cycle of ādi tāḷa consists of 32 akṣaras and can be divided into 8 equal beats. A slower variant of ādi tāḷa in 2 kaḷai consists of 64 akṣaras divided into 16 equal beats. The structure of ādi tāḷa is shown below, illustrating some of the terms we introduced above. The beats are numbered, and the akṣaras are shown with time ticks. The sama is shown with x. The examples that follow show ādi tāḷa, ādi tāḷa (vilambita or 2 kalai, with 16 beats) and compositions with 2, 4 and 6 akṣara eḍupu.

Rūpaka tāḷa

Miśra chāpu

Each cycle of miśra chāpu consists of 14 akṣaras and has a grouping structure of 6+4+4 aksharas, and hance has an unequal division. But commonly, miśra chāpu is also divided into 7 equal beats. Out of these, the beat positions 1, 4, and 6 are accented, perceptually more relevant, and shown with hand gestures. Only the most accented beats 1, 4, and 6 are marked in the video examples below. The figure below shows the structure of the tala, with x marking the sama. 

Khaṇḍa chāpu

Each cycle of khaṇḍa chāpu tāḷa consists of 10 akṣaras and has a grouping structure of 4+6 aksharas, an unequal division. Commonly, khaṇḍa chāpu can also be divided into 5 equal beats. Out of these, the beat positions 1, 3, and 4 are accented and are more perceptually relevant. The figure below shows the structure of khaṇḍa chāpu, with x marking the samas. In the video, the most accented beats 1, 3, and 4 are marked. The examples that follow show khaṇḍa chāpu and a composition with 2 akshara edupu. 

Other Tāḷas

Here are some more less performed rarer tāḷas, with their structure.

Ēka

Tiśra-jāti ēka

Dhr̥va

Maṭhya

Miśra-jāti jhaṁpe

Tiśra-jāti tripuṭa

Aṭṭa

Caturaśra-jāti jhaṁpe

Dēśādi

Khaṇḍa-jāti tripuṭa

Khaṇḍa-jāti ēka

Madhyādi

Mahālakṣmi

Miśra-jāti rūpaka