AKBER MIYA
Authentic, world famous tablas from Akber Miya of Hyderabad. Heavy red sheesham dayan and nickle-plated brass baya limited availability
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About Tablas: In the beginning there was the pakawaj, a double-ended wooden drum and at some point, a player decided to cut it in half, and produced the first pair of tablas. The two halves of the pair that make a set of tablas, are the Bayan and the Dayan. The bayan is the metal drum that sits on the player‚s left (when facing the drums) and the dayan is the wooden tabla that sits on the right. Over the years the tabla bayan has gone through many variations. Tabla bayans have been produced in wood, clay, brass, copper, steel and aluminum, to name a few. Today's modern tabla bayan is generally produced with a brass shell, which is then nickel-plated. Copper tabla bayans are in most cases also nickel-plated. Some copper tabla bayan are left plain with no plating and are often referred to as “pink” copper tabla bayans. Many players prefer the copper tabla bayan for it's warmer tone and longer sustain. This seems to be especially prevalent among Bengali tabla players. Weight is also a factor in tabla bayans. A tabla bayan that is too light will have poor sustain characteristics. Some tabla bayans produced by unscrupulous makers are made extra heavy by pouring lead into the bottom of the bayan, which does not help the sound. A tabla bayan weighing approx 3.5 Kgs is pretty much optimal. Some players use a tabla bayan that can have fancy engraving, though most eschew this feature in favor of a plain tabla bayan with perhaps a few simple lines engraved along the rim which serves as an identifying marker from the maker. Tabla bayans have been produced in a variety of different circumferences too. Some as large as 10 inches. The modern tabla bayan is generally 9 inches in diameter. The tabla dayan  is made from sheesham wood, a kind of rosewood which is native to India. The sheesham tabla dayan is preferred for its “crisper” tone. And lastly there are tabla dayans that made with “black” or Nasik sheesham, and these are for many tabla players considered to be premium. There are many details that affect the sound of the tabla dayan; some are the perfect roundness of the barrel, the weight, the height, the flatness of the upper surface on which the tabla “pudi” (skin) rests and the depth to which the tabla is carved on the inside. All these details, which are created by hand, affect the tonal quality and the precision of tuning of the tabla and of course, they also add cost. Tabla pudis (skins) come in several basic styles; Bombay/Delhi / Calcutta, Banares and Hyderabad. Bombay tabla skins are thicker and last longer, but have a longer break-in period. Calcutta tabla skins sound bright and snappy as soon as they are applied. Banares tabla pudis are almost most universally admired by tabla players of all schools. They use a skin of similar thickness to Bombay tablas but with a thicker “shahi” which is the black dot in the middle of the tabla skin. A properly made tabla shahi is made very slowly with multiple thin layers all laid on by hand. A poorly made shahi can ruin the sound of even the best tabla. Hyderabad tabla skins are a kind of amalgam of Calcutta and Delhi styles and utilize a braided tabla gajra, which is the part around the outer edge that is bound together and pierced through by the tabla straps used for tightening and tuning the tabla. The best quality tablas use tabla gajra made from camel skin, which is very tough and holds its tuning well. Traditional tablas are set up with these leather straps, and work better than metal nut and bolt set-ups, which are to be avoided. All tabla sets from Keshav Music Imports come with a heavy-duty Cordura gig-bag, covers, cushions and a tuning hammer. Fiberglass tabla cases can be added at additional cost. Most tabla players carry their tablas in a gig-bag, except if they are transporting them on an airline. It's less weight to drag around, as a good set of tablas are heavy enough on their own. At Keshav Music Imports we sell both tabla sets and individual tabla dayans and bayans. Tabla dayans come in 5.25, 5.50, 5.75 and 6 inch sizes. Tabla bayans are available in most popular configurations and are generally 9 inch sizes. We can also provide 7 inch Qawwali style dhammas in wood or metal. Our top-end tablas automatically come with best-quality cushions and hard covers, with an extra heavy brass tabla tuning hammer. Our tablas are excellent for use in Hindustani classical, folk, bhajan, rock and jazz. Please note that Keshav Music Imports also carries several excellent tabla tutorial DVDs. Tabla tutorials come in beginner and advanced beginner. We also have a free listing for tabla teachers which can be accessed from the home page of our website. Fully tuned tablas ship safely either by air or ground. We never purchase tablas shipped by sea as the salt air cause the tabla skins to rot from within. Shipping tablas by air is of course more expensive and this is reflected in the price, but a good, crisp sounding tabla dayan and a warm sustainable tabla bayan are worth their weight in gold.