Customer Reviews

Anuradha Pal: Learn Tabla Well

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I would say that this is a great DVD to see if the tabla is something you want to learn. But as an instructional DVD I found it very lacking. First, it is not broken into lessons of any kind. A student would have to work very hard to extract a learning track from it. Second, the explaination of the verbal drum syllables in interesting, but I could not tell how the ones spoken in the DVD correlated to the written ones in the included leaflet. Lastly, I may have missed it, but I don't think tuning was covered at all. I definitely don't feel that I could learn tabla well, let alone at all from this DVD.

I would not suggest that a beginner buys this product...he or she will be disappointed. Unless you have basic training from elsewhere, you will experience tough times ahead should you depend on this product in your first year. I agree with a review I read that this product is more Like A Pal giving a TV interview. In spite of that I still decided to buy it only to confirm that notion. It does not seem like teaching. I have set it aside while I am learning from others. One day it might kick in usefully.

Sorry, I wanted so badly for this to be a good book, but it's highly flawed.

Although it contains some very good information, it is poorly organized for someone who would like to learn the Indian Tabla drums.

I tried to take lessons, but they were too expensive. I was hoping that my few lessons combined with a good DVD book would get me started, but this isn't it.

The problem is that the material is not presented from the viewpoint of someone who is just learning. The examples are played WAY too fast, there is too much talking at the beginning, much of it not even related to playing, and not enough slow, how-to stuff. She's a great player, just not good at showing how to learn. This might be a good book for someone who already plays and wants to get new viewpoints on performing, but I would not recommend it for a beginner.

I just received this DVD and only had the chance to quickly browse through it....
I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a very clear and detailed instructional
video about the tabla basics, history and simple exercises, basic bols and basic
finger techniques that will keep any beginner busy for at least a few months.
It looks like part two should be out shortly and very much looking forward to it.
Enjoy!