Online, worldwide
Live one-to-one lessons over video call, arranged around your time zone. You will need a tabla, a steady internet connection and somewhere quiet to sit. Lessons are recorded on request so you can revise the bols between sessions.
Study
Learn tabla
Lessons in the Punjab gharana tradition — one to one, online anywhere in the world or in person in Lahore. Beginners are welcome; so are players who want to go deeper.
Two ways to study
Choose the setting that suits you
In person, Lahore
One-to-one and small-group teaching at Teen Taal Studio, in the way the instrument has always been taught — sitting together, hands watched and corrected. Instruments are available at the studio for those who do not yet own a pair.
The syllabus
Repertoire, and the theory beneath it
Students are taught on a graded syllabus, so that each stage rests on the last rather than skipping ahead of the hands.
Repertoire
Theka, kaida, rela, tukra and accompaniment practice — from the first bols through to advanced solo material.
Theory
Systems of laya and taal; notation and rhythmic reading; the gharana traditions of South Asian classical music.
Accompaniment
Principles of accompaniment for khayal, thumri, ghazal, kafi and qawwali — how to listen, and when to stay out of the way.
Ensemble & studio
Stage accompaniment, rehearsal direction and recording practice for television, radio and studio release.
Levels
Where you might begin
Level one
Beginner
Sitting position and hand shape. The individual bols — na, tin, ti, te, ka, ge — and the first thekas in teentaal and dadra. Counting the cycle out loud until it becomes second nature.
Level two
Intermediate
Kaida and its variations, rela, and the discipline of expanding a phrase without losing the cycle. Reading and writing notation. First work with a lehra, and the beginning of accompaniment.
Level three
Advanced
Peshkar, tukra and chakradar; solo construction across a full recital. Taals beyond teentaal. Accompanying vocal and instrumental forms, and playing to a room rather than to a metronome.
Taught at
- Lahore University of Management Sciences
- Hast o Neest Institute of Traditional Studies & Arts
- Lahore Grammar School
- Sanjan Nagar Public Education Trust
- Teen Taal Studio
Enquire
Ask about lessons
Tell Asher a little about where you are with the instrument. There is no obligation, and he answers every message himself.
Questions
Before you begin
Do I need my own tabla to start?
For online lessons, yes — you will need a pair to practise on between sessions. Asher can advise on what to buy and what to avoid before you spend anything. For lessons in Lahore, instruments are available at the studio while you decide.
Do I need to read music?
No. Tabla is taught first through spoken bols — you learn to say the phrase before you play it. Notation and rhythmic reading are introduced later, as part of the theory, once the hands and the ear are established.
How long are lessons, and how often?
Most students take one lesson a week. The length is agreed between you — what matters far more is the practice done between lessons. Asher will tell you honestly what a given goal will take.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on the format, the length of the lesson and where you are based. Send an enquiry with those details and Asher will reply with a straightforward answer.
Can children learn?
Yes. Asher taught classroom music across year groups at Lahore Grammar School for three years, and has worked with young students since 2011.
Can you teach theory only?
Yes. Laya and taal, notation, and the gharana traditions can be studied on their own — useful for vocalists, instrumentalists and dancers who need to understand the rhythmic side without taking up the instrument.