Define tala and list the beat patterns of the four talas commonly used today in Carnatic music

What will be an ideal response?

• Talas are regularly recurring metric cycles consisting of groups of beats.
• Each beat may, in turn, be divided and subdivided into faster units 2s, 4s, 8s, 16s, 3s, 5s, 7s, or 9s
• The four common talas in Carnatic music today are:
• Adi Tala 4 + 2 + 2 = 8 beats (as in // 1 2 3 4 / 1 2 /1 2 //) or
Adi Tala (at a slow tempo) 4 + 2 + 2 = 8 beats, but counting each beat twice
(as in // 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / 1 & 2 & / 1 & 2 & //)
• Rupaka Tala 1 + 2 = 3 beats (as in // 1 / 1 2 //)
• (Khanda) Chapu Tala 2 + 3 = 5 beats (as in // 1 2 / 1 2 3 //)
• Misra Chapu Tala 3 + 2 + 2 = 7 beats (as in // 1 2 3 / 1 2 / 1 2 //)

• Except for the Khanda Chapu Tala and Misra Chapu Tala, which are generally performed at a brisk tempo, all talas may be performed at a fast, medium or slow tempo. (Note how two pulses are counted per beat in the Adi Tala above if that tala is played at a slow tempo.)