How to count beats of a composition

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How to count beats of a composition

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Concept explained in this article is applicable to all kind of music like vocal, instrumental and dance.

Normally when we learn compositions, we learn composition in the context of Taal, so we know which composition belongs to which Taal.
But, what if we follow reverse direction, means, we know the composition but don't know to which Taal the composition belongs to. 
In this scenario, you need holistic understanding of the topic.

So lets decode this subject.

First question would be, how to count beats of the composition ?
And answer is, every stroke is counted as one beat.

To simplify the explanation, let's take a small phrase, and this phrase is composition for us, because ultimately composition is a combination of different phrases.

Phrase : Dha Ti Ta

In this we have three strokes 
1. Dha
2. Ti
3. Ta

As said earlier, every stroke is counted as one beat, so it is 3 beats phrase.

But, hold on, to say it is 3 beats phrase, it should be played in constant Lay / Tempo
Time between two strokes establishes Lay, and it should be the same, then only we can say it is a 3 beats phrase. If the time between each phrase is not the same then it will not be a 3 beat phrase. 
So finally, we can say that, when strokes are played with fixed Lay then every stroke is counted as one beat.

As an exercise, lets find out number of beats the below Kayda belongs to

[melody start]
[D1|T4|T8|D1|T4|T8|D1|D1|T4|T8|D1|G1|T2|N1|K1|N1][tabla]
[melody end]

If you count strokes in this Kayda, there are 16 strokes in the Kayda.

Lets split them into phrases and count
Dha Ti Ta : 3
Dha Ti Ta : 3
Dha Dha Ti Ta : 4
Dha Ge Tin Na Ke Na : 6

3 + 3 + 4 + 6 = 16

These 16 strokes will be counted as 16 beats if they are played in constant Lay.
So this Kayda will fit in 16 beats Taal i.e. Teentaal.

It will also fit in 8 beats if played in double Tempo [ Duppat ] with respected to base Lay / Tempo. Means each base tempo beat will comprise of two strokes as shown below
[melody start]
[D1T4|T8D1|T4T8|D1D1|T4T8|D1G1|T2N1|K1N1][tabla]
[melody end]

It will also fit in 4 beats if played in Chauppat with respect to base Lay / Tempo. Means each base tempo beat will comprise of four strokes as shown below
[melody start]
[D1T4T8D1|T4T8D1D1|T4T8D1G1|T2N1K1N1][tabla]
[melody end]

However, music is not only about strokes, it is combinations of strokes and gaps/pauses.

In this article we saw counting strokes as beats, but some beats will go without strokes. 
For example, in below phrase, there is no stroke on the third beat.  It does not mean that it is three beats phrase.
It is four beats phrase without stroke on 3rd beat.
[melody start]
[H3|D9|-|N2][tabla]
[melody end]

So counting pauses / gaps is also a subject of study and practice.
Refer this article to understand how to count gaps : http://vishwamohini.com/music/music.php?id=261

Another topic comes in my mind is counting beats of 
Tirkit
Many students get confused while counting beats of Tirkit.
But logic remains the same, it is a four beat phrase. Normally it is played in double or Chaupat in the composition so it fits in 2 or 1 beats with respect to tempo of composition.

For example
[melody start]
[1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16][lyrics]
[D1|T4|D1|G1|N1|D1|T4R1|K2 T8|D1|T4|D1|G1|T2|N1|K1|N1][tabla]
[melody end]
Observe 7th and 8th beat, Tirkit is played at double speed with respect to composition tempo so this 4 beats phrase fits into 2 beats.

Like this, composition is a combination of different phrases played in the same or different Lay with respect to base Lay.

So finally, each stroke is counted as one beat when played with constant Lay.

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