Virtual tabla: play Indian tabla online with your keyboard
Play the tabla, the pair of hand drums at the heart of Hindustani music, from your computer or phone. The right drum (dayan) and left drum (bayan) each have three playing zones on the A to H keys.
Use it to practise rhythm and taal, or to accompany a melody on the sitar, bansuri or veena. A Teen Taal basics guide helps you count the 16-beat cycle.
How to play the tabla with your computer keyboard
- A, S and D play the dayan (right drum): main stroke, edge and centre.
- F, G and H play the bayan (left drum): main stroke, edge and centre.
- Click or tap each drum zone to play with the mouse or on a phone.
- Follow the Teen Taal basics guide to practise the 16-beat cycle.
What you can do on the virtual tabla
- Dayan and bayan with three zones each
- Six keyboard keys for fast rhythms
- Teen Taal basics and Raag Yaman guides
- Metronome for steady practice
- Record your playing
About the tabla
The tabla is a pair of drums: the smaller, higher dayan played with the right hand and the larger bass bayan played with the left. Players speak its strokes as bols, such as Na, Tin, Ge, Ke and Dha, and combine them into taals like Teen Taal (16 beats), Keherwa (8) and Dadra (6).
Frequently asked questions
How do I play tabla on a computer keyboard?
Press A, S and D for the right drum (dayan) and F, G and H for the left drum (bayan).
Is there a free website to practise tabla without a tabla?
Yes. HarmonyHub has a free virtual tabla that works in your browser on a laptop or phone, with a Teen Taal guide for practising rhythm.
Is the virtual tabla free?
Yes. The tabla is free to play in your browser with no download and no sign-up. You can record and save favourites without an account; a free sign-in adds music rooms and Google Drive backup.
What is Teen Taal?
Teen Taal is the most common Hindustani rhythm cycle: 16 beats in four groups of four. The Teen Taal basics guide on the tabla page helps you count it.