tabla

American  

[tah-bluh, tuhb-luh] / ˈtɑ blə, ˈtʌb lə /

noun

1. a small drum or pair of drums of India tuned to different pitches and played with the hands.

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tabla British  

/ ˈtɑːblɑː, ˈtʌblə /

noun

1. a musical instrument of India consisting of a pair of drums whose pitches can be varied

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Etymology

Origin of tabla

1860–65; earlier tubla < Hindi tablā < Arabic ṭabla, derivative of ṭabl drum

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tabla

Yet Mr. Lloyd’s fascination has been particularly focused and personal, beginning in Los Angeles in 1957, when he first heard two legendary musicians, sitarist Ravi Shankar and tabla player Alla Rakha, in concert.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

In December 2024, Mr. Lloyd lost another treasured collaborator, Zakir Hussain—his generation’s acknowledged master of tabla, the paired hand drums that are elemental to Indian music.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Classical training came early - he learnt tabla alongside vocal training - but so did exposure to popular music.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

Alla Rakha was the loyal tabla partner of Ravi Shankar, who created an international rage for raga in the 1960s, holding sway over the likes violinist Yehudi Menuhin, the Beatles and Philip Glass.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025

“Can we add some tabla and harmonium to it, like in the qawali songs I played for you?”

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

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