Instrument
Tabla
A pair of North Indian hand drums: the dayan (also daya, treble, right hand, about 15 cm across and 25 cm tall, tuned to the tonic or a related note) and the bayan (bass, left hand, about 20 cm across, 25 cm tall, a fifth to an octave lower) (Wikipedia). Each head has a black tuning paste (syahi) in the centre. The player slides the heel of the hand on the bayan to bend its pitch.
- Sources
- 3 (3 independent)
Mics sources recommend
7 setups from 3 sources, 3 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.
Studio and stage
Close
- Shure SM571 independent source
The 1 setup behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Shure SM57one mic between the drums, perpendicular to the skins, about 20 cm
I record with a Shure Sm 57, it's polyvalent and not to bright; one dynamic microphone ... between the 2 drums ... about 20 cm (zitoun, krasp)
1
On stage
Close
- DPA 4041 (variant of the DPA 4041-SP)1 independent source
- Sennheiser MD 4211 independent source
The 2 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Sennheiser MD 421one mic between the drums (hearsay: used by Zakir Hussain)
I saw Zakir play with a Sennheiser MD421 (poster 'krasp'; unverified)
1 - Close 2 × DPA 4041 (variant of the DPA 4041-SP)one mic about 25 cm above the pair, moved towards the bayan
Another 4041 captured the tabla, initially placed approximately 25cm above the centre of the two drums but then moved slightly towards the bayan
2
Studio
Distant
- AKG C 414 B1 independent source
Close
- Rode NT41 independent source
- Rode NT51 independent source
- Royer SF-121 independent source
The 4 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Distant 2 × AKG C 414 Bmono or spaced stereo, between the two drums, far enough back to cover both
I've achieved great results in the past with both large-diaphragm mics, such as the AKG C414B
3 - Close 2 × Rode NT5mono or pair, between the drums
and small-diaphragm mics, such as the Rode NT5
3 - Close 2 × Royer SF-12single stereo unit, crossed pair
I've had good results using the Royer SF12 stereo ribbon in this kind of application
3 - Close Rode NT4single stereo unit, budget
on a stricter budget, I'd try the Rode NT4, as it would provide a usable sound and would be easy to place
3
Range
one octave (variable)4
Where the sound goes
Two heads, side by side. No source I opened describes the radiation pattern.
Recording it
One mic is the dominant advice. Robjohns (SOS): a capacitor mic, mono, between the drums and "far enough back to ensure even coverage of both", or a crossed pair or stereo ribbon. Simmons (Fast & Wide, a DPA engineer on a concert recording): one DPA 4041 25 cm above the centre, moved slightly toward the bayan, because "close-miking the tabla is never easy" and he does not want to balance the two drums himself. The forum thread suggests one dynamic mic about 20 cm away between the drums, perpendicular to the heads.
Problems to watch
Close mics exaggerate the stereo spread and the balance between the drums (Robjohns). A mic has to cope with the bayan without distorting (forum poster).
About the range
Wikipedia's infobox gives "one octave (variable)". No measured spectra.