The Tabla is a term applied to a pair of Indian drums; however, in usage, the right-hand wooden drum alone is referred to as tabla, whereas the left-hand copper drum is the banya. The tabla is tuned to the tonic of the solo instrument or vocalist; the banya produces the bass sound. The drummer uses all parts of the hand: tips and sides of the fingers, the palm and the heel. The tabla are perhaps the most popular Indian drums used for accompaniment and solo performances.

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