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Daf & Tabla Sound Files Guide

This guide explains how to set up sound files for the Daf/Tabla percussion demo.

Required Sound Files

The daf_tabla.yaml configuration expects the following sound files:

Tabla Sounds (sounds/tabla/)

  • na.wav - Open stroke on rim (Na/Ta)
  • tin.wav - Closed stroke on rim (Tin)
  • te.wav - Middle stroke (Te/Ti)
  • ge.wav - Open bass (Ge/Ga from bayan)
  • ka.wav - Bass slap (Ka from bayan)
  • dha.wav - Combined stroke (Na + Ge played together)

Daf Sounds (sounds/daf/)

  • dum.wav - Bass center stroke (Dum/Doom)
  • tak.wav - Treble rim stroke (Tak)
  • roll.wav - Finger roll technique

Directory Structure

Create the following directory structure:

sounds/
├── tabla/
│   ├── na.wav
│   ├── tin.wav
│   ├── te.wav
│   ├── ge.wav
│   ├── ka.wav
│   └── dha.wav
└── daf/
    ├── dum.wav
    ├── tak.wav
    └── roll.wav

Where to Find Sound Samples

Option 1: Free Sample Libraries

Freesound.org (requires free account)

  • Search for "tabla" or "daf" samples
  • Filter by: Creative Commons license, WAV format
  • Download individual stroke samples

Tabla Samples:

Daf Samples:

Option 2: Sample Pack Websites

Free:

  • 99Sounds - https://99sounds.org (search for percussion)
  • Bedroom Producers Blog - Free sample packs
  • Splice - Free tier includes some percussion samples

Paid (high quality):

  • Sampleism - Professional tabla libraries
  • 8Dio - Ethnic percussion collections
  • Native Instruments - Kontakt libraries (if you own Kontakt)

Option 3: YouTube Audio Library

  • YouTube Audio Library has some percussion samples
  • Download and extract the specific strokes you need using audio editing software

Option 4: Record Your Own

If you have access to a daf or tabla:

  1. Record each stroke separately
  2. Trim to remove silence before/after
  3. Normalize the volume
  4. Export as WAV (16-bit, 44.1kHz recommended)

Audio Format Requirements

  • Format: WAV (preferred) or MP3
  • Sample Rate: 44.1kHz or 48kHz
  • Bit Depth: 16-bit or 24-bit
  • Channels: Mono or Stereo (mono recommended for percussion)
  • Length: 0.5 to 2 seconds per sample (trim off silence)

Preparing Your Samples

Using Audacity (free audio editor):

  1. Import your sample
  2. Trim silence:
    • Select the audio
    • Effect → Truncate Silence
    • Or manually trim start/end
  3. Normalize volume:
    • Effect → Normalize
    • Set to -3dB to prevent clipping
  4. Export:
    • File → Export → Export as WAV
    • Choose 16-bit PCM
    • Save with the appropriate filename

Using FFmpeg (command line):

# Convert MP3 to WAV
ffmpeg -i input.mp3 output.wav

# Normalize audio
ffmpeg -i input.wav -af "loudnorm" output.wav

# Trim silence from start and end
ffmpeg -i input.wav -af "silenceremove=1:0:-50dB" output.wav

Quick Start with Placeholder Sounds

If you want to test the demo immediately without real samples:

  1. Create the directories:
mkdir -p sounds/tabla sounds/daf
  1. Use the existing sounds in the sounds/ directory as placeholders:
# Copy existing sounds as placeholders
cp sounds/upla.wav sounds/tabla/na.wav
cp sounds/beezoo.wav sounds/tabla/tin.wav
cp sounds/hopla.wav sounds/tabla/te.wav
cp sounds/bisou.wav sounds/tabla/ge.wav
cp sounds/yallah.wav sounds/tabla/ka.wav
cp sounds/upla.wav sounds/tabla/dha.wav
cp sounds/beezoo.wav sounds/daf/dum.wav
cp sounds/hopla.wav sounds/daf/tak.wav
cp sounds/bisou.wav sounds/daf/roll.wav
  1. Run the demo to test functionality
  2. Replace with real percussion samples later

Traditional Stroke Descriptions

Tabla Strokes

Right Hand (Dayan - treble drum):

  • Na/Ta - Open resonant stroke on the edge/rim
  • Tin - Closed stroke on the rim, dampened with fingertips
  • Te/Ti - Stroke on the center/maidan (middle area)
  • Tun - Bass stroke on the center

Left Hand (Bayan - bass drum):

  • Ge/Ga - Open bass stroke in center, palm lifted for resonance
  • Ke - High-pitched stroke, palm pressed
  • Ka - Sharp slap with palm

Combined:

  • Dha - Na + Ge played simultaneously
  • Dhin - Tin + Ge played simultaneously

Daf Strokes

  • Dum/Doom - Deep bass stroke in the center with fingertips
  • Tak - Sharp high stroke on the rim/edge
  • Ka - Slap stroke
  • Roll - Rapid finger roll around the rim
  • Sak - Muted stroke

Recording Tips

If recording your own samples:

  1. Environment: Record in a quiet room, away from echo
  2. Microphone: Place 6-12 inches from the drum
  3. Consistency: Record each stroke type with similar force
  4. Multiple takes: Record 3-5 takes of each stroke, pick the best
  5. Labeling: Name files clearly (na_1.wav, na_2.wav for variations)

Troubleshooting

"File not found" error:

  • Verify the directory structure matches exactly
  • Check that file names are lowercase and match the config
  • Ensure files are in WAV format

No sound playing:

  • Check that files aren't corrupted
  • Verify sample rate is supported (44.1kHz or 48kHz)
  • Test files in a media player first

Distorted/clipping sound:

  • Normalize audio levels
  • Check that bit depth is 16 or 24-bit
  • Reduce volume in the audio editor before exporting

Next Steps

Once you have the sound files set up:

  1. Place all files in the correct directories
  2. Run the demo: python demos/daf_tabla.py
  3. Or use with main app: python main_web.py and load the daf_tabla config
  4. Experiment with different layouts in the config file

Resources