Bhangra Beat - A film for Voices of Asia at Leeds City Museum

Inder ‘Goldfinger’ Matharu, the famous drummer and musician, teaches us how to play Bhangra rythms on the dhol drum from India. He was filmed at the King’s Hall in Ilkley on 27 February 2014, and talks about the drum’s history, and the basic drumming technique, before putting the bhangra beat together in easy stages. The body of the dhol drum is made from mango tree wood and the thicker of the two membranes or skins is usually made of goat skin. The thick membrane makes the base note, and the thinner one a higher note. Two different sticks or beaters are used. The thin taper-like stick is called a tilli, and the thick wooden stick is called dagga. With the tilli on different parts of the thin membrane you make the Ta, Tin, Ti and Te sound. With the dagga you make the deeper enforcing Ga and Ge sounds. The first rhythm demonstrated is a count of 6 using the tilli, followed by 2 beats with the dagga. You have a go! Then Inder shows us a fast count of 3 using the tilli, followed by the 2 slow beats with the dagga. The two alternate to produce basic bhangra beat. Follow him to make the sound yourself. Bhangra is based on celebration and fun – this is how it’s done! Four dancers from the Trishool Dance Academy come on stage to perform with Inder.

Produced by Digifish.tv for the Voices of Asia gallery at Leeds City Museum. Directed, filmed and edited by Paul Banks. Camera assistant Ollie Bostock. Motion graphics by Mathew Clarke with titles using artwork by Upasana Sonigra. Funded by Arts Council England and Leeds City Council.