-just listened to this, a recording of my playing harmonium accompanying my friend on Tabla.

one part of this, he is in “Seven-Speed” (eh, 7 notes to the beat,) while I, while not playing 8 notes to the beat, am playing sometimes 2, (which gives it the feel as if it had 8.)

mannnnn 8 against seven feels WACK, as if one of us is a fraction rhytmically OFF, the whole time, but we’re NOT! there’s such a strong tendency to “adjust” (that is, for me to play as if I too am in 7 speed (which technically speeking, in place of quarter note followed by two eighth notes, you would, in 7 speed, likely play dotted 8th followed by two 8ths, (ONE two three FOUR five SIX seven…)

but no, our teacher Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri did say, “keep it straight.”    mannnn that was trippy!

you try it some time, play something in quarters and 8th notes, while another plays 16th note-septuplets, ooh yeah.

at 18:37 in this, or here’s an audio of it as well

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/59634254