Tap Ilathalam to start the pulse. The cymbals are the timekeeper, the spine of a melam.
Add the drums and horns. Uruttu is the rolling lead, Veekan the bass.
With three or more voices, Ascend kaalam appears. Each kaalam is a tempo tier: the melam climbs from slow ceremony to frenzy, and a Panchari closes on Muri.
Tap 123 for the counting and what each term means. Switch Panchari (6 beats) and Pandi (7 beats) at the top left.