Showing posts with label beladi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beladi. Show all posts

1/31/2010

Class # 13 - Jan 31

More variations! 


Speaking of...  

Check out the similarity between beladi and masmoodi

Which is Which?  

If you're like me, you might struggle to remember which rhythm goes with which rhythm name. Someone calls out "malful" and you go blank,  or you can play along with a track that randomly pops up in your iPod's shuffle just fine (you've spent months playing that rhythm), yet you're stumped to "name that tune". 

Back to a favorite trick from elementary school: Make flash cards! Print these out and carry them around with you. Several times a day, give them a shuffle and either try to correctly recall the name after singing the rhythm to yourself, or recall the rhythm after reading the name. If you have some of them down cold, remove them from your deck so you can concentrate your efforts on the tricky ones. This method can also lets you practice reading TUBS notation.

Directions: Download and carefully print the file on a single sheet of paper (double-sided), then cut the sheet into business-card sized rectangles. Hint: For best results, print them on Avery Business Cards stock (28877 for ink jet, 5871 for laser jet).

Disclaimers: These depict only the core structure of each rhythm to help you associate rhythms with names. 

You may have initially learned these rhythms differently, or happen to know they play them a different way or call them by other names in   (insert place name here)   . That's fine, and even interesting (long discussions ensue...). However, these cards reflect how our we tend to refer to and play the rhythms in our class; This is our local dialect.

Happy Practicing!





Some Variations on Beladi

    1...2...3...4...
a.  DkD...T.D...T...
b.  DkDk..T.D...T...
c.  D.Dk..T.D...T...
d.  D.Dkt.T.D...T...
e.  D.DktkT.D...T...
f.  D.Dk.kT.D...T...
g.  D.D.k.T.D...T...
h.  D.D.tkT.D...T...
i.  D.D..kT.D...T...
j.  D.D..kTkD...T...
k.  D.D...TkD...T...
l.  D.D...TkDk..T...
m.  D.D...T.Dk. T...
n.  D.D...T.Dkt T...
o.  D.D...T.DktkT...
p.  D.D...T.D.k.T...
q.  D.D...T.Dk.kT...
r.  D.D...T.D.tkT...
s.  D.D...T.D..kT...
t.  D.D...T.D..kTk..
u.  D.D...T.D...Tk..
v.  D.D...T.D...Tkt.
w.  D.D...T.D...Tktk
x.  D.D...T.D...T.k.
y.  D.D...T.D...Tk.k
z.  D.D...T.D...T.tk
aa. D.D...T.D...T..k

1/24/2010

Beladi and Masmoodi

For many dancers (and drummers), the rhythm commonly known as "beladi" feels comfortably familiar; I heard one dancer describe it as "home base" — it's often the first rhythm one learns to dance to (or play), and it might seem the one you go back to after excursions into other rhythms.

Many Arabic musicians refer to the rhythm as masmoodi saghir, or "small masmoodi". So is there a big version? You bet! What Arabic musicians call masmoodi kabir (big masmoodi) is what musicians and dancers in the U.S. typically refer to as "masmoodi"  [1, 2]

Here's the interesting part: they're the same rhythm! Beladi is just double-time masmoodi (and masmoodi is just half-time beladi).

Here's beladi:
And here's masmoodi:

The first is made up with eighths notes and rests, the second with quarter notes and rests.

Here's another way to think of it: Say a dance choreography has eight beats of masmoodi followed by eight beats of beladi; In the first eight beats, masmoodi would play through ONCE, and in the second eight beats, you'll hear beladi TWICE. 

Try listening/dancing to this combination: http://bit.ly/7OqfB4

Keep in mind that musicians typically don't play such simple versions - they embellish each of them in very different ways, ideally to compliment and inspire the dancer's moves.

So what about this word "beladi"? It means "of the country" or "old-fashioned" [2], and you'll hear it more commonly in folk or pop music than in classical Arabic music [1].

References:
[1] MaqamWorld.com
[2] Jas's Middle Eastern Rhythm FAQ

11/01/2009

Class #4 - Nov 1

Class Notes for Nov 1, 2009

Maqsum 4/4
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 .
D T . T D . T . home (listen)
D T K T D K T . walking (listen)



Another variation for frame drums:

1 . 2 . 3 . 4 .
D C . T C . T . 


Where C="Cha"

Maqsum is sometimes also called "maSmuudii saghiir" (meaning "small masmoodi" - We'll learn the bigger masmoodi later). Jas says that beladi is a folksier version of maqsum.

New Calls

Reset - Break, and the person who calls it sets a new tempo.

N to A - The named individual (A) gets the specified number (N) of beats to fill while the rest of the ensemble is silent.


Practice Suggestions

See Vanquishing Wimpy Kas in Your Car


One fun way to practice your rhythm and timing is to play along with a recording. To practice both maqsum and beladi, you might like to use a track entitled (strangely enough) "Maqsum, Beladi" by The Black Drum from the album Rakshasa. You can hear a sample or buy the whole track for about a quarter. (By the way, this album rocks, and you can (currently) buy the whole thing for $3.26).

10/25/2009

Class #3 - Oct. 26

Class Review for Oct. 26

A new handing for walking beladi:

Beladi


1...2...3...4...
D.D...T.D...t... Home (listen)
D.D.K.T.D.K.T... Walking (listen)

Also, review the Class 1 and Class 2 notes. Plenty of stuff to go over!

Happy practicing!



8/21/2009

Class #1 Review

Class notes from October 11th

Please feel free to post questions or observations below as a comment.


Dum, Tek and Ka


See tips on Practicing Good Form and Coordination Practice

Frame drummers, also check out Joshua Levin's videos on playing the frame drum while seated and while standing

Doumbek players, take a look at Alex Spurkel's videos on playing the Dum, the Tek, and the the Ka (what he calls "Caa")

Beladi

1...2...3...4...
D.D...T.D...t... Home (listen)
D.D.T.k.D.k.T... Walking (listen)

See tips on Learning a New Rhythm or Variation


NWR Cues

Show Me One” - Ask for the location of the first beat of the cycle. Other ensemble mates will call out “1” at the appropriate spot in time
Count #” – Stop playing for designated number of pulses
Go Home” – Return to the core unembellished structure of the rhythm
Break” - Stop playing for the duration of the current cycle
Cut” - An abrupt ending at the end of the current cycle
Match Me” - Play what I am playing
Sail In” – Quietly begin and slowly increase volume
Sup” - Slowly increase tempo
Slowit” - Slowly decrease tempo
Level up” – Slowly increase volume
Level Down” – Slowly decrease volume
Steady” - Hold the current temp / volume indefinitely