Thread: Lightbulb moment: knowing the rhythm makes a difference: Any resources?

Just got the dvd The Heart bead of Bellydance (thanks again Nitara!) and in it is a rhythm section the drummer uses to help you identify the common BD rhythms in music.

What a difference! Makes it easier for me to know when the dooms are coming so I can improvise with the music.

Question: What's your favorite book, cd, or dvd to further help you discern the rhythms while listening to music? I've listened to my ME music library to practice finding what song is what rhythm etc, but it's hard. Any suggestions?

My favorites:

• To learn the rhythms in the first place, if you don't already know them, I suggest Uncle Mafufo's rhythm CD.
• To learn to recognize the rhythms in music (after you already know them), I suggest that you get Mary Ellen Donald's products. First, choose one of her Gems of the Middle East CD's - whichever one has songs that you like on it. Then, choose her corresponding book titled Gems of the Middle East: A Rhythmical Analysis. (She has one book corresponding to each CD.) These books tell you precisely which rhythms she used when recording the Gems CD's.
• Jalilah's Raqs Sharqi rhythm CD will play a rhythm, then play a segment of a song that uses it. Also a great resource.

Mary Ellen's products are reviewed on my web site - the music CD's at Dancer's Guide to Middle Eastern Music and the books at Reviews: Books, Videos, Music . I intend to review the Jalilah Raqs Sharqi one in the future, just need to find time. I have listened to it, and I think it's excellent, I just need to take time to write the detailed review. I haven't had a chance to review Uncle Mafufo's rhythm CD, but i can tell you that his products were very influential in helping me learn the rhythms back in my student days.

I like:

* Uncle Mafufo's 25 rhythms CD (my VERY favorite)
* Hossam Ramzy's 2-CD rhythm set (can't remember the name of it)
* Rhythm of the Dance by Solace
* Jalilah's Raks Sharki rhythm CD
* Nourhan Sharif's rhtythm CD

My favorite CD is Rhythm Rides for the Doumbek by Daveed Korup and Billy Woods. Not sure who sells it these days, but Google should reveal that info.

And, there's also a copy of Carmine's Baby Beginner Doumbek DVD on the swapmeet. He's an excellent teacher (he managed to explain the laz 7/8 to me before I had coffee!) - and he's a joy to watch ;-)

Originally Posted by steffib

And, there's also a copy of Carmine's Baby Beginner Doumbek DVD on the swapmeet. He's an excellent teacher (he managed to explain the laz 7/8 to me before I had coffee!) - and he's a joy to watch ;-)

Thanks for mentioning this, Steffib! Hookednovice, here's my Swap Meet thread w/Carmine's DVD: http://www.bhuz.com/forum/bellydance...er-zale-b.html. (Still available.) I've taken a workshop w/Carmine (wonderful, knowledgeable, funny instructor!), as well as have many of his performance CDs (which I love; my very 1st bd solo performance I chose to do was to a drum solo from his Shake 'Em Up Belly Dance cd collab. w/Sarah Skinner, et al). I had one of those "lightbulb" epiphany/moment almost 2 years ago, where I just knew that I needed to supplement my raqs sharki education w/basic rhythms understanding, i.e., I decided to take super-baby-beginner doumbek lessons. Still learning, but I really feel it makes a diff w/my dance... I agree w/(have pretty much) all the suggestions in this thread. Would like to add to the list Jamila Salimpour's Finger Cymbals CD.

I recommend Solace's "Rhythm of the Dance" to all my students. The CD covers some of the most basic rhythms and the liner notes include a break down of each in 3 reference forms:
doum-tek-ta, 1-2-3, and r-l-r.
Its great for zill practice & general understanding of the basic rhythmic structures.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I like:

* Uncle Mafufo's 25 rhythms CD (my VERY favorite)
* Hossam Ramzy's 2-CD rhythm set (can't remember the name of it)
* Rhythm of the Dance by Solace
* Jalilah's Raks Sharki rhythm CD
* Nourhan Sharif's rhtythm CD

The problem I see with Solace's, Hossam Ramzy's, and Uncle Mafufo's CD's is that, although all of them teach you rhythms, none of them take the next step to guide you in which rhythms are used in which songs. Now, obviously, a person has to learn the rhythms before learning how to recognize them in songs. So I think it's good to start with these, but...

I interpreted the original post to be a request for assistance in going beyond learning a rhythm, and learning to recognize it in context, which is why I recommended Mary Ellen Donald's products and Jalilah's rhythm CD.

I've never heard Nourhan Sharif's rhythm CD, so can't comment on that one.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

The problem I see with Solace's, Hossam Ramzy's, and Uncle Mafufo's CD's is that, although all of them teach you rhythms, none of them take the next step to guide you in which rhythms are used in which songs. Now, obviously, a person has to learn the rhythms before learning how to recognize them in songs. So I think it's good to start with these, but...

I interpreted the original post to be a request for assistance in going beyond learning a rhythm, and learning to recognize it in context, which is why I recommended Mary Ellen Donald's products and Jalilah's rhythm CD.

I've never heard Nourhan Sharif's rhythm CD, so can't comment on that one.

Excellent point - rhythms alone are not the full story. In the same vein, I guess I have to continue recommending Carmine ;-) The website owned by him and by my friend Melissa: Dorku.com - Learn Middle Eastern Music together with their Simplified Practice Tunes CDs (on iTunes, Playplay and CDBaby) lists the rhythms used in the must-know songs for dancers with a focus on Turkish music. And, Dorku has a rhythm cheat sheet, too. For me, it has been very useful to know which rhythms go with my favorite songs. I also like that the Simplified Tunes CDs first have the basic rhythm on drum, then the basic rhythm riff played on the clarinet, and then the song.

Based on my own experience, I'd say that Mary Ellen Donald's Rhythm analysis books are the next step after working with the information available from Dorku.com - Learn Middle Eastern Music

I really love Pulse of the Sphinx by the Henkish brothers.
shop
It's got a bunch of really usable tabla solos that are each based on one rhythm. It's got a really cute explanation track and also drills with all the basic (and some not so basic) rhythms. The CD booklet (on it's way out) has the usual OMG wonderful explanations that Yasmin is known for.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

The problem I see with Solace's, Hossam Ramzy's, and Uncle Mafufo's CD's is that, although all of them teach you rhythms, none of them take the next step to guide you in which rhythms are used in which songs. Now, obviously, a person has to learn the rhythms before learning how to recognize them in songs. So I think it's good to start with these, but...

I interpreted the original post to be a request for assistance in going beyond learning a rhythm, and learning to recognize it in context, which is why I recommended Mary Ellen Donald's products and Jalilah's rhythm CD.

I've never heard Nourhan Sharif's rhythm CD, so can't comment on that one.

Nourhan's is organized like Jalilah's, if I recall -- play the rhythm, then snippets in songs.

I don't find that very helpful, because the clips are so short. Just as my ear is tuning in, or I'm beginning to find the rhythm with my finger cymbals, they're stopping and starting over at some new tempo.

I guess it's a difference in learning styles/preferences, but for me it's most useful to have nice long tracks of each rhythm, with increasing complexities and common variations. If I can bang the rhythm out on a drum (or coffee can, or zills) and hear the basic Dum and Tek patterns, then I can pick it out of the music. For me personally, hearing it played with a melody line isn't as useful as nice long tracks I can play along with. I'm especially rhythm challenged, and had to teach myself to drum all the rhythms on a coffee can before I could learn to 'hear' them in the music.

The reason Mafufo is my fave is that he gives you liner notes with each rhythm explained (like Solace) AND he speaks each rhythm at the beginning 'dum dum tekatek dum tekaTEK'

The 'language of Dumtekastan' as he has called it is simply THE most useful way to learn and identify the rhythms, and to play cymbals. For me, it's really the ONLY way. Having him start me off helps me to hear or say the rhythm as it goes on, and to pick out that basic line from underneath all the embellishments.

Maybe a little off-topic, but for anyone interested in learning rhythms for drumming purposes I really like:

Karim Nagi's dvds: Rhythms of the Arab World, Vols. 1 & 2

also, on CDBaby, Scott Wilson has a downloadable CD that has well-known belly dance music sans the drum track, so a live drummer can play along with (learn to drum to) specific songs. Here's a link:
CD Baby: SCOTT WILSON: Mid-east Belly Dance Music MINUS DRUM

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I guess it's a difference in learning styles/preferences, but for me it's most useful to have nice long tracks of each rhythm, with increasing complexities and common variations. If I can bang the rhythm out on a drum (or coffee can, or zills) and hear the basic Dum and Tek patterns, then I can pick it out of the music. For me personally, hearing it played with a melody line isn't as useful as nice long tracks I can play along with. I'm especially rhythm challenged, and had to teach myself to drum all the rhythms on a coffee can before I could learn to 'hear' them in the music.

The reason Mafufo is my fave is that he gives you liner notes with each rhythm explained (like Solace) AND he speaks each rhythm at the beginning 'dum dum tekatek dum tekaTEK'

I completely agree with you that Armando's (Uncle Mafufo's) way of speaking the rhythm is immensely helpful in learning it. That's how I learned what each rhythm sounded like when played on a drum by itself. (Ie, outside the context of a song.) I learned that first, before I learned to start listening for the rhythms within songs.

If we ever can arrange another dance event that we'll both be at, remind me to bring Mary Ellen Donald's rhythm CD's, Gems CD's, practice music CD's, and rhythmical analysis books to show you. I have a feeling you'd like them! Her rhythm CD's play each rhythm on drums only, at a constant speed, for 4 minutes straight. Her practice music CD's consist of songs that use each of the rhythms she has chosen to feature, and the CD plays a continuous medley of songs in each rhythm that goes on for some time, with no percussion, enabling you to play the percussion for it on your zills. And I described the Gems CD's and rhythmical analysis books earlier in this thread so I won't repeat myself here.

I'd like to see them. I have her finger cymbal book/cd and found it to be an extraordinary resource.

I like mario krilis' cds, and nourhan's rhythms cds

Originally Posted by *Shira*

The problem I see with Solace's, Hossam Ramzy's, and Uncle Mafufo's CD's is that, although all of them teach you rhythms, none of them take the next step to guide you in which rhythms are used in which songs. Now, obviously, a person has to learn the rhythms before learning how to recognize them in songs. So I think it's good to start with these, but...

I interpreted the original post to be a request for assistance in going beyond learning a rhythm, and learning to recognize it in context, which is why I recommended Mary Ellen Donald's products and Jalilah's rhythm CD.

I've never heard Nourhan Sharif's rhythm CD, so can't comment on that one.

Yes, that's what I'd intended in my post: I wanted to regognize the beats in my favorite bellydance music (which is mostly off BD cd's and classic BD music). Thanks Shira, and everyone else. I hope these are available at my local library. Off to check now

If you haven't found them at the library, check out the albums I added under Miscellaneous. Several are available through eMusic - you can get 25 tracks for free!

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

I hope these are available at my local library. Off to check now

My favourite rhythm cd is Desert Beats by Tarek Sawires, but I'm not 100% how easy it is to get over the internet. It's probably the only cd that shows you most, if not all, the major versions of Saidii

Hyde and Clay- Contact Us

Next would be Mary Ellen Donald's cds. I have Uncle Mafufo DVD so I'm assuming the cd would be good as well

I like Jalilah's CD, Suhaila's Rhythm CD,

What really helped is taking a drumming class. I've had several and learning the different types of flourishes you can add within those rhythms really makes a big difference for me.

Angela, if I remember right, you are in WA state as am I. Where did you take your drumming class?

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

Angela, if I remember right, you are in WA state as am I. Where did you take your drumming class?

I took my classes at caravan Studio's. they are closed now. Doug was my instructor. He plays with Mizna, Alarwah and a few other bands. I believe he still teaches if you want his number send me a PM and I'll give it to ya....