Thread: Finger Cymbal Question

I was taught that before you start playing you hit R and then go into whatever you're playing

Example: R RLR RLR RLR
Or: R RLRLR RLRLR RLRLR

As a "get ready" or, to equate it to playing a wind instrument, the breathe before you begin to blow and play your instrument.

Has this been your experience as well? How do you explain it to your students?

Feedback appreciated

I start that way too, but I wasn't taught to begin that way. I wonder where I picked it up from? Good question.

Azeeza

PS It does mess up a finger cymbal choreography if you aren't supposed to start that way, however if you are dancing solo, it doesn't matter.

It's usually hard to hit the bridge before the 1, so for me it is: 1 &-a-2 &-a-3 etc.

That is not like taking a breath to get ready, I think (I ain't a trained musician).

No, I just jump in and play.

There are some folks that are taught a different basic rhythm, which I THINK is R RLR R, which I THINK is played as 1-and-a-2-and, so there would be two of these patterns played per measure.

It's an interesting variation, but not one I play.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

No, I just jump in and play.

There are some folks that are taught a different basic rhythm, which I THINK is R RLR R, which I THINK is played as 1-and-a-2-and, so there would be two of these patterns played per measure.

It's an interesting variation, but not one I play.

Hmmm- I know that before I usually enter to dance I do a little "ring out" which is almost like a "HI I'M COMING" and then I enter with whatever I'm playing. This is really hard to explain without showing!

The R get's played only once when you're starting a new section regardless of the rhythm. Although I mainly found it taught or stressed when doing things like 3's 5's etc. Not so much when getting into beledi or saidi or things like that.

Example

3's: R RLR RLR RLR RLR RLR
5's: R RLRLR RLRLR RLRLR

But with Beledi or more decordated rhythms I find that I just launch into it instead

Sometimes I'll throw in an extra R as a pick-up note to start off, but usually I just start playing... it depends on the music.

Originally Posted by anyadance

I was taught that before you start playing you hit R and then go into whatever you're playing

Example: R RLR RLR RLR
Or: R RLRLR RLRLR RLRLR

As a "get ready" or, to equate it to playing a wind instrument, the breathe before you begin to blow and play your instrument.

Has this been your experience as well? How do you explain it to your students?

I personally don't "teach" (as in "explain") this. I don't see it as a technique that should be taught as the "standard" or "norm", but I think it's fine to do it as an option. I teach the cymbal patterns with the lead-in bridges.

That said, sometimes when I lead drills, I may start a section in the way you described. Or, if I have choreographed a place in the music that uses one of the patterns, when I drill it with my students I might omit the lead-in and do it the way you describe. Invariably, somebody notices and asks about it. When that happens, I explain that sometimes it goes better with the music to omit the lead-in, and sometimes you space out and forget the lead-in but it's still okay to come in on the accented beat, and sometimes you just do it that way because it seems to fit your mood of the moment.

So, I teach the base pattern as containing the lead-in (for example, RLR RLR RLR RLR) and I would treat the omitted lead-in (for example, R RLR RLR RLR) as a legitimate variation.

Anyway, when the whole "variation" topic arises (which it inevitably does, because I inevitably do omit the lead-in), I don't "explain" or "describe" it. I just say, "Sometimes you may find yourself omitting the lead-in as I just did" and then talk about why a person might do that.

Thanks Shira- it seems like it's one of those weird things.

I find that sometimes theres a place for it where it just works with the music and it sounds and feel natural. Other times I just don't get it.

Was anyone else taught this? If so, what was the explaination for it?

Yeah I usually do a 'ring out' before I start dancing too. Not sure why? But if I am drilling students or teaching a choreography I stick to the patterns with no extras.
I will be taking a zil class in Cairo in 2 weeks, it is for dancers, so I will be curious as to what is taught in that class.

[bellydancewear;282204]Yeah I usually do a 'ring out' before I start dancing too.

Because it makes it exciting! They can't see us, but they can hear us!

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

There are some folks that are taught a different basic rhythm, which I THINK is R RLR R, which I THINK is played as 1-and-a-2-and, so there would be two of these patterns played per measure.

That to me looks like an Ayoub : D tkD t --> R RLR R

Originally Posted by steffib

That to me looks like an Ayoub : D tkD t --> R RLR R

Maybe, but without any accent (no accent where you'd have a D), and the people I've heard play it used it as a default pattern like three's.

Originally Posted by anyadance

I was taught that before you start playing you hit R and then go into whatever you're playing

Example: R RLR RLR RLR

What you described is just hitting the "one" of the measure.
R RLR RLR RLR = one, and-a-two, and-a-three, and-a-four

A bridge (and "and-a" preceding the one) would be a "get ready". What you have described is not using a bridge.

Originally Posted by ssipes

What you described is just hitting the "one" of the measure.
R RLR RLR RLR = one, and-a-two, and-a-three, and-a-four

A bridge (and "and-a" preceding the one) would be a "get ready". What you have described is not using a bridge.

Yes! This makes sense. Thank you for making sense of me ..g.:

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

Maybe, but without any accent (no accent where you'd have a D), and the people I've heard play it used it as a default pattern like three's.

This is my default pattern, which I learned from Ansuya's Finger Cymbal DVD. She called it a Basic 4, and for some reason it came to me much easier than the gallop. It's a steady rhythm with no accent or pause.

Originally Posted by laura 2

This is my default pattern, which I learned from Ansuya's Finger Cymbal DVD. She called it a Basic 4, and for some reason it came to me much easier than the gallop. It's a steady rhythm with no accent or pause.

But it IS a gallop because she only hits the extra R to begin the pattern. If you go back and look at her DVD the rhythm goes like this:

R RLR RLR RLR RLR RLR etc.

In other words just as ssipes described it's starting the pattern without the bridge:

one, and-a-two, and-a-three, and-a-four, etc.

Originally Posted by Bellybabe

But it IS a gallop because she only hits the extra R to begin the pattern. If you go back and look at her DVD the rhythm goes like this:

R RLR RLR RLR RLR RLR etc.

In other words just as ssipes described it's starting the pattern without the bridge:

one, and-a-two, and-a-three, and-a-four, etc.

Oops, I misread, then. The "basic 4" that I play is RRRL RRRL RRRL: one, and-a-two, and three, and-a-four, and 5, and-a-six.