Thread: Finger cymbal master ...

How many of you can play finger cymbals this well? ..g.:
YouTube - Kawakib Finger cymbals

Not that well!

Although I understand/can hear what she's doing (a lot of syncopated stuff) and can do similar, but not at her level. I would *LOVE* to study the subject under her tutalege! I could learn a LOT from her!

Oh, yeah, mine sound exactly like that!

<buries zills in backyard>

I love this performance of Kawakib's! She was joking after the taping that she had sabotaged herself -- she speeded up her playing a little and had to hustle a bit to keep up.

I just saw this for the first time today. Unbelievable!!!

Wow! I wish I could even be 1/4 as good.... I am totally zill challenged. Can do OK (simple stuff) standing still, move and I lose it! I so admire those who can zill and move. I have even taken a couple of zill workshops and have a DVD all to no avail. Oh well I don't suppose we can always do everything.

She's amazing. My finger cymbals....well,

WOW!!

I am SO going to try this. I love the a capella idea of a zill dance. But she's so MUSICAL!! I feel like I have two dynamics: loud and annoyingly loud.


BTW, this has always bugged me:

If I'm in Turkey, I have one zill, and two zills.
If I'm in Egypt, I have one sagat and two sagats?
Or one sag and two sagat?

What is it, exactly? What's the singular of Sagat, or is there one?

Originally Posted by aziyade

But she's so MUSICAL!!

yes, that was the best part imo. that she played a variety of rhythms and tones/voices. she really plays them like an instrument! fantastic clip.

Originally Posted by aziyade

BTW, this has always bugged me:

If I'm in Turkey, I have one zill, and two zills.
If I'm in Egypt, I have one sagat and two sagats?
Or one sag and two sagat?
What is it, exactly? What's the singular of Sagat, or is there one?

maybe its like the "tree in the forest" riddle...you can't hear it b/c there is only 1 ..c:: ..l;, sorry, bad joke

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Oh, yeah, mine sound exactly like that!

<buries zills in backyard>

Lauren, you crack me up!

Amazing! Thanks for sharing this. I think.

I, uh, have some practicing to do.

I bet she can crack walnuts with her bare hands. I mean, my hands were getting sore just watching the clip! That was absolutely amazing!

Smokin! I've known about Kawakib for ages and ages (hers was one of the first belly dance websites in existence, I believe), but I've never seen a clip of her. Thank you for sharing!

Wow! I never heard her play zills before. I would love to learn how to play that well. So few dancers really master their zills like a virtuoso instrument. Obviously, Kawakib has!

That's so cool!

She's great...really really great!!

Anyone watch the Karim Nagi clip? He's pretty dang amazing too...

I think sagat is automatically plural but i'm not 100%...I know if you want to double something in Arabic you add 'eiyn' to the end so...um sagateyn although I've NEVER heard them refer to that. LOL

Kawakib and I have been friends for years now and I have to say, she's probably the most talented ziller I've ever met (sorry, Karim... you're da bomb too, but Kawakib takes the cake!!). She's also a very talented drummer, and of course, dancer. She's also done a ton of research into historical and folkloric Middle-Eastern Dance. In other words, this woman really knows her stuff!

Amazing - I really enjoy zills. I've only been working with them a short while but I really like them. Maybe someday I'll play like this - even if it is from my rocking chair!!! lol..l;,

Great clip! It's always a treat to see wonderful zill playing, especially nowadays when so few play them.

She's awesome!!

Originally Posted by aziyade

BTW, this has always bugged me:

If I'm in Turkey, I have one zill, and two zills.
If I'm in Egypt, I have one sagat and two sagats?
Or one sag and two sagat?

What is it, exactly? What's the singular of Sagat, or is there one?

I asked my Arabic tutor and she said the singular of sagat is ... saag.
saud alif geem. Now you can sleep in peace. ,s::
I didn't know either, so I can too. It's been bugging me since you posted the question yesterday!

Originally Posted by Taj

Amazing! Thanks for sharing this. I think.

I, uh, have some practicing to do.

..l;, ..l;, ..l;, ..l;,
You and me both, Taj.

She's INCREDIBLE!

Hmmm I would like to think that I am but I'm not sure. I've never seen myself on video so I can't say. I think I'm at least darn close though. Hats off to a great percussionist, excellence in zill playing is something I really respect a lot.

My greatest problem with zilling is sustaining at a top speed gallop. I can get it going and keep it going for about 2 or 3 minutes before I trip. I would like to be able to sustain it for 20 to 30 minutes. Maybe when I have a few more years under my belt. It also couldn't hurt to find the perfect set of zills either...

~*Gen*~

Ok I looked again, I'm not that fast.

*chuckles*
~*Gen*~

Yes, Kawakib is great! ..g.: She was my first instructor. It's so nice to see the clip on YouTube.

Wonderful clip...btw...she wasn't playing a gallop...she was playing accented 16ths.
Gia

Originally Posted by Gia al Qamar

Wonderful clip...btw...she wasn't playing a gallop...she was playing accented 16ths.
Gia

Yeah but my problem with zilling isn't on high speed accents. ;-) I have an easier time working with accented rhythms than I do with a straight gallop. I think that's normal though.

~*Gen*~

Originally Posted by Serpentine

I asked my Arabic tutor and she said the singular of sagat is ... saag.

Thank you :)

oh. dude. i live in the town where she teaches but i work the same nights as her classes.... newly motivated to work on that!