zills (finger cymbals)
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how to play finger cymbals:
zill rhythms for bellydance
All finger cymbal rhythms for bellydance can be broken-down into combinations of doubles (straight time) or triplets.
Tap your foot on the floor in even beats.
"Straight time" or doubles means 2 beats = 2 sounds (or 4 sounds for a fast tempo). Count & play 1-2-1-2 (etc.) evenly alternating hands. Typically, pure doubles are only used in latin-influenced music (think flamenco palmas or castanets). Practice doubles to master zill technique and add drama to fast-tempo or andalucian-influenced songs.
Triplets means 2 beats = 3 sounds.
Count 1&2-1&2 (etc.). This is the "universal" zill pattern for bellydance to most 2/4, 4/4, and 8/8 songs.
You can "sing" triplets using traditional Near Eastern vocalization:
teka dum - teka dum - (etc.)
See the charts below for rhythms used in bellydance:
Triplet Zills (2/4) |
|||||||
tk |
D |
tk |
D |
tk |
D |
tk |
C |
1& |
2 |
3& |
4 |
1& |
2 |
3& |
4 |
Beledi Zills (8/8) |
|||||||
D |
D |
tk |
T |
D |
tk |
T |
tk |
1 |
2 |
3& |
4 |
5 |
6& |
7 |
8& |
Bolero Zills (8/8) |
|||||||
D |
tk |
D |
t |
D |
t |
D |
t |
1 |
2& |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
Tsiftetelli (16/8) |
|||||||
Dtk |
tkT |
tktk |
T tk |
tkD |
tkD |
tkP |
rest |
1/2 |
3/4 |
5/6 |
7/8 |
9/10 |
11/12 |
13/14 |
15/16 |
Karsilama 9/8 |
||||||||
D |
tk |
D |
tk |
D |
tk |
D |
T |
T |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
Key:
D = Dun (bass note, 1 count) usually on dominant hand
T = Tek (high note, 1 count) dominant or subdominant hand
P = Pop (accent note, 1 count)
tk = tekka (2 sounds in 1 beat "1&" )
combination uses both hands (dominant then sub-dom hand)
I don't include indications for right or left hand because everyone is different ... typically you play the first DUM (Downbeat) on your dominant hand. Thus for right handers triplets = RLR - RLR -
For left handers triplets = LRL - LRL -
history of finger cymbals
Dance, the custom of movement to rhythm, is as ancient as mankind itself. Percussion devices, the conveyors of rhythm, were the first instruments created. Ancient Egyptian and ancient Greek dancers used hand-held percussion for religious and secular dances.
Dancers' clappers, held pairwise in the hands of maenads (female participants in Dionysian rites) and other female dancers, often stressed the rhythm of accompanying auloi (the ancient Greek reed pipes). Maenads also wore snakes in their hair which is pretty cool. Our modern word "cymbal" derives from the Greek word "kymbala".
With the advent of the Bronze Age, the musical quality of metals naturally became an important tonal addition to existing instrumentation. Modern zill manufacturers generally use brass (sometimes plated with nickle), but I have found that bronze alloy zills still yield the most beautiful, mellow sound.
Avedis Zildjian was an Armenian alchemist in the city of Constantinople during the seventeenth century. His attempts to create gold by combining base metals led to an alloy of copper, tin, and traces of silver with unique sound qualities. Avedis used this discovery to create cymbals of spectacular sound quality. As his reputation grew, he was given the name “Zildjian”, an Armenian word meaning “son of cymbal maker.” The Zildjian secret alloy is still used by the Zildjian Company to make both drumkit cymbals and finger cymbals. Given the success of the Ziljian company ... Avedis did accomplish his dream of transforming base metal to gold!
Zills in other languages:
Arabic: Sagat, Sunouj, Sil Sil
Turkish: Zill or Zil
Persian / Farsi: Zang, Salasih
Sources: Encyclopedia Britanica, Zildjian, Saroyan Zills, wikipedia,