Rhythm Question - Page 2

Aisha Azar · 11-14-2007, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azeeza

Another thought.

If a dancer knows Arabic rhythm patterns, then there shouldn't be a handicap with being ambidextrous. All the doums get hit with emphasis and the teks and cas are softer.

Would that work?

Azeeza

Dear Azeeza,
I don't know how it would work for an ambidextrous person. I would think that the brain would want you to do certain patterns in a certain ways after awhile, just from repetition and creating the habit. The brain sort of creates these little pathways when one does something a certain way all the time. This is good for learning how to create certain sounds, etc, but you would have to detemine what sounds the most correct.
Regards,
A'isha

belly_dancer · 11-14-2007, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A'isha Azar

Dear Azeeza,
I don't know how it would work for an ambidextrous person. I would think that the brain would want you to do certain patterns in a certain ways after awhile, just from repetition and creating the habit. The brain sort of creates these little pathways when one does something a certain way all the time. This is good for learning how to create certain sounds, etc, but you would have to detemine what sounds the most correct.
Regards,
A'isha

I have had many leftys as well as a couple ambidextrous students.... I think that AS LONG AS YOU ARE GETTING THE CORRECT SOUND (& accents/etc) then what hand you are on should not matter..
I know personally that when I am playing say karshlimar...if I am going slow (say to demonstrate) then the 7-8-9 will usually ALL on the right...however when I am going to a fast karsh,.. then usually I have noticed that the 7-8-9 goes R-L-L... I never "told" my hands to do this... they just do!!!! I am assuming that my body wants to MAKE sure that my stronger right hand gets to the ONE on time?!?!

(of course if I am filling in the 7-8-9... then I go R-l-R-l-R-l & still I make the one on time

) does anyone else have this weirdness???

LeylaLanty · 11-14-2007, 02:04 AM

You're right about hitting the doums with emphasis and hitting the teks and kas with a lighter touch. If you are doing the doums and teks either the same as in the Arabic rhythms or in harmony with them, I see no problem with being ambidextrous and playing that way. The MOST important thing is to play cymbals with the music, mostly the rhythms, but also, at times, with the melody so that the *sound* is correct. The audience listening to you and Arab musicians I have played with over the last 6 or 7 years do not care which hand hits which sound as long as the sound makes sense in the music.

In 2006 and 2007, I taught moving while playing finger cymbals musically at Ahlan wa Sahlan. I've been dancing and playing 30+ years and playing for a half dozen years in a band with Arab musicians, including Georges, Tony, and Elias Lammam as well as Reda Darwish and the singer Khalil Abboud. (various combos of these musicians and others in the San Francisco Bay Area)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azeeza

Another thought.

If a dancer knows Arabic rhythm patterns, then there shouldn't be a handicap with being ambidextrous. All the doums get hit with emphasis and the teks and cas are softer.

Would that work?

Azeeza

Azeeza · 11-14-2007, 06:12 AM

A'isha:

I guess I'm "doumed" then! LOL!

Azeeza

Quote:

Originally Posted by A'isha Azar

Dear Azeeza,
I don't know how it would work for an ambidextrous person. I would think that the brain would want you to do certain patterns in a certain ways after awhile, just from repetition and creating the habit. The brain sort of creates these little pathways when one does something a certain way all the time. This is good for learning how to create certain sounds, etc, but you would have to detemine what sounds the most correct.
Regards,
A'isha

Azeeza · 11-14-2007, 06:18 AM

Belly_Dancer and LeylaLanty:

THANK YOU for making me not feel like an idiot.

I don't really want to relearn how to play the finger cymbals if how I play them hits the beats and I'm not having any obvious problems with them.

If the sound is correct, then there is no problem.

:-),

Azeeza

PS I feel I can play them faster and rest my dominant hand when I play the cymbals ambidextrously (is that a word?).

11-14-2007, 06:18 AM	#15 (permalink)
Azeeza Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 829	Belly_Dancer and LeylaLanty: THANK YOU for making me not feel like an idiot. I don't really want to relearn how to play the finger cymbals if how I play them hits the beats and I'm not having any obvious problems with them. If the sound is correct, then there is no problem. :-), Azeeza PS I feel I can play them faster and rest my dominant hand when I play the cymbals ambidextrously (is that a word?).