Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Music Rhythms: Diagrams and Performance Aids

AYOUB *

Egyptian and Lebanese.

Heavy rhythm, popular in modern Lebanese music.

Slower tempo for Zaar rituals and folk dance.

Faster tempo for beginning and end of dance shows.

1 e & a 2 e & a
D . . . D . T .
D . . k D . T .
D . . k D . k .
D . t . D . t .
D . k . t . k .
D . k k D . t .
D k t k D . S .


The rhythm is energetic and driving. Even the simple unsyncopated versions (#2 and 3) have the same forward drive.
Jas notes that sometimes a simple un-syncopated D k t k will be used.

This rhythm is sometimes called Zar, but the Zar is a trance ceremony that may incorporate many different rhythms, not just this one.

• Alex Spurkel on YouTube.
• Guy Schalom on YouTube. Guy uses the non-dominant hand for both tak and ka sounds.
• Short and clear, posted by Salah Said.

BAYOUK

Ayub with two dums in the middle. Sometimes fast as a drum solo. Complements Ayoob and Kartachi.

1 e & a 2 e & a
D . . D D . T .
D . k D D . S .

FELLAHI *

Egyptian

Speedier variation of the Maqsum, has a 2/4 feel, good for hip lifts and shimmy walks.

Marked by some as 4/4.

An earthy rhythm done with big, flat-footed movements. Perfect when balancing jugs on your head.

1 e & a 2 e & a
D t . t D . t .
D t . k D . t ~
D k . k D . t .
D k t k D k t ~

Guy Schalom video demonstration. He strongly recommends using the dominant hand to play the final Tak so that a roll with the non-dominant hand can follow smoothly. For the very filled-in example, he recommends alternating hands.

Reda Troupe perform a Fellahi dance.

Salah Said, full-tilt boogie.

HAJA

Iraq

1 e & a 2 e & a
D . . . T . T .

• Sajida Obaid Youtube of singing and dancing featuring Haha rhythm.
• Sadoun Al Bayati Youtube, singing and drumming, Haja drum starts at 2:10.

HOROS

A 2/4 melody may overlay a 6/8 beat.

• Pravo horo.
• Often organized in triplets, 1 triplet per beat.

KARACHI *

Karatchi, Karaatshi

Egyptian

Upside-down ayyub. Complements Ayyub and Bayouk.

1 e & a 2 e & a
T . . . T . D .
T . . k T . D .
T k t k T . D .

• Spanish fusion guitar with arabic drum.
• K.L.Farkas plays 8 versions, very clear sound and video.

KHALEEGEE *

Arabian Gulf

1 e & a 2 e & a
D . . D . . T .
D . . D . . T T
D D . D D . T .
D . k D . k T k
D . k T . k T k
D k k D k k T k
D k k T k k S k


Count it 123-123-12.

• Khaleeji rhythm with a good strong 3+3+2 beat.
• There are many variations. Mark Bell, again: "There are not many people here who know the rhythms from the Gulf and are willing to teach them. Part of it is the reluctance to put them into a form for one drum, since you really need the parts thing happening."

MALFUF *

• Egyptian
• A rolling entry and exit rhythm, good for triple steps: Dtt.
• Sometimes marked in 4/4 time.

1 e & a 2 e & a
D . . T . . T .
D . k T . k T .
D k k T k k T k
D k t K t k T k (Running Malfuf)
D k k S k k S k (Running Malfuf)


Perfect for a fast-paced entrance rhythm using light and quick movements. Count it 123-123-12.

K. L. Farkas plays 5 versions.

Ruben van Rompaey video.

Guy Schalom video.

Druminic video: breakdown starts two minutes into the video.

Sahal Said starts out fast.

VOX *

• March time sometimes used in modern Egyptian compositions.
• Jas and Guy Schalom suggest that it was inspired by Western music and named after the foxtrot.
• May be thought of having an oom-pah rhythm, but if you POP the second beat that does not work well.

1 e & a 2 e & a
D . T . D . T .
D . . . T . K .
D . P . D . P .

Guy Shalom demonstrates the Vox.

WADHA SAIRA

1 e & a 2 e & a
D . . . T . . .
D . . . T . T .
D . D . T . T .
D . . . T T T T

Nott describes Wahida as a family of rhythms with one Doum at the beginning.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

SAMAI SAGHIER

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a
D . . . T . . . T . . .
D . k . T . k . T . k .

Salah Said video.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

TSAMIKOS

Greek

3/4 or 6/8 with 3 counts to the measure.

Jas points out that the Greek national hymn goes to this rhythm.

The phrasing is often 2+ 1 with a swing of one, two and-three-and.

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a
D . . k T . k . T . k .
D . t k T . t . D . t .

• Music and dance with acrobatic solo.
• More of the same but in full costume.
• More of the same..

VALS

A waltz time as used in classical Arabic Music.

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a
D . . . . . . . T . . .
D . . . T . . . T . . .
D . k . T . k . T . k .
D . . k T . k . T . k .
T . t . k . . . T . . .
T . . . D . . . D . . .

Guy Shalom demonstrates the VALS.

DARIJ 3/4 videos from DubSahara.

Salah Said video.

WHIRLING DERVISH

Nine hypnotic minutes of two drums playing Whirling Dervish with fills.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

ADANI

BALADI *

• Egyptian
• Earthy and ideal for steps and hip drops.
• Sometimes referred to as Maqsum by non USA musicians.

The term "Baladi" is a Western re-purposing of an existing Egyptian term. Americans use it to designate one particular rhythm: DD TD T. Egyptians do not. Carmine, writing in 2006 on Tribe.net: "I've played Maqsum for Egyptians and they said, 'That is Baladi!' and played what we call Baladi, and they've said, 'That's Baladi too!' and when I played Saidi... well 'That's definitely Baladi!'...Most of us don't use the Saghir or Kabir. I've only heard Arabic people who teach use this terminology... Most other teachers (especially American) will not."

Morocco, writing in a 2014 FB discussion about the Baladi word, agreed with Carmine: "ANY/all 'village' rhythms are called both Baladi & Shaabi. Baladi/ beledi = of the country, shaabi = of the people.

Jas: "Beledi means different rhythms depending on where you are. Beledi really implies a sort of gypsy-ness or non-urbaness (possibly 'hick', depending on who you ask). This version, more correctly called Masmoudi Saghir (Small Masmoudi) is perhaps the most common Beledi rhythm. If you look closely you will see that it is really a Masmoudi squeezed into 4/4 time."

According to Aleta, "Baladi is not a rhythm in the Middle East. The rhythmic pattern we call baladi is a form of maqsum. It is called the Little Masmoudi because it resembles a Two-Doum Masmoudi in half-time."

• Drum Doc YouTube.
• Alex Spurkel YouTube.
• Guy Schalom demonstrates Masmoudi Sogheir (baladi) rhythms.
• Guy Schalom demonstrates Egyptian baladi style vs Mediterranean: Loud Taks make the difference.
• Ugur Serpinli video with lots of variations and rolls.

BOLERO *

• Arabic

One often sees the term Rhumba/Bolero (or Bolero/Rumba) used as though the names were interchangeable. Jas says: "Rumba and Bolero are similar rhythms with different accents. Bolero is often played with a triplet in the second half of the first beat. A triplet is 3 beats fit into a 2 beat space. Both rhythms have made there way from North Africa through Spain and Cuba into modern music."

Ghawazee *

JERK *

Fast Nubian rhythm used in Egyptian pop songs.

MAQSUM *

• Egyptian
• Inspires lively stepping. A basic baladi rhythm.
• Fast pace. Good entrance rhythm.
• Probably the most common rhythm encountered by American musicians.
• Scott Marcus: AKA Duyak, after its Turkish name Duyek. At a fast tempo, AKA Fallahi or Bamb

• 7 variations by K.L. Farkas on Youtube.
• Eastern Expressions Maqsum play-along, audio, no visual.
• Guy Schalom video.
• Per Aleta: in US Creole, the number of doums distinguishes baladi, maqsum, and sai'idi. In Egypt, sai]idi and maqsum can have various combinations of doums. They are distinguished by other pattern elements, as well by emphasis and feel.
• Miserlou is famous, partially because of Pulp Fiction. And here is a Rebetiko version. And here an upscale klezmer version: Miserlou starts at 2:20.

MAQSUM, Walking

• Walking Maqsum video.

Guy Schalom: "You learn maqsoum as DT-TD-T- But tabla players don't play it that way. They fill in the gaps thus: DTKTDKTtk. This gives the music a strong feeling of forward motion, hence the 'walking maqsoum.'

NAWARI *

• Lebanese
• Folkloric rhythm used in line dances.

RHUMBA *

• Arabic

SAI'IDI *

• Upside down beledi, medium pace.
• Strong dums make it a good choice for cane dances with a forward-back motion.

Jas published the last two diagrams, which replace the initial common Tek with a softer off-beat ka-tek.

Jas: Traditionally used for the Tahtib and cane dance. Occasionally referred to as Ghawazee since it was popular among the Egyptian Ghawazee.

• Guy Schalom demonstrates..

SOMBATI

• Egyptian
• Described as the Egyptian version of a 4/4 Chiftitelli, used during taqsim or vocal accompaniment.
• Has one doum in the second half

• Guy Schalom demonstrates 8/4 Wahda Kebira (with rolls) and 4/4 Sombati, and describes Cifteteli as the Greek/Turkish version of both.
• Salah Said does a short clear version.

SYRTO

• Greek
• Line dances with a leader: mostly a 4/4 meter in various forms

Jas: Serto is a Greek rhythm. It alternates accent on every other measure.

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 . 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
D . k D . k T . D . k T . k T .
D . k D . k T k D . k T . k T k


• GreekDance.com dance demonstration.
• Phantom Ranch

WAHDED TAWILA

ZAFFA *

• Egyptian
• Traditional march for a wedding procession. Not upbeat enough for a candelabra dance.

Short clear rhythm video by Nájua.

Short clear rhythm video by Salah Said.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

A'RAG

• 2 -2 -1
• Most common in classical music and dance

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

CHOBIE

YURUK SAMAI

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &
D . D . T . D . T . . .
D . T . T . D . T . . .
D . . . T . D . T . . .

Salah Said:

• Probably Karim Nagi clip, starting with counting and then a bit more complex.
• Short clear video, going from slow and simple to fast and complex.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

Maghrebi

Moroccan 6

Note the accents on the two groups of three beats and the last three groups of two beats.

D . . T . . D . T . T .

1 & 2 & 3 . 1 & 2 & 3 . 1 & 2 . 1 . 2 . 1 . 2 .
D . k . k . T . k . k . D . k . T . k . T . k .

Saraband Kabir

Salah Said video.

Zebula

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

HOROS

• Lots of 3-2-2 (Oranges-Grape-Fruit)
• Sometimes 2-2-3 (Grape-Fruit-Oranges)
• Sometimes 3-2-2 (Oranges-Grape-Fruit)

DAWR INDI

• Tommy Marcinek, slow 3-2-2, dumbek and riqq.
• Adam Hurst In the Balance song using Dawr Hindi.
• Salah Said video. This video is a slow 2-2-3.

KALAMATIANOS

• Greek
• Circle dance in 7/8 time li>Slow 3, quick 2, quick 2 rhythm which is repeated twice per phrase.

• Phantom Ranch
• Diagrammed at Sacred Circles.
• Song and dance video.
• Live music and dance video.

LAZ

Dubsahara.com: In Greece and Turkey the 223s are generally known as "laz" or "laz bar" and the 322s as "kalamantiano" (Kalamata is a port in south Greece).


1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 &
D . . . D . . . T . . . . .
D . k . D . k . T . k . t .
D . k . T . k . D . k . t .

Candy Eaton Video.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

BAMBI

• Egyptian
• Similar to but faster than wahda kabira (ciftelli)

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &
D . . T . . T . . T . . D . D .
D . T k . k T . T k . k D . D .
D . K T . K T . K T . K D . D .


CHIFTELLI *

• Turkish and Greek
• Fast (light) and Slow (heavy)
• Also Greek word for Belly dance. So a Chiftelli (belly dance) is not always to Chiftelli rhythm.
• Veil work, grounded and circular movements.

Jas: "Ciftetelli is usually played slowly and with a variety of fills. Remember when playing this rhythm that silence is a note!"

Morocco identifies Chiftetelli as heavy (slooow) or light (faster, brighter). "Tsiftetelli (Chiftetelli) is traditional now to Greece and Greek communities in other enclaves, but it was authentic in Turkey and the Ottoman Empire. Greeks living in Turkey and Asia Minor assimilated it there authentically... It is the Turkish name of a rhythm used in most Oriental dances till the 1970s, played very slowly for shows and much more brightly for the social version. Arabic speaking musicians call it either Wahada Kebira (Egypt), Wahad e Noss (Lebanon) or Dar e Noss (Syria and Iraq)"

Aleta Quinn: "An Egyptian drummer will instruct you to play ciftetelli in a certain way, recognizing several variations and guidelines for acceptable improvisation within those patterns. But if you are in Turkey, ciftetelli is played quite differently, and in fact there are two quite distinct ciftetellis (fast and slow). Moreover, Ciftetelli is the name of a region in Turkey and Tsiftetelli is one of the names of Raks Sharki in Greece."

• Le Chiftetelli at BaladiPercussion.com
• Boubouka in a clip from the greek movie "Allos gia to ekatommyrio" in an extremely sensual yet classy chiftetelli.
• Mevlana with a couple of guys dancing to it doing Romany stomach throws. I enjoy it myself.
• Mevlana with a host of clarinets and some unexpected piano chords.
• Guy Schalom demonstrates 8/4 Wahda Kebira (with rolls) and 4/4 Sonmbati, and describes Cifteteli as the Greek/Turkish version of both.
• Sahal Said plays what must be the Egyptian style, very filled in and less syncopated.
• Cajondarbuka plays lots of clear, slow versions.

MASMOUDI *

• Egyptian
• Per Aleta: Common in Egypt but not Turkey. Particularly useful as a slow alternative to ciftetelli.
• There are many ways of playing this rhythm.
• Slow to medium rhythm. Leaving off any fill after the seventh beat really slows it down.

2-Doum and 3-Doum Masmoudi clearly demonstrated by an unnamed drummer... Posted by Salah Said.

Guy Schalom demonstrates 3-DUM Masmoudi Kebir and variations: Slap instead of Tek.

BaladiPercussion.com plays the 2-Dum version.

Lots of great variations, 2-and-3 Doum, clear and slow. Posted by Cajondarbuka.

Short and Clear video, posted by Salah Said.

Short, simple and clear video, posted by Salah Said but probably by Karim Nagi.

Short and clear 3-Dum Masmoudi by Salah Said.

3 Doum Masmoudi from Loops for Dancers Vol. 2 by Radio Laria.

WAHDA *

• Egyptian version of 8/4 chiftetelli.
• Sensual. Good for taqsim.
• Some say Wahda (ONE) has one DOUM, Chiftetelli has two.

• Oum Kalthoum sings Enta Omry. The Egyptian dance piece known as Enta Omry is actually the first bits of a famous Oum Kalthoum song that sometimes went on for an hour. Here's a recording where an over-enthusiastic audience makes it necessary for the performance to restart.
• Drummer and Dancer with some smooth moves demonstrate. Labeled Wahde U Nas.
• Guy Schalom demonstrates 8/4 Wahda Kebira (with rolls) and 4/4 Sonbati, and describes Cifteteli as the Greek/Turkish version of both.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

Maura Enright, Additive Meters in East European and Mediterranean Music, BabaYagaMusic.com, Web.

Aksak, Encyclopedia Brittanica Online, Web.

AQSAQ SAMAI

Aqsaq Afrangi (9x8) video.

TURKISH 9/8 *

• Greek and Turkish
• Common in Turkish Oriental music.
• Kasilama is the name of a Turkish folk dance, which is NOT a solo, but the name of the rhythm of the dance has passed into common usage here in the West. To keep things straight, do not dance a karsilama solo dance; dance a solo dance to the karsilma rhythm.
• 12- 12- 12-1 23 or 1234- 12345

Karsilama description

• Mariah dances and zills to a Turkish Karsilama.
• The Scabland Band plays Karsilama rhythm.
• Greek Karsilamas folk dance.
• Turkish music in an American cabaret with zills.

ROMANY 9 *

• A 9/8, like the Karsilama, but with a silent last beat.

Romany 9 description

Videos:

• Sophie Armoza video: first half, where she is dressed as a man, is a very clear demonstration of how the rest on the last beat is handled.
• Reyhan on Turkish TV performing what is probably the most popular Roman Havasi (Roman 9/8) on the Internet.
• Miram Perez dancing to Romany 9 music.
• Jennet Shook.
• Eva Cernik, a long-time famous advocate of Turkish and Turkish Romany style.

ZEYBEKIKO

• Greek folk dance with a rhythmic pattern of 9/8 or 9/4. 2-2-2-3.
• Think of it as two measures of four with an extra beat added and walk to it until comfortable.
• The origin of the dance may be a Turkish warrior's dance, Zeybek.
• Zeibekiko, as danced by the Greeks, is a showcase for passionate improvisation and is usually performed by one person, usually a male.
• Traditionally, applause was not sought nor commonly given, out of respect.

Morocco: "The very first night I worked in a Mid eastern club (December 1960), two male customers, Greeks from Cyprus, did a Zembekiko, where they mimed a knife fight. I'd never seen anything like it. At first it scared me, because I thought they were drunk and crazy and about to have a real fight. I'll never forget them. After that I saw it danced many times, then it went out of style. Current Zembekikia are a pale shadow of what I saw then. I loved vari Zembekiko and Tsamiko (vari - heavy: slow, very dramatic and accented), but dramatic versions of Zembekiko, Tsamiko and Chift Telli have almost disappeared."

• Walking the beat with HarryG.
• Soldier takes the stage to perform during a concert.
• Song and percussion
• Impromptu solo to live music.
• More improv to music.

DIAGRAMS and SOUND FILES

Jurjina

• Sometimes written as 10/16, can be heard as 5/8.
• This an Armenian rhythm which has become popular in the Arab world. Note that in Egypt it is pronounced gurgina.
• Emphasis on 1, 4, 6, 8 and sometimes 3. Folk rhythm from Iraq/ Iran. 1-2-3 1-2 1-2 1-2-3. (3 +2 +2 +3)
• Atropon Ensemble play Basa Bela.
• Jurjuna, Stelios Petrakis band.
• Orhan Kilis band.
• Tom Pixton plays Mombar.

SAMI'i THAQUIL *

Used in classical music throughout the Middle East

Probably Karim Nagi although posted by Salah Said. Short and clear.

Short and clear, posted by Salah Said.

Improvisation between oud and riqq.

National Arab Orchestra plays Jameel Bey Tanburi.

Oud Geek Youtube on How to Count to Ten.

Aksak Semai rhythm by Eastern Expressions on Youtube. Minimum fills. D . . T . D D T . .

Aksak Semai Rhythm on Youtube with lots of fills.

Aksak Semai, very lyrical.

Sama'i Bayyati al-Thaquil by UCLA Near East Ensemble.

Samai Bayati by Abdel Karim.

Lamma Bada Yatathenna:

• Ensemble Constantinopla.
• Rumi Ensemble and Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam.