 |
 Base-8 hand drumming rhythms |
| Updated: Jul 25, 2003 |
This page has notation and difficulty ratings for hand drumming rhythms (mostly Middle Eastern) that can be done in even multiples of eight counts.
This page is part of Kamuran's Guide for Doumbek Players.
"AFRICAN DANCE" [medium, syncopated] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- k D D k k D - k - D D k k - D - ** Be careful with this one, it's easy (for me, at least) to slip into playing this one as if the rhythm starts on the first Doum. al-thaqIl al-awwal [medium-tough, syncopated, Safi al-Din 13th c.] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- T t - T t - T t t - T - T t t - == count: 3-3-4-2-4 ** See the bibliography on Jas's site. Also see "First Thaqil" below and shorter versions on the Base-4 page. al-thaqIl al-thAnI [medium, syncopated, Safi al-Din 13th c.] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- T t - T t - T - T t - T T - T - == count: 3-3-2-3-3-2 "ARABIC" [medium] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - t k t T t k D t k T t k D t k T T t k T Bolero variation: [medium, syncopated] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - k - T - k - T - k - T - D - == me D - t k t T - t k t T - t k t T - D - == ditto D - t k t k T - t k t k T - t k t k T - D k == ditto D - t k t k T - t k t k T - t k t k T t k D t k == ditto ** Javaria and I came up with this to go with Miserlou, it's easier than it looks. BTAYHI [medium, Andalusian] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- T k T k D t k T k T k D k T k D k CHIFATELLI / CHIFFTATELLI / CHIFITITELLI / CHIFTETELLI / ciftitelli / shiftaatellii [medium, Greek/Turkish] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - T T - D T - D - D - T - - - == open D - t T - d T - D - D - T - - - == Mas'ud: open D t k t T t k d T t k D t k D t k T - - - == Mas'ud: standard D t k t T t k d T t k D t k D D T - - - == Mas'ud: alternate #1 D t k t T t k d k T t k D t k D k D k T - - - == Mas'ud: alternate #2 D t k t T t k d T P P P P P - - - == Mas'ud: alternate #3 D k t k t k T k t k d k T k t k D k t k D k t k T - - - == Mas'ud: closed also: 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D t k t t T K D T T K D t k D D T - - - == Daveed D - r t t k d T t k D - D - T - - t k == me: a variation D t k T T t k D T t k D t k D t k T t t k t == ditto D t k t t t k D t - D - D - t - - - == Jas #1 D t k t t t k D t t k D D t k t k t - == Jas #2 D t k t t t k D t t - - t t k - t t k - t - - - k == Jas #3 [medium-tough] D - T K - K T - D - K k T - k k == Jas #4: "fast" "DON'T TOUCH MY DESSERT" [medium, from Laylia] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D T - D D t k T - D t k t k T t k t k T - ** The first half is Guwazi-like. The second half is pure Masmoudi (see below). FIRST THAQIL [easy-medium, syncopated, 13th century Arabic?] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - - D - - D - - - D - D - - - ** count 3-3-4-2-4 D - k D - k D - T - D k D - T - == a variation ** Uncle Mafufo said (I think) this rhythm is also used in Cuban music. MASMOUDI / MASMOODI / MASMUDI / maSmuudii [medium] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - D - T - T - D - T T T - T - == open D - D - t k t T - D t k t T t k t T - == Mas'ud: Arabic D - D - t k t k T - D t k t k T t k t k T - == Mas'ud: Turkish D t k D t k t k t k T t k D t k t k T t k t k T - == Mas'ud: busy D - D - D t k T - D t k t k T t k t k T - == Mas'ud: 3 Doum D k t k D k t k t k t k T k t k D k t k t k T k t k t k T - == Mas'ud: closed ** Uncle Mafufo says the 3-Doum is an Iraqi version. also: 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - D - D - t - D t k t k t t k t k t t k == Jas: "walking" D - D - t k t k t k D t k t k t t k t k t k == Jas: "warring" D t k D - t k t k T k D t k T k t t k t k t T k == Jas: 3 beat syncopated D k k D - k k t k T k D t K k T t K k T K == Jas: 3 beat variation D k k D k k t k t k t k D k k t k t k k t k t k == see comment below ** Jas says: perhaps (this is a) more traditional hand pattern also: 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D t k D t k T t k T t k D t k t k T t k t k T t k == Steve #1 D t k D S - S - t k D t k t k T t k t k T t k == Steve #3 D - k T - k t k D - k T - k t k == Steve #8 ** Also see Masmoudi and Masmoudi Kebir in Base-4. QAAYIM WA'NISF [medium, Andalusian] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- T k T k D t k T k t k D k D k t - SUFI, PAKISTANI [medium, 8 count, syncopated] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - - D - - D - D - t k t - t k == "moderate speed" SWORD DANCE [tough] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - D - t k - k D - t - t k t k == part 1 D - D - r k - k D - t k t k k t - k == part 2; Nott D - D - r k - k D - t k t k t k t k == Steve [medium-tough] TAXIM / TAQSIM [tough, syncopated] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - - - - - t k - T - - - t T - D - D - P - - - == Steve #1 D - - - t k - T - - t - T - - - D k D k P - - - == Steve #2 D - - - t k - t - t k - t - - - D k D k T t k t k == Steve #3 also: 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - - - t k - t - t k - t - - - t k T t k T t k P - - == Steve #4 D - - - r - S - - t k - T - - - r - r - s - - - == Steve #5 D - r S - r S - t t T t t T t t T - - == Steve #6 [medium-tough] THOMAS'S ADDITION [medium] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D t k T - D t k t k T D t k t k T D D T - ** From a drummer named Thomas who brought it from parts West. As you can see, it has elements of Chiftetelli and Masmoudi. We came up with nicknames like Chifti-moudi, Mastitelli, and Mood Shift. Thomas was at the informal jam sessions that would in only a few months evolve into a band called Peach Curry. (Kamuran is the lead percussionist.) WAHE TAWILA [easy-medium, via Uncle Mafufo] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D t k t k T t k t k T T ** He says: it means "one, with a tail", it's related to Masmoudi, it's used as an intro, and it's combined with Maqsum or Beledi. WAHIDAH 4 - also called Bambi [medium, syncopated, Arabic?] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- D - t k - k t - t k - k t - k - == Nott D - T K - K T - T K - K T - K - == Jas: usually played fast D D D T K - K T - T K - K == Jas: variation "337355" - I learned it without a name [medium] 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- 1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+-5-+-6-+-7-+-8-+- t k D t k D t k t k t k D t k D t k t k D t k t k D t D t k D t k t t D t k D t k t D t t k D == one variation ** Count 3,3,7 then 3,5,5 ** Could also mix 'em: 3-7-3, 5-3-5 (and so on - Kamuran likes doing this). ** Could also count 2-2-4, 2-3-3 For shorter rhythms that can be counted in 4 or 8, see the Base-4 page.
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Original page posted: January
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