ZILLS - FINGER CYMBALS
Finger cymbals Zills (Turkish) Sagat or Zagat (Arabic)
Metal, usually brass, discs worn on the middle finger & thumb. Striking the zills produces a variety of percussive sounds: ring, clack, click, or clap.
Zills Liesa’s Overview
As with most topics, there are different opinions and viewpoints. I will give you mine. Even if you never play the zills, you will have some understanding of them.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation or business connections of any kind with any vendors. All opinions are strictly my own opinionated personal opinions!
The two most well known good brands are Turquoise International and Saroyan. There are other brands, but they are either too expensive for starting use, or, if cheap, too cheesy (bad sound, tinny). Cheap zills often have only 1 elastic hole instead of 2, which makes them difficult to play as they jiggle around too much. [Some very expensive, excellent zills have one hole, but they are specialty items for when you have some zill experience].
My favorite type is Turquoise brand: it’s the 1st web site listed below. I have played dozens of different sizes, shapes, tones, etc. of all different types of brands. Dancers develop their own preferences over time,
but when you buy your first pair…how do you know what to get?!
(*If you already have zills, unless they are really flimsy & toy-like, use them for now unless you want to get another pair anyway/ I'll let you know if they are really unsuitable)
That’s why I suggest Turquoise 2 ¼” or 2 ½ “ diameter either plain or with a design; I like a design myself. They are a bit heavier weight for the size than comparable Saroyans, so they are easier to get a good sound out of them. How you strike the zills together is what produces the sound - that is one of the skills of learning zills [along with of course the DANCING with the darn things on your hands ] ... I prefer the sound of Turquoise basic zills. They only make one type, with different sizes; and with or without design.
Saroyan are a good choice as well, they have many types and you can listen to sounds of zills online! Of course, there are so many choices that it is very confusing!! I have purchased many Saroyan zills and enjoy them…but always return to my 25 yr + Turquoise.
Saroyan “Nefertiti” are a common beginner type often recommended and many students like them. I think they are too small & light. I formerly recommended them as well, then one year I noticed all my students who used Turquoise did better than with Nefertiti, now I keep it simple and just say order the Turquoise. But you can certainly use Saroyan or other brand if they suit you.
Zills are designated by diameter (size), gauge (weight), design (curved, flatter, etc.) production (stamped, cast, cut, etc.) Designs are often added for aesthetics. they are usually made of brass; silver coated zills are also available. A different tone is produced by each type of zill: high or low pitch, sustained or short ring, soft or loud tone, etc. Some students are bothered by a high pitch esp. combined with a sustained ring.
To me, Turquoise zills have a pleasing tone without an overly sustained ring.
I use 2 ½ “; 2 ¼ are ok. 2 1/16 are too small unless you have very small hands. Many recommendations suggest using small zills to start, but I feel too small makes a puny sound & are harder to handle. Too large are also too hard to handle and too loud unless you are a professional.
In class, I will show you how to play. In the meantime there are many websites with information on how to hold, attach elastic, strike, etc.. Please read up on this – see sites below. [Playing actual rhythms from the written word before practice is confusing.] They doneed to be tight enough so that they do not fly off your fingers, causing injury & mayhem! Your fingers may turn blue and it seems initially uncomfortable to have them that tight. However, they do not need to be painful.
Many dancers never learn to play the zills; it is certainly a challenge & many have no desire to do so. Many professional dancers do not play the zills as you can perform many styles without.
I love zill playing and consider it one of my best skills. I am happy to share this with you!
More info: the ever informative www.shira.net
The way I talk about zill playing is in drum talk = doum, tek, ka.
Doum = the deepest, loudest sound
= dominant hand = 1
Tek = lighter, sharper sound
= dominant hand = 1
Ka = the lightest sound
= the non-dominant hand = 2
So a rhythm pattern might be written as: Gallop:1-2-1 1-2-1 1-2-1 1-2-1 ,
or Alternating: 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2
The dominant hand is usually the hand you write with. You can actually use either hand, or switch back and forth.
It's your intent to produce the strongest sounds with the dominant hand, so it is your choice.
Basic zill playing is striking them together so that they produce a clear, ringing tone. The middle finger is brought to the thumb, strike firmly & release the zills quickly.
Clicks, clacks, claps, & other variations are made by how you place your fingers so various effects are achieved.
Basic rhythms are called:
Alternating: just alternate each hand - the simplest form of rhythm! tek-ka; 1-2
Malfouf variation: Threes or gallop: tek-ka-doum; 1-2-1
The above I will use in in CCC class dance
Baladi: popular folk rhythm, many variations depending on country region
Some variations are called Maksoum
Chiftetelli: originally Turkish, but common in much Arabic music
these are the basic rhythms that I start you off on; I don't go much farther than this until you get into private lessons or advanced with me.
Drums can be called: doumbek, tabla, darabukkaCan be made of ceramic, metal, wood = different sounds
Middle Eastern Rhythms
It is confusing to study percussive rhythms of the Middle East, especially for non-musically trained Bellydancers. We just want to be able to play along with the music while we dance and have 'em sound good! Getting overly analytical about what name is what rhythm can bog the process of actually playing and practicing.
Don't get me wrong - obviously I am a great believer in education and study. But you still need to be able to hit your cymbals together and make a pleasing sound & rhythm, no matter what the rhythm is named.
Different musicians and dancers call the same rhythm by different names, and vice versa, depending on their country of origin, where they learned the rhythm, and from whom. "One person's 'ayoub' sounds like another's 'malfouf'!" This is again due to these rhythms and movements being folkloric and colloquial in origin. Classical Arabic music has very precise rules...but we are talking about dance & musical entertainment here.
For in-depth study, there are many informative sites. See links below.
Worldbellydance:a nice brief outline on rhythm
Good Article-from American drummer Frank Lazzaro
The above article by Frank Lazzaro echoes most of my what I have learned over the years. This is what most Americans have learned from Middle Eastern drummers in this country, and passed down over the 50 some years that this genre has developed in the North America. So a certain amount of "telephone" has occurred - where the original concept can be inadavertently altered - the same has happened with dance moves. That's why deeper studies go to the countries of origin in the Middle East - which have in turn been influenced by the U.S.
The rhythm called "Baladi" particularly is subject to various interpretations. This is because baladi (beledy,beledi, balady) means my home, my people, my place, - and different "homes" have different types of baladi rhythm from that area.
Finger cymbals Zills (Turkish) Sagat or Zagat (Arabic)
Metal, usually brass, discs worn on the middle finger & thumb. Striking the zills produces a variety of percussive sounds: ring, clack, click, or clap.
Zills Liesa’s Overview
As with most topics, there are different opinions and viewpoints. I will give you mine. Even if you never play the zills, you will have some understanding of them.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation or business connections of any kind with any vendors. All opinions are strictly my own opinionated personal opinions!
The two most well known good brands are Turquoise International and Saroyan. There are other brands, but they are either too expensive for starting use, or, if cheap, too cheesy (bad sound, tinny). Cheap zills often have only 1 elastic hole instead of 2, which makes them difficult to play as they jiggle around too much. [Some very expensive, excellent zills have one hole, but they are specialty items for when you have some zill experience].
My favorite type is Turquoise brand: it’s the 1st web site listed below. I have played dozens of different sizes, shapes, tones, etc. of all different types of brands. Dancers develop their own preferences over time,
but when you buy your first pair…how do you know what to get?!
(*If you already have zills, unless they are really flimsy & toy-like, use them for now unless you want to get another pair anyway/ I'll let you know if they are really unsuitable)
That’s why I suggest Turquoise 2 ¼” or 2 ½ “ diameter either plain or with a design; I like a design myself. They are a bit heavier weight for the size than comparable Saroyans, so they are easier to get a good sound out of them. How you strike the zills together is what produces the sound - that is one of the skills of learning zills [along with of course the DANCING with the darn things on your hands ] ... I prefer the sound of Turquoise basic zills. They only make one type, with different sizes; and with or without design.
Saroyan are a good choice as well, they have many types and you can listen to sounds of zills online! Of course, there are so many choices that it is very confusing!! I have purchased many Saroyan zills and enjoy them…but always return to my 25 yr + Turquoise.
Saroyan “Nefertiti” are a common beginner type often recommended and many students like them. I think they are too small & light. I formerly recommended them as well, then one year I noticed all my students who used Turquoise did better than with Nefertiti, now I keep it simple and just say order the Turquoise. But you can certainly use Saroyan or other brand if they suit you.
Zills are designated by diameter (size), gauge (weight), design (curved, flatter, etc.) production (stamped, cast, cut, etc.) Designs are often added for aesthetics. they are usually made of brass; silver coated zills are also available. A different tone is produced by each type of zill: high or low pitch, sustained or short ring, soft or loud tone, etc. Some students are bothered by a high pitch esp. combined with a sustained ring.
To me, Turquoise zills have a pleasing tone without an overly sustained ring.
I use 2 ½ “; 2 ¼ are ok. 2 1/16 are too small unless you have very small hands. Many recommendations suggest using small zills to start, but I feel too small makes a puny sound & are harder to handle. Too large are also too hard to handle and too loud unless you are a professional.
In class, I will show you how to play. In the meantime there are many websites with information on how to hold, attach elastic, strike, etc.. Please read up on this – see sites below. [Playing actual rhythms from the written word before practice is confusing.] They doneed to be tight enough so that they do not fly off your fingers, causing injury & mayhem! Your fingers may turn blue and it seems initially uncomfortable to have them that tight. However, they do not need to be painful.
Many dancers never learn to play the zills; it is certainly a challenge & many have no desire to do so. Many professional dancers do not play the zills as you can perform many styles without.
I love zill playing and consider it one of my best skills. I am happy to share this with you!
More info: the ever informative www.shira.net
The way I talk about zill playing is in drum talk = doum, tek, ka.
Doum = the deepest, loudest sound
= dominant hand = 1
Tek = lighter, sharper sound
= dominant hand = 1
Ka = the lightest sound
= the non-dominant hand = 2
So a rhythm pattern might be written as: Gallop:1-2-1 1-2-1 1-2-1 1-2-1 ,
or Alternating: 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2
The dominant hand is usually the hand you write with. You can actually use either hand, or switch back and forth.
It's your intent to produce the strongest sounds with the dominant hand, so it is your choice.
Basic zill playing is striking them together so that they produce a clear, ringing tone. The middle finger is brought to the thumb, strike firmly & release the zills quickly.
Clicks, clacks, claps, & other variations are made by how you place your fingers so various effects are achieved.
Basic rhythms are called:
Alternating: just alternate each hand - the simplest form of rhythm! tek-ka; 1-2
Malfouf variation: Threes or gallop: tek-ka-doum; 1-2-1
The above I will use in in CCC class dance
Baladi: popular folk rhythm, many variations depending on country region
Some variations are called Maksoum
Chiftetelli: originally Turkish, but common in much Arabic music
these are the basic rhythms that I start you off on; I don't go much farther than this until you get into private lessons or advanced with me.
Drums can be called: doumbek, tabla, darabukkaCan be made of ceramic, metal, wood = different sounds
Middle Eastern Rhythms
It is confusing to study percussive rhythms of the Middle East, especially for non-musically trained Bellydancers. We just want to be able to play along with the music while we dance and have 'em sound good! Getting overly analytical about what name is what rhythm can bog the process of actually playing and practicing.
Don't get me wrong - obviously I am a great believer in education and study. But you still need to be able to hit your cymbals together and make a pleasing sound & rhythm, no matter what the rhythm is named.
Different musicians and dancers call the same rhythm by different names, and vice versa, depending on their country of origin, where they learned the rhythm, and from whom. "One person's 'ayoub' sounds like another's 'malfouf'!" This is again due to these rhythms and movements being folkloric and colloquial in origin. Classical Arabic music has very precise rules...but we are talking about dance & musical entertainment here.
For in-depth study, there are many informative sites. See links below.
Worldbellydance:a nice brief outline on rhythm
Good Article-from American drummer Frank Lazzaro
The above article by Frank Lazzaro echoes most of my what I have learned over the years. This is what most Americans have learned from Middle Eastern drummers in this country, and passed down over the 50 some years that this genre has developed in the North America. So a certain amount of "telephone" has occurred - where the original concept can be inadavertently altered - the same has happened with dance moves. That's why deeper studies go to the countries of origin in the Middle East - which have in turn been influenced by the U.S.
The rhythm called "Baladi" particularly is subject to various interpretations. This is because baladi (beledy,beledi, balady) means my home, my people, my place, - and different "homes" have different types of baladi rhythm from that area.