The Rhythmic Nomads

Arabic Rhythms

 

Strike Index

 

The strikes below are indicated for right handed people, hence left handers reverse the hand positions.

 

t =Tek , right hand finger strike, hitting the edge of the rim with middle finger (next to index) using the first knuckle

T=Tek , accented hit

k= Ka , left hand finger strike, hitting the edge of the rim with middle finger (next to index) using the first knuckle

K=Ka , accented hit

D=Doum, right hand strike hitting the centre of the drum

S=Slap, same as doum but fingers grab the drum head to mute the sound

R=Ra left hand finger roll with tek or single finger double Ka with tek equalling kkt ADVANCED TECHNIQUE

P=Pop, ka with the right cupping the head of the drum

 

Exercises

 

The exercises are to help you increase the strength in hands and fingers and build your technique and sound and inner timing. It helps to say out loud the hits as you strike to help with your coordination. (Brain training!!!!!). Once you have got to grips with each of the exercises run through the set repeating each exercise 8 times

 

Exercise 1

 

T K T K D T K T K T

You say             Tek Ka Tek Ka doum Tek Ka Tek Ka Tek

 

Exercise 2

 

D K K K

You say                                doum Ka Ka Ka

 

 

 

Exercise 3

 

D T T T

You say                               doum Tek Tek Tek

 

 

Exercise 4

 

D tktktktktktktktk

You say           doum tek-ka tek-ka tek-ka tek-ka tek-ka tek-ka

                                                   tek-ka tek-ka

 

Start slow and build up the speed.

 

Exercise 5

 

D kk D k

You say                           doum ka-ka doum ka

 

Exercise 6

 

      D kk  D kk D kk D k

You say       doum ka-ka doum ka-ka doum ka-ka doum ka

 

Exercise 7

 

   D kkk D kkk D kkk D k

 Say     doum ka-ka-ka doum ka-ka-ka doum ka-ka-ka doum ka 

 

 

Exercise 8

 

tktktktktktktktk tktktktktktktktk

You say  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka

                tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka  tek-ka

 

Start slow and build up your speed gradually

ADVANCED

 

Exercise 9

 

Rkt  Rkt  Rkt   Rkt

You say               ra-ka-tek   ra-ka-tek   ra-ka-tek   ra-ka-tek

 

 

Exercise 10

 

RkD  RkD   RkD   RkD

You say     ra-ka-doum ra-ka-doum   ra-ka-doum   ra-ka-doum

 

Exercise 11

 

RkS RkS RkS   RkS

You say             ra-ka-slap ra-ka-slap   ra-ka-slap   ra-ka-slap