Today it's all about the zils!  

If you take a look through youtube - and do a search through belly dance sites you will find so much information on the art of using zils.  From the beginner to advanced there are tips and suggestions on what zils to use, the company to buy from, the style to use them for...the information can be overwhelming if you don't know where to start.

First lets start with terminology:

Finger cymbals are referred to Zils or zills (turkish) or Sagat or Zagat (arabic).  The arabic word Sagat literally means 'small metal trays'.  They are warn tightly on the middle fingers and thumbs.  In my research and practice with zils having them tight enough to turn your finger tips a light blue is ESSENTIAL!  Nothing can be worse that preforming and having a zil fly off and smack someone in the head.

When discussing rhythms there are quite a few ways to count them out.  Most resources use the 'Dum tek' approach,  the Dum is always on a down beat and the the up beat.  So a common rhythm pattern could be written like this:

Dum Tek Dum or DTD or 1 2 3

I am in the process of re-writing some of the basic rhythms in musical notation form for those of us who find it easier to read the quarter notes and eighth notes and sixteenths notes.

Learning to play the finger cymbals is a great way to spice up your personal routines.  It is also a great way to get closer to your sisters.  Simply get a group of your sisters together and play for each other and dance the night (or afternoon) away!

There are many many great resources online for learning how to play your figer cymbals but my suggestion would be to find a local good belly dance instructor would can work with you to help with finger positioning, hand positioning and all the wonderful techniques that are hard to discover through articles and DVD's!

Further Reading:

Practicing with the Finger Cymbals (also know as Sagat or Zills) by Jasmin Jahal, March 2000

Introduction To Finger Cymbals by Shira

Happy Hip Drops my friends!

~*~ Jenn ~*~