| Useful Tips on playing Darbuka-Doumbek for Belly | | | | doing? That's it, fantastic! Now let's change to this idea. |
| Dancers. Darbuka- The Belly dance Drum | | | | You are saying all of this and much more, all with your |
| 1. Create a rough guide: Depending on the occasion, | | | | eyes and your drum. Also it pays to know if all eyes |
| venue, culture and situation in general, creating a mental | | | | are on the dancer or on you! Remember: it's a good |
| map is an easy way to make life simpler at | | | | idea when playing for belly dancers to se your drum |
| performances. It's like this; you're doing a gig in a | | | | as a belly dance drum more than just a darbuka! |
| Turkish restaurant, you have to entertain for 15 minutes | | | | 4. Get a vocabulary: Knowing what to play for certain |
| with just one drummer and a dancer. First you must | | | | belly dance techniques is essential. To do this you will |
| work out how you want to enter the space i.e. with a | | | | need lots of different tones up your sleeve. Being able |
| bang? Or perhaps a simple, soft veil piece? | | | | to roll fast is great, but can you do that for upper and |
| How long will you play the entrance rhythm before you | | | | lower body? Can you play a fast roll and then come |
| move to the next main pattern? What is the favourite | | | | straight back to the rhythm without missing a beat? Do |
| rhythm of the audience that night? I mentioned it was a | | | | you have a collection of puc or pop tones to use? |
| Turkish restaurant so Kasilima comes to mind! When | | | | Can you play a fast roll and then imply another rhythm |
| the main drum solo is happening can the dancer play | | | | with the right hand on top of this roll? Well, maybe |
| zills to back you up a little? Could the audience clap | | | | that's forgetting the KISS formula a touch but it's still |
| along? In time!? How will it end? Perhaps with a fast 2 | | | | pretty cool. |
| 4 rhythm and a spin for the dancer followed by a rizz | | | | 5. Repeat your ideas: One of the oldest tricks in the |
| (rush/roll) ending so he/she can shimmy away! | | | | book is to repeat your ideas four times. These ideas |
| Having a really open plan can help tighten the act up | | | | can develop each time but essentially its the same |
| so you look more professional and have some guiding | | | | idea being repeated. The fourth one will usually have a |
| lights to join the start to the finish. There is still plenty of | | | | small change to mark the ending of an idea and then |
| room for improvising but you have a rough guide all the | | | | the next one will begin. Playing this way will allow the |
| same. | | | | dancer to hear what your idea is, create something, |
| At some gigs, especially restaurants and weddings, | | | | develop that "something" and then really bring it |
| you never know quite what to expect. For this reason | | | | together for the final two times it's played. |
| you have to be flexible during performance but still with | | | | 6. Who invited Aladdin? Speaking as a drummer from |
| a basic plan between drummer and dancer. It always | | | | the Western world, we can sometimes over-do it in |
| gives you that tight edge! | | | | the dressing room. In my years of performing with |
| 2. KISS the dancer! Not like that my friends! Like this- | | | | musicians from the Middle East, the only people that go |
| Keep It Simple Stupid. It's an old cheesy marketing | | | | to their performances dressed up like Aladdin are |
| saying that many of you have heard before I'm sure. | | | | musicians from the West! If you go to a Lebanese |
| Well, if you want to be asked back for another gig | | | | wedding or a Turkish club and see the musicians, they |
| with the dancer (and I bet a million dollars the dancer | | | | don't actually wear that stuff. Dressing up like that is |
| booked the gig!) then the KISS formula will serve you | | | | good for corporate gigs that are holding a theme party. |
| well. Yes, you have rolls of thunder, and yes, you can | | | | Any other gig and you will just look a bit out of touch |
| outplay Hossam Ramzy on a bad day, but the dancer | | | | with reality in many people's eyes. Slick looking pants, a |
| doesn't really care at all about that. The dancer wants | | | | crisp black shirt and perhaps a patterned vest is much |
| rhythm and clear drum fills. Less is more my friends. | | | | more appropriate. Ladies can generally wear more |
| Also remember that a dancer (unlike us) needs to | | | | glitzy outfits without looking as silly as us gents. Food |
| breath. This can be hard to do when there is no space | | | | for thought! |
| in the music for a dancer to be still for a moment and | | | | 7. Every dancer is unique: As you will soon notice, |
| regain composure. | | | | every dancer has their own unique style. This is |
| 3. Watch the dancer and NOT the floor: I am the first | | | | something to consider when playing together. What |
| to be guilty of this act of crime. I once saw video | | | | worked last night won't necessarily work tonight. Some |
| footage of myself playing for a dancer on stage. We | | | | belly dancers are petite and like to dance fast and |
| had actually worked out a few things that she would | | | | jump onto the nearest table! Others, prefer solid |
| dance too during the drum solo and that meant that I | | | | rhythms so they can just go through all the |
| didn't have to watch her at all! When I saw the video I | | | | coreography that they may know. A dancer with a |
| cringed. I looked very disinterested in what was | | | | more voluptuous body may appreciate relaxed yet |
| happening and I completely missed something the | | | | interesting drum fills. It's all part of being able to build a |
| dancer was trying to do in the moment! How can you | | | | really comfortable rapport with one another and |
| play for a dancer and not watch what is happening? | | | | compliment each other as dancer and musician. |
| You just can't! Remember, you are actually having a | | | | The next few handy tips will be included in the second |
| conversation and talking to her (or him). You are | | | | article on Playing for a Belly dancer- 'The belly dance |
| saying, we are here, I'm doing this for a moment and | | | | drum.' |
| then I will play over here for a while. This is the last one | | | | Take care and happy drumming. |
| and then I will go over there, do you know what I'm | | | | |