Hands On'Semble - A contemporary percussion quartet devoted to the art of hand drumming.

Riq Lesson Part 2
by Randy Gloss

Continuing on…
beladi (or baladi) – maqsum – felahi
Three rhythms? One rhythm? Quite frankly, yes to both.
The core, basic rhythm, is essentially the same. The primary difference is of tempo:
slow (baladi), medium (maqsum), and fast (felahi). However, not just tempo, but “feel” as well. The ornamentation and the movement can be strikingly different.
This lesson will deal with some jingle ornaments on the riq for maqsum.
In the course of my own experiences as both a student and performer of this instrument I have found three different basic frameworks for this rhythm:

video

Some people play it one way, some play it another. Everyone insists that theirs is the right way. And of course, they may be right…after all; I’m from Philadelphia. So, I find that it’s in my best interest to be able to adapt to their “right way”. This lesson is designed in a modular manner so you can work through any of the jingle ornaments with any of three basic patterns above. I recommend working on only one basic rhythm at a time.
It’s a good idea to sing the syllables (i.e. Doum tek – tek doum – tek -) while working on this, it will help with the feel.
The next step is to apply a decoration that is a very common / popular way to play this rhythm. This one ornament (rhythm) can be played in many ways to change both color and dynamics. We will discuss four ways (labeled A-D).
Here it is for the purpose of visualization, written with each of the basic rhythms.

• A) very staccato short closed sound. From the fingers. Can be played either as Left – Left or Right –Left. Basic I with A
• B) Open sound, splashy. Also from fingers. Can also be played as Left – Left or Right –Left. Can either play off the jingle (with the striking finger) to allow them to
open, or remove thumb from the back jingle and allow jingles to splash off of each other. Basic I B
• C) Back and forth shake. Discussed in greater detail in the first lesson. Basic II C
• D) Side to side shake. First shake is away (a turn to the left), the second is towards you (a turn to the right). Basic III D
This exercise actually becomes twelve different patterns, by working through playing basic pattern I with jingle patterns A, B, C, and D. Basic rhythm II with A, B, C, D. Basic rhythm III with A, B, C, D.

Next, you can make tek substitutions on the riq. Meaning, instead of playing tek literally, as a high rim sound, instead substitute another sound in its place.
Try Substituting:
• tek for pa or ka sound IB with pa as tek substitution
• tek for a jingle struck with finger
• tek for an edge sound. Strike edge of shell to get a splash (no drum sound). ID with edge as tek substitution
• tek for a slap sound

This now brings us to a total of sixty different patterns to experiment with so far.

Exercise 1:
To get comfortable with both the riq as well as a common form of four bar phrases, try playing (with either basic rhythm I, II, or III) A four times, B four times, C four times, D four times and repeat.

Have fun, think musically. Try to build, crescendo. On repeats try to incorporate tek substitutions. Mix and match, experiment.
Demonstrated: Basic Rhythm I with A four times with tek played on jingle, B four times with tek played as pa, C four times, D four times with tek played as edge sound Excercise 1 video

Next as a way to build in intensity, we will fill in all of the subdivisions with a constant 1/16th note jingle sound.

• E) very staccato short closed sound. From the fingers. Alternate right – left filling in the blanks. IIIE, IIIE with tek substitution played on jingle
• F) Open sound, splashy. Also from fingers. Also played right –Left filling in the blanks. Can either play off the jingle (with the striking finger) to allow them to open, or remove thumb from the back jingle and allow jingles to splash off of each other. IIIF
• G) Constant shaking back and forth while playing the basic rhythm. IIIG
Work through the three basic rhythms with these three jingle techniques.

In reality this is an addition of nine more patterns (plus thirty-six including the tek substitutions). This brings us to a total of one hundred pattern possibilities discussed so far.

To build in intensity, next we can add rolls.
• A common way to roll on the riq is using the fingers on the jingles.
Here are two ways to play a 5-note roll with the fingers.
The first way is using Right and Left alternately, ending with the right (RLRLR-), labeled H. The second fingering uses a triple stroke roll in the right hand ( striking the jingle with the third, second, and first fingers on the right hand), followed by left, right, labeled I. Demonstrated on the following video.

video

Here’s how it can be applied to the three basic rhythms: H and I*Demonstrated are IH, and 1-I with tek substitution on jingle.

Basic Patterns I, II, III with roll:

• Another technique for rolling is to literally shake the riq. More specifically rest the fingers of the right hand against the edge and simply flutter your hand in a relaxed manner. Try to make this an even sound. Experiment with dynamics (try to build, crescendo. Or get softer, diminuendo).

video

Demonstrated below is pattern IJ with tek substitution played on edge.

video

Exercise 2:
Building from the last exercise of four bar phrases. This one is to play a pattern three times, followed by a one measure (four beat) improvised drum break, then switch pattern and repeat.
Improvised drum break meaning that you make it up. Keep it simple and solid with regard to tempo.
Demonstrated is 1I (w/ tek substitution played on jingle) played three times, a one bar drum break, followed by IJ (w/ tek substitution played on edge), a one bar drum break, and then form is repeated. video

This lesson, after completed, should give you enough of the basic tools to be able to play along with belly dance CD’s, and even to give you the tools necessary to provide basic accompaniment for live dancers.
Good luck, and have fun.

- Randy Gloss