Jumping Between Rhythms

By this point, we’ve learnt a great deal, well done. In this section, we are going to bring together a lot of what we’ve learnt. Let’s consolidate some of our rhythms and turn them into something a little longer by looking at how we can link different rhythms together.

Basic and ornamented rhythms #

It’s essential to understand the difference between basic and ornamented rhythms and to understand where and how to play them. Level 2 of the programme covers this in much more depth; however, let’s understand a few basic concepts.

Firstly, there are times where you should play basic rhythms and times where you should ornament. For example, if you were playing a song, it’s best to keep a stark contrast between the rhythm you play in the chorus compared to the rhythm you play during a verse and to contrast this further with a solo (although I wouldn’t recommend soloing at this stage). For example:

• In the chorus, generally, if it is louder or more emphatic (e.g. more instruments or singers joining in), we should play a more ornamented rhythm, for example, an ornamented Maqsum.
• A verse in a song, generally involves a singer or instrument soloing and delivering the verse in an ornamented, improvised way. At this time, you should switch your rhythm into something basic, without too much ornamentation, to help accentuate the lead singer or instrumental soloist. Something like a standard Heavy Sa’idi would be great.

The above example illustrates just one scenario, and there is no right or wrong answer for this scenario either. Choosing the right rhythm to play will come with time and experience and is very situational. However, the key thing to understand here is that you have to adapt your rhythm to your circumstance dynamically, and you will have to switch regularly between different rhythms. It is for this reason that I like grouping rhythms into families because you know that it will be easy and seamless to switch to any other rhythm in the family you are playing in.

Use of a metronome #

A metronome is one of our greatest allies when training ourselves to switch between rhythms. As a beginner, when you switch into a different rhythm, it may well confuse you and cause you to either pause, slow down or speed up, or a combination of these. You must get used to seamlessly switching between rhythms, and this is where a metronome can help. The metronome’s steady beat should allow you to judge what speed you will enter the new rhythm at, and how fast it should be played. It should also keep you in time. Using a metronome is highly recommended when practising switching between rhythms.

Rhythm switching drills #

Here are some drills you can practice to help you switch between rhythms:

Basic to ornamented switches #

In the first instance, just get used to switching between the basic and ornamented versions of rhythms we have learnt. Practice this at 80 BPM. The tabs are below:

Sa’idi with ornamented fourth bar #

In this exercise, we’re going to play 3 bars of basic Sa’idi, and then play an ornamented Sa’idi for the fourth bar. Practice at 80 BPM, then go to 100 BPM when you are confident.

Heavy Sa’idi to ornamented Maqsum switch #

In this exercise, we are going to switch from a Heavy Sa’idi rhythm into an ornamented Maqsum rhythm, playing one bar of each. Practice at 80 BPM, and then 100 BPM when confident.

Ornamented Baladi to ornamented Sa’idi switch #

This is a really tough one and will test your skills a lot. Switch between two ornamented rhythms and build up to as fast as you can. Start on 80 BPM and keep increasing by 10 BPM when you feel confident with the previous speed. If you can reach 150 BPM, hats off to you! That’s a huge accomplishment. If you can’t do 150 BPM, don’t worry, because it’s pretty damn hard!