Playing Odd Meters and Aksak on the Darbuka

ADV-052 What does “aksak” mean, and how do I count 9/8? #

Aksak is Turkish for “limping”, and it describes rhythms built from uneven groups of twos and threes. The classic Turkish 9/8 (karsilama, roman havası and their relatives) is grouped 2+2+2+3. Traditionally you count it “1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3”, which feels like four steps with the last one long. Counting straight from 1 to 9 works too. Either way, the feel is short, short, short, long.

ADV-053 Where should the accents go in 9/8, and what’s the most common mistake? #

Emphasise the start of each group, beats 1, 3, 5 and 7, and let that last group of three limp instead of punching beat 9. Several teachers warn that a strong accent on the ninth pulse kills the swing outright. The common mistake is rushing the long final group until the whole thing collapses into straight 8. The fix is listening to a lot of real recordings, because the swing never fully fits on paper.

ADV-054 Are all 9/8 rhythms the same? #

No. Alongside the 2+2+2+3 Turkish karsilama feel there are Balkan and Romani 9s. One Romani variant is felt as four twos followed by a quick, almost-rest ninth pulse, and there are other groupings besides. So always ask which grouping a piece uses, and learn it from recordings of that particular style.

ADV-055 How do I practise odd meters so they feel natural? #

1. Say the groupings out loud — “ONE-two, ONE-two, ONE-two, ONE-two-three”.
2. Clap or step the groups while you speak the Doums and Teks.
3. Set the metronome clicking every eighth note at first, then only on the group starts.
4. Play along with recordings, and dance to them if you can. Aksak rhythms come from dance. Once one odd meter clicks, the others (7/8, 10/8 and so on) come much faster.

ADV-056 How do I handle tempo changes, like the acceleration at the end of a drum solo? #

Practise the acceleration itself — deliberately. Play a rhythm to a metronome, step it up through several tempos without stopping, and practise dropping back down to a slow tempo using a clear transition phrase. In belly-dance drum solos the finale almost always starts with the drummer speeding up, so you need to own that build and then land a clean final accent with the dancer, not near her.

ADV-057 How do I keep time when the band speeds up or slows down? #

Lock onto the lead player, usually the lead percussionist or the melody instrument, and simplify your part through the transition. Drop the ornaments and play the bare skeleton of the rhythm, and following becomes far easier. Rushing is the usual error in fast music, so practise sitting slightly behind a steadily accelerating track.

ADV-127 How do I count aksak semai (10/8) and devr-i hindi (7/8)? #

• Aksak semai is 10 beats grouped 3+2+2+3. It’s the usul used in most Turkish classical saz semai pieces.
• Devr-i hindi is a 7-beat usul, commonly felt as 3+2+2.

Count the groupings out loud (“1-2-3, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3”) and put a Doum or an accent at the start of each group. For the feel, YouTube demonstrations by Turkish players are your best reference.

ADV-128 Should I play odd meters for a dancer I don’t know? #

Ask her first. Drummer Frank Lazzaro’s advice in Gilded Serpent is to check tempo preferences and steer clear of challenging meters with less experienced dancers. A dancer who hasn’t trained in 9/8 or 7/8 can’t show off in them — and remember what your solo is for. It’s there to make the dancer look good.