Arabic music

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:08 pm

Does anyone know where to go for sheet music for Arabic folk music? I don't mind paying, but I'd like to see at least a little free stuff first to see if it "works" for me.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:06 pm

For a quick "cheat", get one of these:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?p=347217

Play Celtic into it, and it comes out Arabic/Israeli !

I think playing Arabic music on a normal diatonic whistle or flute would be very difficult, with lots of accidentals (extra sharps and/or flats)

BoneQuint · Post by **BoneQuint** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:50 pm

brewerpaul wrote:I think playing Arabic music on a normal diatonic whistle or flute would be very difficult, with lots of accidentals (extra sharps and/or flats)

Arabic music also uses many pitches in-between half-steps. Sami Shumays has a nice site, with some recordings and writings about Arabic music. He says:

Sami wrote:I believe in teaching primarily by ear. Having been heavily trained in written music—whether that is composition, performance, or theory—I found that I had much to unlearn in order to be able to hear and understand Arabic music. Not everything in music can be notated, especially in Arabic music, where there are many subtle ornaments and different tunings of notes (there are more than what people like to call “quarter tones”—Arabic music has many notes in between the standard 12 notes of Western music). But beyond that, there is something about the oral tradition fundamental to Arabic music. Arabic pieces and songs can be and have been notated using Western notation, but I have come to believe that it ceases to be Arabic music when that happens.

You can hear some good music and conversation about Arabic style, modes, rhythms, dance, etc. on Sami's "Personal Performances" podcast, very nice stuff.

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 10:43 pm

I suspected there would be some issues.
Thanks for the info. guys.

Sylvester · Post by **Sylvester** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:48 am

You'll definitely need some keys. From time to time I play with a fantastic Moroccian oud player. His doubled 5 strings are sort of tuned like that C, L, D, F, C; not too bad for the flute in D, but Arabic music uses lots of accidentals. I usually can't play none of his tunes unless with the keyed. We usually do the other way round: I choose Irish tunes in D, F or L since he's perfectly able to keep up, adding some beautiful western patterns that give to the tune an interesting "perspective".

Father Emmet · Post by **Father Emmet** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:57 pm

Tunes in "L"? What is that?

C age ing · Post by **C age ing** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:19 am

Father Emmet wrote:Tunes in "L"? What is that?

Good description for anything I play.

Sylvester · Post by **Sylvester** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:23 am

C age ing wrote:
Father Emmet wrote:Tunes in "L"? What is that?
Good description for anything I play.

Sorry mates I meant "A". I was thinking in "La". It's hard enough to me thinking of notes; gets worse when it comes to translate them into ABC.