Accessing Arabic Music

Hi there! I’m Heather Wayman, assistant teacher and team member at The Belly Dance Geek. Today I want to share with you three strategies for dancing to Arabic music.

In my high school years, I was a band geek. I played flute, piccolo and keyboards. When I first started to belly dance, I didn’t know a thing about Arabic music, its structure or where to find it. I didn’t know that there is a profound difference between eastern and western music. All I knew then, was that it was fun to move around to. I bought every edition of CDs produced by Miles Copeland for the Belly Dance Superstars. As time went on and I was exposed to more and more Arabic music, I learned how to listen and process it. I expanded my music collection as often as I could. I noticed the magic that Arabic music brings to my life. Let’s look at some ways to share that magic.

The first and most important strategy is being familiar with the different structures of music. There are three main structures. A) Section, Section, Section B) Verse/Chorus and C) Repeating

Section, Section, Section structure is comprised of differing parts that are kind of “stand alone”. There is often a hard break in between them (but not always) as the new section is usually dramatically different than the preceding section. A “mergence”, which is the opening piece of a full Egyptian routine, is an example of a Section, Section, Section piece. It’s almost like a full routine with its varying speeds, oriental and folkloric flavor. A specific example of this structure would be Mashaal.

Verse/Chorus structure is just that. It begins with a verse (though sometimes starts with the chorus or an intro) and follows this pattern for 2-3 verses and choruses. Often it will include a short bridge or transition before repeating a verse/chorus or chorus, chorus, chorus and closing. A good example of this structure is Misirlou.

Repeating structure repeats the same melodic riff using different instruments and flourishes for each repetition. There may also be a transition or bridge section before finishing up with another round or two of the repeating riff. An example would be Ay Ya Zein.

The second strategy is music mapping. This works particularly well for creating choreography. But it is a very helpful way to get familiar with music for improvisation too. A general way of mapping is to notate the counts in groups of 8 (where the counts are tidy).

Sometimes the counts present in groups of 12 or 4. This can make it tricky to get an accurate notation. Don’t sweat it too much. In that case, notating in “phrases” instead of numbers can be a more useful tactic. Think of the verse and choruses as movement “sentences” and short “paragraphs”.

Mapping can also include notating the different instruments involved. This can be especially useful in the case of the Repeating structure. You can capitalize on the different moods and feelings of each instrument to create movement that keeps your audience (and yourself) engaged through the repetitions.

The third strategy is to listen…. A LOT! Listening to a lot of Arabic music will help you learn to anticipate with reasonable accuracy when the next change is coming. But where do you start? Begin with a core group of classic songs. The album “10 Songs Every Belly Dancer Should Know” springs to mind. Then add a new collection monthly, bi-monthly or at your own pace.Being familiar with Arabic music structure and building your knowledge of many songs will enable you to dance in the moment without agonizing over “what might come next”. This takes time. But it’s worth it.

In the digital age, we have so many resources for music. If you’re relatively new to the belly dance scene, the thought of building your music collection might be a little overwhelming. Some helpful resources for music include HollywoodMusicCenter.com and Maqam.com. You will find classic and modern recordings. In many cases, you can listen to song excerpts before you purchase. Amazon and iTunes are quite helpful too. Some teachers import CDs for sale and U.S. based, Middle Eastern bands and musicians sell CD or digital recordings of their works.

Let’s recap what we learned. Music is the basis for our dance. Familiarizing yourself with a LOT of Arabic music is key to being able to dance in the moment. The three main structures of Arabic music are Section, Section, Section, Verse/Chorus and Repeating. Mapping your music with counts and identifying the instrumental layers of the song can help you “show” the music with your instrument (your body).

I’m still a band geek. I don’t play, but I volunteer with the local symphony. I still have all those Belly Dance Superstars CDs too. They make a lot more sense to me now. In the beginning, I was buying them for specific songs that were popular at the time. It’s fun to go back and listen to other parts of the albums. I find “new” gems every time. Now I can recognize classic songs on those albums that were published under different song names.

Your turn – How does Arabic music make you feel? What are some of your favorite middle eastern songs?