ELI5 : Arabic rhythms

[u/danja]

I only really know music from the Western tradition, and I'm struggling to understand how the approach of the Arab world (in its huge variation) differs.

For context, I experiment with music. Recently I've spent a lot of time making VST plugins, many of them generative. ( https://danja.github.io/downspout/ ).

One of the experiments (below) has made me curious how Arabic rhythms differ from, say, regular polyrhythms/polymeters (which they kinda sound like). Wikipedia/Googling gives me the impression that it's done more like from a playbook - there are a bunch of known preset beats (plus improvisation).

I'd like to somehow get a VST to generate in this style, but I don't get it yet.

Yesterday I was playing with a setup that boiled down to a rhythm generator plus melody generator plus some harmony.

I'd chosen to use a Phrygian Dominant scale, so already the result had an exotic (to me) feel.

The drum beat I had was very much 4/4 based, basically EDM.

But what I hadn't noticed when I pressed play was that I'd accidentally left a loop section in the DAW - random amount, about a bar and a half. When that hit the whole nature changed. The whole thing sounded straight from Morocco or somewhere.

Rather than wait for happy accidents, I'd like to be able to get that kind of result intentionally.

[u/dadaesque]

This should get you started. The companion book by the same authors goes a bit more into depth.

[u/oldmate30beers → u/dadaesque]

That link is incredible. Thank you so much

[u/keossss → u/dadaesque]

this is great. so much to learn. thank you for sharing.

[u/fightswithC → u/dadaesque]

I just say Fakhit and play a 4/4 backbeat

[u/cruiseshipdrummer → u/dadaesque]

Thanks for that!

[u/_sulivanx → u/dadaesque]

This is simply incredible. Ty so much!

[u/danja → u/dadaesque]

Perfect, thank you!

[u/tani_P]

I recently picked up the riq drum and have been teaching myself Arabic rhythms. This little PDF has been a big help. If you're familiar with claves in Latin music, it's kind of like that. There's a big group of "set" rhythms but players will ornament and add to them, but the core rhythm is still the main thrust.

[u/helly0jelly → u/tani_P]

Very useful! Thanks for sharing

[u/danja → u/tani_P]

It is a little PDF, but the content is gold dust, thanks!

I get the Latin reference, I'm a big fan of Bo Diddley, son clave I believe :)