Introduction To Finger Cymbals

by Shira

Finger cymbals are called "zils" or "zills" in Turkey and "sagat" or "zagat" in Arabic. They are small metal disks, worn on your hands and played while you are belly dancing. Most belly dancers wear four of them: one on each thumb, and one on the middle finger of each hand. In Morocco, there is a style of playing the finger cymbals that employs only three finger cymbals: two on one hand, and one on the other hand. The instructions on this page assume you will be using the typical set of 4 finger cymbals--one for each thumb, and one for the middle finger of each hand.

This web page is not designed to be a substitute for having a teacher. The best way to learn is to have someone who knows how teach you. Think of this page as something that supplements what you are already learning in class.

Buying Finger Cymbals

Where To Find Finger Cymbals

Many vendors who sell belly dance supplies offer zills. Please patronize your local vendor if you have one. If you don't, here are some vendors who sell finger cymbals via mail-order:

Universal Imports. 1072 South De Anza Blvd. A107, PMB 450, San Jose, CA, 95129 USA. Voice: (+1) 408/257-9655. Fax: (+1) 408/257-9099. They are experienced in selling worldwide, not just within the United States.
Saroyan Mastercrafts. P.O. Box 2056, Riverside, CA 92516, USA. Voice: (+1) 909/783-2050. Fax: (+1) 909/276-8510. Web site at http://www.saroyanzils.com/.
El Coyote Enterprises. 1011 Hidden Valley Road, Soquel, CA 95073. Voice: (+1) (831) 464-8877. Web site at http://www.sirocco-music.com/~elcoyote/index.html.

How To Choose Finger Cymbals

Ideally, try to buy your cymbals in a setting where you can actually strike them against each other and hear the sound they make--that way, you'll be assured of having a sound you like. If you buy from a mail-order vendor, try to have a telephone conversation with the vendor and ask them to strike the zills so you can hear them over the phone. Compare the sounds of different cymbals, because the different models definitely sound distinctly different from each other.

If you are new to belly dancing, you will probably prefer using smaller zills. They weigh less than the larger ones, and their sound isn't as loud. A good size for beginners is 2-inch diameter (5.2 centimeters). Professional dancers often like to use larger cymbals (2.5 inches, or 6.5 centimeters) for restaurants or nightclubs because they are loud enough to be heard over a loud band or sound system. However, the pros will still utilize smaller cymbals when dancing in a more intimate setting such as performing a bellygram in a living room or office, because the larger ones would be too loud for that environment.

When you purchase your zills, look for the kind with two slots side by side, like the one on the left of the illustration. Avoid the kind that have a single hole in the center, like the one on the right!!! Why? Because once you add the elastic that holds the cymbals on your fingers, the single-hole kind will be very difficult to control, and that makes it harder to play. It may be tempting to purchase the single-hole kind, because they often cost less than the others, but in this case, you get what you pay for--a cheap product that will make it more difficult to learn. The kind with the two slots gives you much more control over how your cymbals behave, thus making it easier to learn when you're a novice, and easier to play fast once you know what you're doing.

Buy your cymbals in sets of four. That's normally how they come.

Cymbals usually come in two colors: gold tone (brass) and silver tone (either a silver alloy that is silver tone throughout the metal or brass plated with either nickel or silver). It really doesn't matter which color you buy--choose what you like, but also pay attention to the sound. Professional dancers often have several pairs of finger cymbals--a couple of different sizes in gold tone and a couple of different sizes in silver tone, so they can choose the color that looks better with a particular costume and the sound volume that works best for a particular setting.

Some finger cymbals come with elastic to hold them on your fingers. Others come without elastic. If yours come with the round cord elastic, replace it immediately--it makes cymbals much harder to control! If yours come with the flat strip of elastic that is approximately the width of the slots, that's exactly what you want.

At some point, you may need to purchase new elastic for your cymbals. Maybe they didn't come with any. Or, maybe they came with the worthless cord-type elastic. Or, maybe they came with the right kind but you played them so much that you wore it out! In any event, before you go to the fabric store in search of new elastic, measure the length of the slots. Then go to the fabric store and look for the sign that identifies the "Notions" department--that is where elastic is sold. Look for "braid elastic", which is the flat kind, in a size 1/8 inch wider than that of the slots. The extra width will give you additional control over the cymbals as you play them. Such elastic normally comes in two colors: black and white. Choose whichever you prefer. I personally prefer black, because white can become soiled and look dirty over time.

Cartoon Of A Dancer Playing The Finger Cymbals

Preparing Your Cymbals For Use

Once you bring your cymbals home, you will probably need to insert the elastic before the first time you use them. If the elastic has already been inserted, you should try on the cymbals and adjust it if necessary to fit snugly.

Inserting Elastic

Measure the distance around the circumference of one of your middle fingers near the joint closest to your fingertip. Add one inch, then cut two pieces of elastic that length. Thread each end through a slot, so that the loop is on top of the cymbal and the ends stick out on the bottom.

Slip your finger through the loop at the top of the cymbal, then tug on the elastic at the bottom until it fits your finger securely. If you can slip the cymbal back and forth or around on your finger, it is much too loose. Tighten it. You'll know it's tight enough when the elastic can no longer slip on your finger. On the underside of the cymbal, mark a spot on the elastic next to the slot. Do this on both slots. Grasp the ends in your finger and pull so that the loop lies flat against the top of the cymbal. Now, secure the ends at the spot you marked. You can either hand sew them, machine sew them, or use a tiny safety pin. Cut off the excess ends, leaving about 1/8 inch of elastic sticking out beyond the stitching or pin.

Repeat this process for the thumbs.

If you wish, mark the thumb cymbals in some way so that you can tell at a glance which cymbals have elastic sized for your fingers and which for your thumbs. Some dancers put a tiny drop of colored nail polish on the inside of the thumb cymbals close to the slots where it won't show much. Others take a colored thread that is a different color from the elastic and make a little running stitch through the elastic on the thumb zills. After discovering that such markings don't help much in a dark backstage area, my friend Talibah sewed a few beads on the loop of the zills that fit over her middle fingers so that in the dark she could tell by touching the elastics which were sized for thumbs and which for fingers.

Please Don't Torment Your Family & Neighbors!

If you live in an apartment or condominium complex, chances are your neighbors will not be enthusiastic about listening to you practice! One thing you can do is make "zill mufflers" similar to the ones shown at the right. This will cut both the initial volume of noise made when you strike the zills and the ringing that follows.
Photo Of Large 6-Petal Zill Mufflers

There are several approaches--pick what works for you:

Well-known New York dancer Morocco has recommended this one for over 30 years: Cut the toes out of old socks, and either put elastic or thread a drawstring made of heavy cord around the outer edge. Then slip over each cymbal.
Buy a pair of baby booties. Put a drawstring through the open end. (Thanks to Rhiannon for this suggestion!)
Using lightweight felt or a knit fabric that doesn't ravel, cut a circle that's a little larger than the width of the finger cymbal. Either sew elastic around that edge or thread a drawstring made of sturdy cord through the edge and tie it in a bow.
Crochet a circle slightly larger than the finger cymbal using cotton crochet thread and a steel hook. Then do a round or two without making any increases. Do an openwork row wide enough to thread elastic through, then fasten off. Thread elastic through the final row and secure it. Need a pattern? See my article titled Crocheted Zill Mufflers elsewhere on this web site for detailed instructions on two different designs in two different sizes, including the Six-Petaled Flower pictured above.
Buy some masking tape--the kind sold at hardware stores for painters to use in protecting window sills and other surfaces from being accidentally painted--and place it across the striking surface of the finger cymbals in an "X" shape. Look for Scotch Brand 2090 Long Mask made by 3M (the same people who make Post-It Notes)--it's easily removable and doesn't leave adhesive residue. That will partly mute the cymbals. For more muting, use additional tape to cover more of the surface. (Thanks to Tedi Thomas for contributing this tip!) Avoid using first-aid tape or others that can leave an adhesive residue--it can be a real nuisance removing that residue!

Make Or Buy A Zil Bag

A zil bag is a nice convenience for carrying your finger cymbals between home and class. Some belly dance supply vendors sell them, but they're also easy to make.

Here are instructions for a drawstring zil bag:

Use a sturdy fabric scrap left over from making one of your costumes. Or, purchase 1/8 yard of pretty fabric such as velvet, brocade, velour, or velveteen. If you don't have much experience with sewing, either pick a fabric that doesn't ravel very easily, or purchase some Fray-Check to finish off the raw edges. Also purchase 3/4 yard of gold or silver metallic cord, or satin rattail cord.

Measure the diameter of your zills at their widest point. Add 2 inches. This will be the width (side to side) of your zil bag. Now, add 1 more inch to that. This will be the height (top to bottom) of your zil bag. For example, if your finger cymbals are 2 1/2 inches (6.5 centimeters) in diameter, then you should cut two rectangles, each 4 1/2 x 5 1/2.

Place your rectangles right sides together. Sew a 1/2-inch (1.3 centimeter) seam along 3 of the 4 sides as follows: Start your seam 1 1/4 inches below the top edge, then sew the rest of that side, across the bottom edge, and up the other side, stopping short of the end by 1 1/4 inches. Turn right side out. Make a tiny 1/8 inch hem on the unfinished edge of the side seams (that is, the 1 1/4-inch end that you left unseamed). Now, turn under the top edge to make a casing. Stitch into place, but leave the ends at the side seams open--that's where your casing will go. This is the end of the sewing.

Cut your length of cord in half. Take a medium-sized safety pin (about 1 inch long) and pierce one end of one piece of cord. Push the safety pin into the casing, and push it all the way through until it comes out the other end. Then insert it in the opening on the other side of the top, and push it all the way through, so that you end up with both ends of the cord sticking out of the same hole. Tie the ends together. Now, starting with the hole on the opposite side of the bag, use the safety pin to draw the other cord through. This way you'll end up with a knotted end coming out of each side of the bag.

Depending on your taste and your sewing skill, you could alternately make an envelope-shaped finger cymbal bag that fastens with a snap, or you could make a zippered bag. It's up to you.

Exercises To Become Comfortable

With Finger Cymbals

You've been taught in your belly dance class how to play finger cymbals. You want to master them. Of course, you'll do whatever exercises your teacher suggests. But what more can you do to get proficient on them? Here are some ideas. Now, here are some exercises to help you get comfortable with playing the cymbals and dancing while doing so.

Listen to one of your favorite tapes or CD's. It doesn't need to be Middle Eastern music--in fact, if you are new to Middle Eastern music then it's better for you to work with the latest hit from the radio! The important thing is that you pick a piece of music that you already know very well, and that you like a lot. Select a song that has a particularly strong rhythm--something so strong that it makes you want to get up and dance to it--not necessarily belly dance, just dance!

Listen closely to the rhythm.
Listen for the drum beat.
Now listen for the primary melody line.
Now listen for other instruments that are supporting the drums by playing a rhythmic pattern of their own. For example, in polka music tubas usually do this.
And now listen for any counter-melodies--musical phrases that are different from the main melody, but sound pleasing when played in opposition to it.
Play your finger cymbals in time to the main melody.
Once you have done that a while, switch and play them in time to the underlying drumbeat or rhythmic pattern played by other instruments.
Then play them in time to the counter-melody.
Keep switching from one to another.
Repeat the above step, but stand up and dance a little while playing the finger cymbals. You don't have to get fancy, and you don't necessarily have to choose belly dancing moves (although you can if you want to). Just dance, and play along on the cymbals. Again, alternate between playing with the melody, playing with the rhythmic section, and playing with the counter-melody.
Drawing Of Finger Cymbals

You may now sit down again or stand in place. Turn off your stereo, and sing a song that you learned as a child. Children's music is wonderful for learning finger cymbals because it has very simple melodies and rhythms. Good songs to work with include, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "I'm A Little Teapot", "The Eensy Weensy Spider", and "Mary Had A Little Lamb," but if you'd rather use something else, that's fine. Just stick with something very simple that you know very well.

Sing it once without playing your cymbals.
Now sing it again, and this time play your cymbals along with it. Play in time to the melody. For example, for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" if you're right-handed, you might play "RLRLRLR RLRLRLR. RLRLRLR RLRLRLR. RLRLRLR RLRLRLR," or if you're left-handed, you might play "LRLRLRL LRLRLRL. LRLRLRL LRLRLRL. LRLRLRL LRLRLRL."
Sing that same song again, and this time try to sway your body and dance a little at the same time you are singing and playing your finger cymbals. If you find you can't sing, dance, and play cymbals at the same time, then back up to the previous step and get a little more comfortable with that before trying the dancing again.
Sing that song again and try to vary what you do on the cymbals. Don't just clack out the obvious melody line. Stick in a little embellishment here and there. Pause briefly now and then. Stop dancing if you need to--the focus is to create a rhythm that complements the song and makes it more interesting. If you can't do that and dance at the same time, then concentrate on the zill playing. Add the dancing once you can embellish with confidence.

Applying Finger Cymbals

To Middle Eastern Music

Once you feel comfortable with dancing and playing finger cymbals at the same time to familiar popular and childhood music from your own culture, then start training your ear to become familiar with the sounds of Middle Eastern music.

Study the typical Middle Eastern rhythms, particularly maqsoum, chiftetelli, and masmoudi kabir. Once you have mastered those, you can move on to karsilama, which is a more difficult rhythm. Listen to a tape that specializes in playing just the drum rhythms, and really listen to hear what that drum rhythm sounds like. Then, try to copy it on your finger cymbals.
Play a tape with a drum rhythm on your cassette player. Then, play your finger cymbals along with it. Vary the rhythms that you play on your finger cymbals. You don't necessarily need to match what the drum is doing--try playing a rhythm with the drumbeat that is different from it, but still coordinates well.
If you need ideas for finger cymbal rhythms that work well with the maqsoum rhythm, see the article on this site titled Finger Cymbal Rhythms For Arabic 4/4 Music. First try playing these rhythms by themselves, without the drum accompaniment. Then try playing them accompanied by your drum tape.
If you need ideas for finger cymbal rhythms that work well with the karsilama rhythm, see the article on this site titled Finger Cymbal Rhythms For Karsilama (9/8) Music. First try playing these rhythms by themselves, without the drum accompaniment. Then try playing them accompanied by your drum tape.

Practice Tapes

Practice tapes of Middle Eastern rhythms are available both featuring finger cymbals and featuring drum rhythms. If you can afford only one, then I encourage you to choose a drum tape because it will help you attune your ear to what you hear in actual Middle Eastern music. Although some music ensembles do have someone playing finger cymbals, they're not common, and you're more likely to find yourself practicing or performing to music in which the only percussion is a drum.

There are several percussionists who have released cassette tapes or CD's featuring drum rhythms for training use. Here are some good choices:

Uncle Mafufo's Basic Rhythms. Volume 1. Featuring Armando, the percussionist for Sirocco. Rhythms included are maqsoum (spelled moksoom on the tape label), chiftetelli, masmoudi kabir, karsilama, and more. Although there is also a Volume 2, as a beginning belly dancer you probably don't need it because it features primarily rhythms that you are not likely to encounter when belly dancing: Tsamiko, Kalamatiano, Laz and Ziebek, Shus, Shish Hasht, Samai, Sahidi, and Karachi. If your favorite belly dancing vendor doesn't sell this tape, contact Uncle Mafufo directly at (+1) (408) 475-3591, or write to him at Sirocco, P.O. Box 24, Capitola, CA 95010, USA.
Basic Middle Eastern Rhythms. Volume 1. Featuring Michael Beach, the percussionist for Brothers Of The Baladi. Rhythms included are maqsoum, chiftetelli, masmoudi kabir, karsilama, and more. So far as I know, he never made a Volume 2. If your favorite belly dancing vendor doesn't sell this tape, you can write to Michael at Brothers Of The Baladi, P.O. Box 14083, Portland, Oregon 97214, USA.
Middle Eastern Rhythms, Series Of Tapes. Performed by Mary Ellen Donald, well-known San Francisco percussionist. This is a series of four cassettes. The two beginner-level ones are played slowly and simply, to make it easy for beginners to hear and play along with the rhythms. The two intermediate/advanced level ones are played more quickly with more complex variations, to help more experienced individuals hone their skills. Volume 1 of both the Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced tapes includes Ayyoub, Baladi, Malfouf, Rhumba, Saudi, Bolero, Chifte-telli, Karsilamas, Karachi, Sa'idi, Nawwari, Walking Maqsoum, and Masmoudi. Volume 2 of both levels covers 6/8, Sha'bia Heart, Sha'bia Lung, Tunisian 12/8, Syrto, Jurjuna (Armenian 10/8), Kalamatiano, Syncopated Spice, Wahidah, Fast Chiftetelli, Mellow Masmoudi, Sama'i, and Fallahi. A beginning belly dancer probably wouldn't need Volume 2 because the more common rhythms all appear on Volume 1. If your favoriate belly dancing vendor doesn't sell this tape, contact Mary Ellen directly at (+1) (510) 654-DRUM, or write to her at Mary Ellen Books, P.O. Box 411562, San Francisco, CA 94141-1562.

If you'd like to use a video for finger cymbal instruction, consider:

How To Play Finger Cymbals. Produced by Harry Saroyan, this video features finger cymbal instruction with Mesmera. A review of this video appears elsewhere on this web site. The rhythms covered are Beledi, Maqsoum, Chiftetelli, Masmoudi, 6/8, and 9/8. If your favorite belly dancing vendor doesn't sell this video, contact Harry directly at (+1) (909) 276-9925, or write to him at Saroyan Mastercrafts, P.O. Box 2056, Riverside, CA 92516.

When Your Zills Get Old

Zills do start to show their age after a few years of regular use. This is particularly true of the beautiful shiny brass ones, which can tarnish. Brass polish can restore the shine, but it's a lot of work.

Be sure to replace the elastics as soon as they start to show wear. Worn elastic can make for embarrassing moments on stage--your zills can fly off your fingers and go rolling across the stage.

After years of use, the sound of your finger cymbals can become deadened. Some people have had success removing the elastics from their zills, then baking them in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes--but don't do this unless you're thinking of discarding that pair anyway--just in case you don't care for the results. Alternatively, you can purchase a new pair.

For More Information

An article on Saqra's web site titled Cymbal Of The Times contains additional information on finger cymbals, including how to choose them, prepare them for use, and play them.

Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank Harry Saroyan, who is both a metallurgist and a finger cymbal manufacturer, for giving me the information about the types of metals used for manufacturing the gold-tone and silver-tone zills.