“Think with your voice when you listen to Arab music. It has a linear quality like the voice. Concentrate on its melodies, and listen to how they interact with the rhythm.”
– Simon Shaheen
The above quote is the best advice for learning middle eastern music.
I’m serious, there’s so much you can learn by yourself if you actually use your voice and learn what you’re hearing.
The YouTube channel I shared with you a couple weeks ago has inspired me to transcribe some of the Simon Shaheen taqasim found there.
If you know me and my philosophy, then you know that I never, EVER suggest learning a taqsim note for note, unless it’s for learning and study. I do suggest copying melodies, but doing it note for note is stupid and is not conducive to an artistic or creative endeavour.
Nevertheless, I made a video discussing why I felt inspired to work on this and what the drawbacks of transcribing taqasim are.
I want you to learn these taqasim too eventually.
I think Simon Shaheen’s taqasim are the best examples to emulate as a learning Oudist.
Here’s how to go about doing it:
1. Listen to them here
2. Follow the melodies with your voice
3. Pick melody lines you like, and sing them to yourself until you learn them
4. Read the transcriptions to create a mental map of the direction of melody, and pick out key tricky embellishments
5. Watch videos on how to play these taqasim specifically on the Oud
I’m adding this project to the Step-by-Step Taqasim Program because I want you to study Simon Shaheen’s taqasim. They need to serve as examples for Oud learners for years to come.
The transcriptions and video tutorials will be made available in the Step-by-Step Taqasim Program.
You’ll get access to videos showing you how to play the most important and intricate passages in these taqasim.
Get this new material free when you enrol this weekend
Enrol in Step-by-Step Taqasim this weekend and you’ll get this new material completely free when I’m finished.
Release schedule:
My deadline for releasing the 1st taqsim in Bayati is in two weeks. I hope to follow through with three more taqasim. I’ll aim to release one every two weeks. There are four taqasim in total.
I’ll email you when each taqsim is released.
Click here for more information about Step-by-Step Taqsim and enrol.
Have any thoughts or comments, let me know.
