Moroccan ‘Roll 4
 By Simon Webster

Welcome back to the weird world of Moroccan ‘reverse beats’. If you remember back to the last issue this refers to the way a large number of Moroccan rhythms and beats from other North African countries seem to have reversed the relationship between the ‘strong beat’ - kick drum heats or ‘drums’ from the percussion and the ‘back beats’ — snare drum hits or the slap sound on percussion.

 This means the rhythms often lead with the snare hits and have the kick drum hits later and syncopated or ‘in the air’. This is true of both their triplet-time rhythms (6/8 and 12/8) and their triplet-time rhythms (2/4 and 4/4), which we’ll be taking a look at in later issues.
 
Why is this useful? The main advantage is that playing these beats will really loosen-up both your limbs and your way of thinking. This is because your brain has to now start thinking the other way round to how it was before, and your limbs as well! Although you may not directly apply these beats, the positive effects on your general playing and musicianship wilt become obvious.
 
Now let’s carry on developing our gnawa rhythm for drum kit...
  The spirit or style of gnawa drumming means the importance is on varying the basic beat rather than long-winded fills around the drums. So, the idea seems to be to learn various ways of varying the basic rhythm and then to link them together according to what’s happening musically.
 
Another aspect of this style that I realty like is that it is also as important to be able to know how NOT to play. For example, being able to ‘drop’ beats and not being afraid to come back to a basic stripped-down groove.

Example I
This is the same as Example 2 from the last issue, except that we’ve dropped the snare drum hit on the first beat. This is now our basic beat and is the signature groove for this gnawa rhythm. Try the beat like this, not forgetting the swing and keeping the rhythm driving forward. For me, just dropping the snare radically changed the feel of the beat and likewise adding it back in from time to time is very effective.

 Example 2
Once you feel comfortable with Example 1, look at this next example which is a typical varying phrase and should be used like Example 2 in the last issue.
  The three right hands on the floor torn can be quite hard to fit in with kick drum beats, but the fact that they are all played with the same hand gives a certain feel to it. Most importantly, push them forward so that they really lock in with the kick drum.
  This phrase and indeed all varying phrases in this style need to be pushed forward as much as possible — while staying ‘in the bubble of course! Any slacking around these phrases and you’ll find yourself slipping behind the beat…. an unforgivable sin in this music!

 Example 3
Now, try this next example which is a classic gnawa loop combining our new basic beat with ‘A’ from the last issue and Example 2 from this issue.
  That’s it for this issue, and don’t forget that if you are interested in learning these beats to listening to examples of the music. The internet on this occasion is a really useful too in finding places to buy lesser-known styles of music.
 
And finally.., as I’ve said before, use technology to help you. Find a sample of ‘qarqabat’ on their own which occurs most likely at the beginning of songs and either do it yourself or ask a fiend who has the gear to sample this and put it in a loop for you to practice along to. Really bug him or her and get them to put down some loops at different speeds... in any case, have upside-down fun with it all!