| COMMON DRUM RHYTHMS and SIMPLE ZIL PATTERNS There are many experts in the field of rhythm which I will reference later but here are my thoughts on the subject. This article can be used for identification as well as basic guidelines for zil or finger cymbal playing. We use the term 4/4 or 2/4 to indicate "time signature", it is written as a fraction. The top number means how many beats in a measure, the bottom number denotes what kind of notes receives the beat . It helps us determine how to count each measure. For example: 4/4 is 4 beats to a count of 4 to a 4 beat measure, a 6/8 is 6 beats to a 8 beat measure etc. When you are trying to identify rhythm, listen for the Dums, the heavy or bass sound in the measure. The first Dum you hear is almost always the 1, listen for repetition and patterning. I usually connect to the dums right away and that helps me determine what the signature is. Start counting on the 1st Dum 1-4, 1-6, or whatever until the pattern repeats and emerges in your mind as a time signature. In the description of the rhythm patterns, accent the capitalized D or T. This statement is a broad generalization and shouldn't be considered a rule!I am using the term tec occasionally for the sound/strike ka for our purposes. In the description of finger cymbal playing, they are all in R hand dominant patterns, if you are left handed that would become your dominant or accented. Notice they accent the dominant or accented sound the drummer is making with their R hand. I know there are experts who disagree(about using dominant hand for playing), however that's the way I was taught and frankly I was never able to gain the same speed using L hand dominant. I've noticed this is a regional thing depending on who your primary instructors are. In finger cymbal playing consider different kinds of strokes to create different tones.
Ringing: this sounds almost bell like, the zils are struck together quickly and pulled back or rebounded quickly with no other fingers touching.
Dulled ringing: this is the same kind of strike, except the zills stay in contact together longer and the rebound is slower.
Clacking: Support or enclose the zil with the index and or ring finger.
Takking: Manipulate the zils so that the strike is perpendicular. My thumb does most of the manipulating into place and my middle finger does most of the striking.
Castanets: Deann of the Dream dancers and Light Rain taught me this. She was an exquisite ziller. Manipulate the zils like the clacking, but instead of the thumb zil laying perpendicular to the palm and striking perpendicular to the other zil, it lays flat against the palm. It helps to tuck the thumb into the palm. The hand is held like a castanet, fingers together and long with them folding over the palm which helps it to create the special tone. Some of these stroke methods have the draw back of a closed hand and or broken wrist which may detract from the line you are trying to create. So in addition to the patterns below consider using triplets and doubling in combinations to the music(melody), to the choreography(which should complement the rhythm/music) or even in counterpoint to the rhythm. triplets RLR,RLR,RLR,RLR this is an example of 3's
also: RRL,RRL,RRL,RRL.
doubling RLRLRLR (7), RLRLR (5) RLRL (4) Below are some essential rhythms with basic drum descriptions and simple zilling patterns. The D's (1) are accented and played with dominant hand. | 
