Masel
Oud Junkie
Posts: 367
Registered: 6-18-2006
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Some rebetika and saz questions
Does anyone here play rebetika music? I've seen some old posts about it so I thought I'd ask.
What I have trouble with understanding is the way the music is composed, though I can usually hear what maqams are being played it is usually the
style and feel I have some trouble with mimmicking. Also some of the rhtyms are confusing but I will master them eventually. I know typical rebetika
instruments are violin, which is hard for me to play on the oud or saz, and buzoukis and baglamas, which are closer but still I don't get the right
sound. Maybe the saz isn't meant to play fast embellishments like the buzouki? Does anyone else use it that way?
I am sorry, I guess I am not very clear about what I need help with, but it's because I'm not sure about it myself. I hope someone can point me in the
right direction with what little information I gave.
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minstrel
Oud Addict
Posts: 31
Registered: 10-24-2005
Location: Victoria BC
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Mood: humble
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Yiassou Mangas!
Just to clarify, you're wanting to play rebetika on saz, and not oud, correct? One of the key points is that the bouzoukis (and baglamas) were tuned
in an open DAD, which really helps in attaining that 'rebetika sound' - I've tried to play rebetika with a tetrachordo bouzouki (CFAD) and it just
doesn't sound right- I believe saz is usually tuned around GDA which might not work so well; who knows though, I've heard many different instruments
play rebetika, many much less suited than the saz; it's really all about feeling. If you can capture the emotion of the music, you could play it on a
tuba....don't laugh, I've heard it.....would've rathered a saz.
It'd definately be worth your while to listen to some Smyrneika (music of greeks living in Turkey - pre population exchange) there you'll find a lot
of oud and violin and a sound that might be a little more accessable to the saz(?)
As for the rhythms, you're basically looking at syrto (2/4), hassapiko and hassapiserviko (4/4), tsiftetellia (4/4), karsilama (9/8), and the most
important of all, zeibekiko -and aptaliko- (9/4-think of it as a bar of 4/4 and a bar of 5/4). Of course, to learn the rhythms, phrasing, and
stylistic nuances of any genre, there's no substitute for listening! Where to start? Roza Eskenazi, Rita Abadzi, Marika Kanaropoulou, Antonis Dalgas,
George Dalaras, Dimitris Atraidis.......and we mustn't forget the great Mavrothis Kontanis 
Good luck my friend,
Chris
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Masel
Oud Junkie
Posts: 367
Registered: 6-18-2006
Member Is Offline
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Thanks alot!
I want to play rebetika on saz and oud, like I said not sure how. Why do you think saz is not the proper instrument for it? Isn't it alot like the
baglama? I tune mine to CGC, which is a step lower than DAD, but it's not a big difference. I can play decent rebetika accompaniment on it (not yet so
on some of the more complex rhythms), but I also want to play the fast bouzouki melodies, which may not sound best on saz I agree, but maybe I just
need to improve. I could also play those on the oud I suppose, but the sound is very different. Maybe the only way is to get a bouzouki? But it is a
diatonic instrument with no quarter-tones, aghh... I will keep practicing.
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