Drums
& Equipment - Cymbals - Zils
Zils (also zills or finger cymbals) are tiny cymbals
used in belly dancing and similar performances. The word zil in Turkish
means "cymbal". They are similar to Tibetan tingsha bells.
A set of zils consists of four cymbals, two for each hand.
Zils commonly have a diameter of about 5 cm (2 in). Accomplished dancers
will often have a second — slightly larger — set for use in noisy
situations.
Makers of zils commonly use brass rather than the bronze used for larger
cymbals, but they may also employ many other alloys. They may plate some
zils in order to give a silvery colour or a brighter surface. Dancers
speak of silver tone and gold tone, and may have several sets with
different tones for different dances, or of different colours to match
different costumes.
Modern dancers use elastic to secure the zils, one to the thumb and one
to the middle finger of each hand. A hole or two slots allow the
threading of the elastic through the zil. Performers use a variety of
ways to cause the zils to ring, resulting in a wide range of sounds that
the instruments can produce.
Zils belong to the standard instruments used in Ottoman military bands
and also occasionally appear as part of Western orchestral or other
musical performances. In these cases musicians usually just call them
finger cymbals and use them to obtain a ringing sound with "Middle
Eastern" associations. Percussionists playing finger cymbals sometimes
use a less complicated technique than the traditional one used by
dancers. The musician holds one cymbal in each hand by gripping the
strap between the thumb and the index finger, and plays them by striking
the rims together. They use this technique for occasional flourishes in
the music rather than for complex rhythms and sounds.
Instruction and manufacturer references
Many a belly dancer and musician has looked for sources for playing
their finger cymbals better. Several experts produced instructional
booklets and tape sets in the 1970s. These include:
* Jamila Salimpour
* Mimi Spencer
* Mary Ellen Donald.
Manufacturers include:
* Saroyan (has videos for instruction)
* Turquoise International (has videos for instruction)
* Zildjian
From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zil
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