Mike's Oud Forums

Question on the Samai form

Alan-TX - 8-20-2015 at 07:25 AM

I have understood that the Samai form is:

time signature 10/8

Hana 1
Teslim
Hana 2
Teslim
Hana 3
Teslim
Hana 4
Teslim

Number of repeats of hana and teslim is variable
4th hana is a different time signature traditionally 3/4 or 6/4 buy may be something different.

However Sama‘i Bayati 'Qadim' or possibly known as Sama‘i Bayati Thaqil does not follow this form.

So my question is: Are there two or more Samai forms? with the most common being the one I described above?

Thanks!

Jody Stecher - 8-20-2015 at 04:48 PM

"Sama'i Thaqil" usually means the 10/8 rhythm of the sama'i form with its particular formula of resonant and non-resonant drum strokes and implies the corresponding melodic structure.

The particular piece of music you are referencing in the youtube performance to which you provided a link and in the referenced book does seem to me follow the form you describe except that there is no change of thaqil in the fourth khana.

Where do you hear it wandering away?

Alan-TX - 8-21-2015 at 07:32 PM

The only difference is that 4th khana does not change time signature.

Jody Stecher - 8-21-2015 at 09:18 PM

My semi-educated guess as to the reason for that it that this is an old composition from a time when the fourth khana time change was an option, not a convention.