Hafla Songs 
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Party Music! 
 
 
 
 
by  Carmine T. Guida 
with transcriptions by  Amy Krueger 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For more info check out: 
www.carmine.com 
Carmine’s Maqam Cheat Sheet                                                             Cool   •  Hot 
www.carmine.com      carmine@carmine.com 
 
D Based 
 
Hijaz / Hicaz  D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb, C, D 
Ay Ya Zein, Layla, Hicaz Mandira 
 
Shehnaz D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb, C#, D 
Misirlou 
 
Kurd D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C, D 
Aziza 
 
Bayati  D, E b , F, G, A, Bb, C, D  (E half­flat here is almost dead center) 
Şaşkın 
 
Saba   , E b , F, Gb, A, Bb, C, Db 
D (technically, it’s a slightly sharper Gb) 
El Samer 
 
C Based 
 
Nahawand / Nihavent C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B, C  (usually Bb on way down) 
Bir Demet Yasemen, Nihavent Oyun Havasi, Nihavent Longa 
 
Nakriz / Nikriz C, D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb, C (kind of like playing hijaz from C to C) 
Penceresi Yola Karşı, Beyoğlunda Gezersin 
 
Rast C, D, E b , F, G, A, B b , C (these half flats are on the sharper side) 
Darıldın Mı Gülüm Bana 
 
Suznak  C, D, E b , F, G, Ab, B, C (rast bottom with hijaz on G) 
 
Also good to know 
 
Hijaz / Hicaz on G  G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb, F, G (useful for modulating when soloing) 
 
Nahawand / Nihavent on A   , B, C, D, E, F, G#, A
A (G on way down) 
Nihavent Oriental 
 
Rast on G   , A,  B b , C, D, E,  F # , G
G (that F# is a F half­sharp) 
Rast Oyun Havası 
 
Other Great Resources 
 
MaqamWorld.com   ­ Educational site with tons of great samples and explanations of several Maqam.. 
Arabic Musical Scales  ­ A book and CD set by Cameron Powers. 
 
 
Rhythms in 4/4 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
Maqsum (basic) D T T D T
Maqsum (one ka) D T K T D K T TK Carmine's Rhythm Cheat Sheet
Maqsum (filled) D T TK T D TK T TK D Doum right hand low tone
T Tek right hand high tone
Baladi (basic) D D T D T K Ka Left hand high tone
Baladi (filled) D D TK T D TK T TK Bold accent
lowercase played quieter
Saidi (basic) D T D D T
Saidi (filled) D T TK D D TK T TK
Saidi (variation) TK D TK D D TK T TK To learn more check out
these great sites.
Nawari T D T D T
Nawari (filled) T D kk T D kk T kk www.carmine.com
I wrote this :)
Bolero (basic) D T T D
Bolero (filled) D -K T K T K D www.dorku.com
THE SITE for sheet music
Bambi D KT -K T KT -K D D instructional videos and mp3s.
Bambi (variation) D D D KT -K T KT -K
For lessons, workshops, etc.
Wahda D TK TK T TK TK T TK Email Me: carmine@carmine.com

Sombati D kT -k T D kk T kk Special Thanks To:

Raquy, Karim Nagi, Daveed & Jas
Zaffa D tt t t D t t

Rhythms in 2/4 1 and 2 and

Malfuf (basic) D -T T Counted as: 123 123 12
Malfuf (one ka) D kT -k Tk
Malfuf (filled) Dk kT kk Tk Running style is easier to play fast…
Malfuf (running) Dk tK tk Tk RIGHT left right LEFT right left RIGHT left

Khaligi (basic) D -D T Khaligi is Malfuf with 2 Doums

Khaligi (one ka) D kD -k Tk
Khaligi (filled) Dk kD kk Tk

Ayub (basic) D -k D T
Ayub (two ka) D kk D T

Karachi (basic) T -k T D Karachi is an inverted Ayub

Karachi (two ka) T kk T D

Rhythms in 8/4 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and

Çiftetelli (basic) D K T K T
D D T

Çiftetelli (filled) D K T K T tk
D k D k T t k

Masmoudi (basic) D D TK TK T "3 Doum" Masmoudi has Doum on 3

D TK TK T TK TK T instead of TK

Masmoudi (filled) D tk D tk TK TK T tk
D TK TK T TK TK T tk
Rhythms in 3/4 1 and 2 and 3 and
Vals D T T Counted: 1 2 3
Vals (filled) D -K T K T K Vals is Turkish for "waltz"

Rhythms in 5/8 1 2 3 4 5
Turkish 5 D k T k k Counted: 12 123
Shoush D tk tk D T Counted: 123 12

Rhythms in 6/4 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and

Sudasi D D D D D T
Sudasi (filled) D TK T D D TK T D D K T K

Rhythms in 6/8 1 2 3 4 5 6
Moroccan 6 (line 1) D k k D k k Counted: 123 123 12 12 12
Moroccan 6 (line 2) D k T k T k
Reng (Shish Hasht) D KT D TK TK Persian (Farsi) Shish = 6, Hasht = 8
York Semai D T T D T Karim Nagi: Advanced Arabic Rhythms

Rhythms in 7/8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Laz D k T k D k k Counted: 12 12 123 also: 1234 123

Kalamatiano D k k D k T k Counted: 123 12 12 also: 123 1234

Rhythms in 9/8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Karşılama D T D T T Counted: 12 12 12 123
Karşılama D tk T tk D tk T T tk also: 1234 12345
Gypsy 9 D D tk T tk T T tk
Gypsy 9 (3 doum) D D D tk T tk T T tk
Syncopated D D tk Tk kT kk T
Syncopated (3 doum) D D D tk Tk kT kk T

Rhythms in 10/8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Curcuna (basic) D T D T Counted: 123 12 12 123
Curcuna (filled) D k k T k D k T k k (pronounced "Jorjuna")

Samai (basic) D T D D T
Samai (filled) D tk tk T tk D D T tk tk