Native Middle Eastern Cycle:
Guitar and Drum Demonstration video

Join with Saadi Neil Douglas-Klotz as he chants and demonstrates guitar chords and strumming styles to the Native Middle Eastern Cycle. Neil is joined by percussionist Matin Mize as he demonstrates Middle Eastern rhythms he has honed for over 20 years to these melodies. Each line is chanted by Neil as they play guitar and drum together.

This video is part of a larger series intended for musicians who accompany leaders (or who themselves are leaders) at spiritual practice groups, dance circles, interfaith events, etc. These videos will be helpful for anyone who works with chants and body prayer through the individual lines (or full cycles) of the various cycles created through Neil Douglas-Klotz. This series of videos was created to support leaders as they spread and deepen with this work, both individually and with groups, working with any or all of Neil’s Aramaic, Hebrew and Native Middle Eastern cycles that exist to date.

This video is not intended to teach someone new to either guitar or drum how to play the instrument. It is assumed that the viewer will have some basic guitar skills in open (GGDGGD) and/or standard guitar tuning. The video is in open G tuning, since this was what Neil was using at the time and is the most common in Dances of Universal Peace circles. If the strumming patterns appear too complicated to learn, help is generally available through local guitar class or individual lessons. In drumming, the Middle Easten rhythms patterns known as maqsoum and baladi are demonstrated with subtle variations. There is every attempt to demonstrate basic drumming patterns (for the beginner) and some advanced patterns for those who wish to enter a new level.

We hope that this video enriches your experience with the Native Middle Eastern cycle!

Warning: This video download is in .avi format, from the original DVD, together with the title audio track, in .mp3 format. The .avi and .mp3 files are packaged in a zip file, so they will need to be extracted from the zip file, once it has been saved to your computer, before they can be played using a media player on your computer, or transferred to a portable player. Please determine first where–into which folder or location–your computer downloads files. Usually your internet browser will tell you or ask you where they should go.

Any remaining stock of the original DVD can be purchased by enquiring at: legacyfulfillment@abwoon.com

Back to Main Abwoon Store Page