Asher Laufer (אשר לאופר) wrote a paper "תנועות ידיים וראש בשעת קריאת התורה" on this subject. He describes (in my own very loose translation and sometimes condensation):
In Rabat, Morocco, the Torah reader himself moved his right hand or his head when reading words with mafsik (pausal) cantillation. That is, the motions constituted an "accompaniment":
zarka – he moves his head leftward
s'golta, zakef katon, asnach, sof pasuk – the index finger is situated on the table vertically; the other fingers form a fist
pazer gadol, karne fara, sh'ne g'rishin, shalsheles – he lifts his hand above his shoulder; the index finger is extended and the other fingers are in a fist
talsha – some (not all) make a circle with the hand, with the hand at shoulder-height
azla g'rish – he moves his head leftward and then rightward (back and forth)
r'via – he moves his hand downward (one movement)
kadma – he lifts his index finger a little upward. (It's the identical sign as for pazer except that he lifts the finger less than to shoulder-height.)
zakef gadol – he shakes his head down-up-down (three movements)
t'vir – the palm is open and is moved on a slant downward to the left to the table
In Fez, Morocco, they practiced two sets of motions. One was "accompaniment" of the head by the reader himself. The other set was done only when the reader was inexpert in the cantillation: then the "somech", standing to his left, helped him with "assisting" signs executed with the right hand or both hands. The assisting motions were not done simultaneous with the reading, as the accompaniment was, but beforehand, so the reader would know what cantillation was coming up. The use of assisting motions is disliked and generally unused, but is used freely in teaching cantillation to children.
zarka – the index finger is extended and the others form a fist. Move the hand upward slowly. Head accompaniment: the reader moves his head downward; some also raise their eyebrows.
s'golta – After raising the hand for zarka, lower the palm. At the end, the palm is open and not resting on the table.
pazer – Move the hand slowly leftward once. Head accompaniment: turn the head in small circles.
talsha and karne fara – the somech draws circles in the air until the reader starts reading the talsha. Head accompaniment: arcing rightward.
azla g'rish – the somech lifts both hands in parallel (each finger opposite its mate), and bends the fingers inward (thereby indicating the Tiberian symbol). Head accompaniment: move the head leftward, then rightward.
pasek – as for zarka but faster. Head accompaniment: suddenly lifting the head.
r'via – the hand is at shoulder height and the index finger is turned slowly slightly backward toward the shoulder. Head accompaniment: turn the head slowly to the right.
kadma – the hand is at shoulder height and is moved leftward to be at the base of the throat. Head accompaniment: turn the head down and leftward (similar to the hand motion).
zakef katon – from the end of the hadma sign, the hand is then moved slowly to rightward. Head accompaniment: move the head downward.
zakef gadol – the palm is open and moves upward slowly. Head accompaniment: move the head downward.
shalsheles – a slow arc rightward. Head accompaniment: an arc rightward.
sh'ne g'rishin – standing the index and middle fingers connected (like the Tiberian symbol)
darga – the palm is opposite the middle of the chest and lifts until it's at shoulder height and on the somech's right side.
t'vir – opposite hand motion to that of darga. Head accompaniment: move the head downward.
maarich, tarcha, asnach – the somech shows the symbols at [the height he's at already?]. Head accompaniment: none.
y'siv – the palm is opposite the middle of the chest and moves fast rightward. Head accompaniment: none.
sof pasuk – lift the extended palm slightly.
In Djerba, a "masmich" would aid the reader by putting his right-hand fingers on the reader's back (near his left shoulder) during the reading; this is still done in the Djerba synagogue in Jerusalem. Another informant says that to teach children the reading, a teacher would use his right hand as follows:
zarka – with the index finger extended and the others in a fist, make three or four fast clockwise circles
s'golta – vertical motion
pazer gadol, zakef gadol – slow upward motion
talsha, karne fara – slow clockwise circles
azla g'rish – with the index finger extended and the others in a fist, make the azla shape twice, slowly
pasek – a fast right-and-upward motion (with the index finger extended and the others in a fist)
r'via – like for pazer but faster
kadma – like for s'golta but shorter
zakef katon, darga, t'vir, asnach, sof pasuk – like for s'golta but slower
shalsheles – with the index finger extended and the others in a fist, make two slow circles and then throw the hand upward fast
sh'ne g'rishin – with the index finger extended and the others in a fist, make two slow circles
The ancient community of Rome:
mercha-tip'cha-esnach/sof pasuk – the open hand, palm down, is placed on the back of the reader's hand as he points to the words
mahpach-pashta-munach-zakef katon – the open hand, palm down, moves up and down repeatedly, increasing in amplitude
pasek – the open hand, with pinky side down, moves downward once
t'vir – with the index finger extended and the others in a fist, and with the hand oriented so the index finger points downward, the hand moves downward once
mercha t'vir – as for t'vir alone, but the hand starts off oriented so the finger is pointing upward and arcs around
sh'ne pashtin – the open hand, with pinky side down, moves back and forth
kadma v'azla, darga, gershayim, r'via – with the index finger extended and the others in a fist, and with the hand oriented so the index finger points upward, the hand moves upward once
talsha – with the hand in a fist and oriented so the back of the hand is upward, move the hand downward once
He notes that all these traditions are still live but are dying.
Note also that this paper indicates that it was presented with a videotape of the signs, including some of the above and some not listed above (from Egypt and Sana).
I have also seen (and used) chironomy different from all the above. I suspect any synagogue, reader, or gabay can make up whatever suits him, so long as the reader understands it.
