Middle Eastern Rhythms, Drum & Instruments

I have been dancing for a long time and really didn't get the feel of the music until I learned how to play the Middle Eastern rhythms on the dombec.  Once I understood the various rhythms of the music I became a much better dancer.  I learned how to phrase and understand the music that I was performing to.  If you have a chance to learn to play the dombec, tambourine, def, etc. do it.  This will help your dancing tremendously.  Plus it is a lot of fun.  By learning the rhythms of the music it will also improve your zill playing.  Next time you see a workshop that offers drumming, go ahead sign up and start exploring the wonderful world of rhythm.

What you will find on this page are links to learning the dombec and other Middle Eastern instruments, the rhythms of Middle Eastern music, articles about drumming, vendors who sell Middle Eastern instruments, instructional videos, drum & Middle Eastern musical instrument websites and drum webrings.  Happy drumming.

Learning the dombec

Middle Eastern Music Books - instructional books on various instruments by various topics

Middle Eastern Rhythms FAQ (rhythms for middle eastern dance for dumbek, dumbec, doumbec, doumbek, Arabic tabla, darabuka, tombak, zarb ...) - awesome web site, contains a lot of information and MIDI sound files.

Playing a Middle Eastern Percussion Instrument - Class notes written my Jeff Senn.  Contains 10 rhythms, practice tips, song construction and more.

A Quick and Dirty Guide to Doumbek Rhythms - website by Mas'ud al-Sha'ir.  Great page.

Rhythm Classes with Osama El-Gohary - In order for someone to play rhythm, and not just the notes in a random way, they will need a kind of map to tell them which note to play, when to play it, and for how long. And since we are dealing with rhythms so we will deal with the original two notes of the rhythm which is the DOM and the TAK. - from Aziza Sa'id's page

Rhythm Web: the doumbek page - very informative page the doumbek.

Riq Lessons from Randy Gloss! - from Rhythm Web

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Rhythms of Middle Eastern Music 

Kamuran's Guide for Doumbek Players - contains a 30 rhythm handout, sites to find more rhythms and articles on drumming.

Kesslari's Advanced Doumbek Rhythms - contains six rhythms.

Music - learn about various Middle Eastern instruments.  The history, rhythms and care of the Tabla, zills, riqs, defs, oud and more.  - from Middle Eastern Dance page

Rhythm Guide - covers 10 rhythms and has sound files so you can hear how the rhythm should sound

Riq Patterns & Riffs - page has written notation and glossary of terms

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Articles About Drumming, Music and Rhythm

Basic Rhythms for Cabaret Belly Dance Routine - by Mary Ellen Donald

Caring for your Tabla - short list of helpful hints about your drum

A Drummer's Advice to Beginning Dancer's - by Kirk Templeton

Drumming for Dancers and Dancing for Drummer's - by Frank Lazzaro

Drumming to accompany dancers - by Kamuran

Middle Eastern Drum History - from Ja's website

The Percussion Virtuosity of Souhail Kaspar - by Karl Sprowl

Recreating Ritual: enhancing our daily lives with drumming and dance - by Tahya

A Review of Music and Rhythm: (from a belly dancer's point of view) - by Roxann (Ann Sabin)  This paper is organized into two sections. The first section is a very basic introduction to music and notation, and has a general application. The second section applies the first section's vocabulary and knowledge to middle eastern rhythms heard in belly dancing music.

Rhythm Classes with Osama El-Gohary - from Aziza Sa'id's page

Rhythms and Reason Series - by Mary Ellen Donald

Understanding Middle Eastern Rhythms - by Frank Lazzaro

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Vendors of Middle Eastern Instruments

Burnt Earth - contains audio files so you can hear how the drums sound

Full Circle Drums - is a renowned maker of ceramic doumbeks. Their hand-made drums are created in Santa Barbara, California, and are distributed worldwide.

Heritage Ethnic Music Online - Our customers enjoy a unique variety of ethnic and cultural musical instruments originating from many regions around the world.

Lark in the Morning - large selection of doumbeks

Mid-East Manufacturing - the ethnic musical instrument company

Middle Eastern Drums: global acoustics, strings, drums and percussion

Rhythm Fusion: Hand Drums, Musical Percussion Instruments and Sound Makers from Around the World

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Instructional Videos & CD's

Baby Beginner Doumbek Workshop - DVD

Daveed Korup - sparks our imaginations through his unique style of drumming, which reflects a synthesis of many of the world's exotic percussion traditions into an invocative, penetrating voice for this millennium.

Drum and Dance/30 Doumbek and Djembe Rhythms - CD

Doumbek Technique and Rhythms for Arabic Percussion, Bellydance and Drum Circles - DVD

Jonathan Kessler (The Dombek Video) -  has been playing music professionally since the age of 15, and has been performing M iddle Eastern music since 1981. He has performed with many of the world’s greatest Arabic, Turkish, and Armenian musicians, and is in demand to play for Middle Eastern dancers throughout the United States. He has taught Doumbek drumming for the University of California Santa Barbara’s Middle East Ensemble as well as in classes and workshops.

Quick Guide to Playing Doumbek - DVD

Rhythmic Essence - CD

Rhythms of the Arab World vol. 1 - DVD

Uncle Mafufo - Armando, (Uncle Mafufo), is a master of shading and textures on the dumbek. He is a melodic drummer and enjoys playing the powerful tabl beledi and an assortment of Middle Eastern frame drums. He is also a renowned teacher on these instruments.

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Middle Eastern Drum & Musical Instruments Websites

Anne Harkin, percussionist 
Daveed Korup's DrumFest!
The Egyptian Ney
Eric's Middle Eastern Drum Page 
Iqaat 
Frank Lazzaro  
Mary Ellen Donald
Nikos Dimitriadis
Vince Delgado

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Drum Webrings 
(note: these drum webrings include all types of drum information)

Drum Makers - webring for makers of drums
Drumming - The Drumming webring features sites by drummers, sites that are prominent in percussion music, and sites that offer drums and drumkits for sale and related instruction and accessories.
Drumming Circles - This web is dedicated to anyone who has a web page about drumming circles. Sites must be about public drumming circles and not just about drums and drumming.
Drums Drums Drums - webring dealing with all types of drums

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