Darabuka

The Darabuka (also Darbuka, Dumbek, Doumbek, Doumbec, Dumbeck, Doumbeck or Dombak) is an hour-glass shaped hand drum found throughout the Arab world. It is of ancient origin, and is believed by some to have been invented before the chair.

The darabuka has a single drum head on one end and is open on the other end. The body may be made of beaten metal (with a screwed-down tunable head), cast metal (usually aluminum), pottery (often with a glued-on head) or wood. Materials for the head include plastic or mylar (for professional drums, usually with the aluminum body) as well as more traditional animal skins, such as goat or fish. It is often combined with the ud, violin, and qanun in a takht. In general, darabukas tend to have much lighter heads than African drums, and are played with a much lighter touch and quite different strokes.

The darabuka may be played while held under one arm or by placing it between the knees while seated. It produces a resonant, low-sustain sound while played lightly with the fingertips and palm. Some players move their fists in and out of the bell to alter the tone. There are a variety of darabuka rhythms that form the basis of the folkloric and modern music and dance styles of the Middle East.

See also: Tarabuka, Arabic music, Bellydance