Dumbek rhythms

Dumbek rhythms are a collection of rhythms that are usually played with hand drums such as the dumbek. These rhythms are various combinations of these three basic sounds:

doum (D), produced with the dominant hand striking the sweet spot of the skin

tek (T), produced with the dominant hand striking the rim

ka (K), produced with the recessive hand striking the rim In traditional notation, these three sounds are represented by three letters: D, T, and K. When capitalized, the beat is emphasized, and when lower-case, it is played less emphatically. These basic sounds can be combined with other sounds:

grab (G), produced with the dominant hand. Similar to the doum except the fingers are cupped to capture the air, making a loud terminating sound. The hand remains on the drum head to prevent sustain.

trill (l), produced by lightly tapping three fingers of one hand in rapid succession on the rim

roll (r), produced by a rapid alternating pattern of teks and kas

Notation

This is the traditional dumbek rhythm notation for the 2/4 rhythm known as ayyoub:

1 + 2 +
D  kD T


Rhythms

There are many traditional rhythms. Some are much more popular than others. The "big six" Middle Eastern rhythms are ayyoub, beledi, chiftitelli, maqsoum, masmoudi and saidi.

See also: Belly dance, Arabic music

External Links

• crispyneurons: Dumbek Rhythms