Description:
The Doumbek is a goblet shaped percussion instrument that is widely
found through out the Middle East, North Africa, the Mediterranean in
Greece and Turkey. In the Balkans the doumbek is played predominantly
in Macedonia, Bosnia, Bulgaria and Albania. In Albania the doumbek is
referred to as the "darabuke". The doumbek is known in many different
regions under various names, they include: “darabuka”, “darbuka”, in
Bosnia “tarambuka” or “zarb-e-ghali” in Afghanistan. The name doumbek
has its origins from the Arabic word “darba” which means “to strike”.
Although the doumbek is widely played today throughout Egypt. The
origins of the doumbek remain unclear; since the doumbek has not been
identified on the hieroglyphics and artwork amongst the Egyptian
pyramids. In Upper Egypt the folk musicians and Nile boatmen call their
form of doumbek a "hoqa". Andalusian musicians from Morocco or Algeria
play a form of the doumbek called a "derbocka". In Jordan, Syria,
Lebanon and North Africa the doumbek is struck by both hands. Where as
in Turkey, Bulgaria and Egypt a small stick is used with the left
hands. In both Middle Eastern and “world music” the popularity of the
doumbek is a close second to the West African Djembe. The doumbek is a
very popular instrument that finds its self in “world music” and other
genres including avantgarde, rock, jazz and popular musics. Anatomy of the Doumbek: Traditionally the the body of the doumbek is made of clay. For the skin of the drum fish skin or animal hides are stretched over the top surface of the drum. Currently, doumbeks are made from metal and also their surface is often made from a thin plastic membrane. In Egypt the doumbeks are often very ornate. With my specimen the doumbek body is spun from aluminum.