The Art Of Middle Eastern Rhythm by Kobi Hagoel. 

Hardbound, A4 size, 136 pages with 6 accompanying CD's - published by OR-TAV Music Publications.

Kobi Hagoel's The Art of Middle Eastern Rhythm is one of the most complete book ever written on the subject
The book features well over 400 different rhythms collected from a vast geographical area including North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece, Turkey, the Balkans, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Central Asia.
Each rhythm is notated, and explanations are provided of the rhythm's origin and use, as well as alternate names for the rhythm from other locales.
In addition to the exceptional collection of rhythms, the book includes an introduction to the history and theory of rhythm in the Middle East, an illustrated section describing Middle Eastern percussion instruments, and a series of pictures demonstrating the correct way to hold a darbuka, riq, zarb, and daf for each of the different drum strokes
Exercises are provided for beginners, which experienced players will find beneficial as well
The text appears in English, German, French, Spanish, and Hebrew
To top it off, the book includes 6 CDs, on which all of the exercises and rhythms are recorded 136 pages + 6 CDs
 

Click here for more info. on this book.

Doumbec Delight

A 30 Lesson Course in Middle Eastern Drumming, with Basic Music Theory.
By Mary Ellen Donald. (1976)

Includes:

• Basic music theory
• Simple and fancy drum techniques
• Middle Eastern rhythms
• Guidelines for creating rhythmical variations
• Tips for accompanying belly dancers, and
• Practice suggestions

Companion Discs for Doumbec Delight

These CD's include Mary Ellen playing most of the examples in the book several times, improvising solos, and playing the accent patterns of each rhythm at length to provide a steady backup for student practice.

Volume I  Covers Lessons 1-10 

Volume II  Covers Lessons 11-30 

Product review

by Mary Ellen Donald  (1985)

Includes:

• Basic music theory
• Techniques for playing cabaret and classical tambourine, tar (wooden frame drum), and mazhar (giant tambourine)
• Several variations for each of the following Arabic rhythms:

Companion Discs for Arabic Tambourine
Mary Ellen plays all of the examples in the book several times and includes improvised solos.  

Volume 1 Covers the cabaret tambourine. 
2 CD

Volume 2 Covers the classical tambourine, tar, & mazhar.
2 CD set

Product description from author's site

Review from author's site:

Arabic Tambourine
A Comprehensive Course in Techniques and Performance for the Tambourine, Tar and Mazhar
by Mary Ellen Donald 

Why does the professional performer or dance instructor need to study Mary Ellen Donald’s Arabic Tambourine text?  For these reasons and more: her book presents the rhythms heard in Egyptian video tape performances.  Professional performers (musicians, dance troupes and dancers) and dance instructors need the knowledge base of rhythms and the cultural background of the music to enhance their professional skills and abilities.  Can you recall watching a show where the performer (musician or dancer) missed the “breaks” in the music, or danced right through them?  Or a dancer who has danced only to the iqat (rhythmic mode) and who perhaps may not have known the maqamat (melodic mode) may differ from the iqat?

Understanding and knowledge of the rhythmic patterns improves the quality of a dance performance and can also be useful to the playing of the sagats (finger cymbals) in a complimentary manner.  An exciting new horizon is expanded when you realize that all of the rhythms are directly transferable to other percussive instruments (e.g., the doumbec and finger cymbals).  In the San Francisco nightclubs of the past, the dancers were expected to “sit in” with the band between dance sets and play the tambourine.  The dancers enhanced their versatility and employability with their ability to provide accompaniment on tambourine, drum and tar.

The tambourine itself is a charming instrument.  Such a tiny instrument produces a myriad of sounds: the wood sound, skin sound like a drum, and the variable sound of the cymbals.  Mary Ellen’s tambourine solos always astound audiences with their challenging vitality and versatility of rhythmic patterns and sound.  In the Middle East the tambourine is considered a virtuoso instrument.

Let me describe to you the organization, teaching methodology and contents of Mary Ellen Donald’s Arabic Tambourine book.  According to Dr. Jihad Racy, ethnomusicologist, “The value of the book lies partly in its encompassing nature.  The student is taught old traditional patterns derived from folk, urban and ethnic sources; as well as Western-derived patterns that have become part of the Arab rhythmic vocabulary.”  A serious student can learn from the self-paced lesson plans.  Cassette tapes accompany the lesson plans and provide examples of each rhythm pattern several times.  Mary Ellen’s teaching methodology takes into account the varying students’ needs (aural or visual learning capability) and musical knowledge (experience reading music or playing an instrument).  This book contains a standard feature of her other books on drum and cymbals technique and begins with basic music theory, and contains musical notation for sight-reading of the rhythm patterns.  There is a very helpful section on the selection and purchase of your tambourine, tar, and mazhar; with special tips for care during playing and storage of your instruments.  Next, she teaches the technique of holding and playing (doum, slap, takk sounds, and muting, rolls and shake) the instrument.

Rhythms are introduced in the book with their proper names and information on their cultural background, when they are played in performances, and the feeling (melodic versus hypnotic, etcetera) given to the rhythms.  For each rhythm the pattern of instruction is as follows: 1) open rhythm pattern to clearly illustrate the pattern.  2) Basic pattern as you would normally hear it.  #) Exercises.  4) Embellishments and fill-ins.  5) Special variations and exciting “spices.”  6) Tips for creating your own variations.  7) A rhythmic review of all of the preceding patterns and variations.  The book consists of twenty-eight rhythmic patterns, syncopated spices, breaks, and drum solo patterns (hagala).

Most helpful to instructors using the material in their classes are the appendices.  Appendix A is a listing of all rhythms;  Appendix B, a glossary of terms with definitions and examples; Appendix C, a list of records that illustrate high-quality performances; and Appendix D, instructions for re-skinning the tambourine.  The book contains many helpful and clear illustrations of the instruments.

This is an extremely valuable reference book for the professional performer, dance instructor, and serious student.  I recommend it very highly as a self-taught course in tambourine, tar and mazhar, as well as Arabic rhythms.  It is the next best thing to taking a course from Mary Ellen in person.

Test your Arabic I.Q.: What is the name of the special rhythm used for the Arabic wedding procession?  Are Samaii Thaul and Samai Darij the names of Turkish singers or rhythms?  Are Saidi and Saudi different rhythms or just different spellings for the same rhythm?  Are Muhajjar and Dawr Hindi ancient Indian gods of music or are they rhythms?  What rhythms are used in the popular song “Lailet Hob”?  Do you know the difference between durub and azan; and how they are useful in teaching dance or developing choreography?

All of the answers and much more useful information can be found in the Arabic Tambourine: A Comprehensive Course in Techniques and Performance for the Tambourine, Tar and Mazhar by Mary Ellen Donald.

“Mary Ellen Donald’s book is the result of years of careful observation and contact with recognized percussionists.  It is also the fruit of a long teaching and performing career.  Written in a superbly amiable and easy-to-grasp style, the book is indeed an important source for the study of the daff and a uniquely valuable work for students and performers of Arab music.” A. Jihad Racy, Ph.D., Music Department, UCLA.

Review from author's site.

Instructional Book and CD's for Finger Cymbals

Beginner Cymbal Discs for Belly Dancers
by Mary Ellen Donald (1977; remastered 1999; disc released 2005)

After giving a brief lecture on rhythm and cymbal technique, Mary Ellen presents instructions for combining simple cymbal patterns with simple dance steps while providing a drum accompaniment throughout.  An introduction to popular belly dance rhythms is included.  This CD is useful for individual and group practice sessions.

Companion Discs for Mastering Finger Cymbals
(1976; remastered 1999; disc released 2005)

Mary Ellen plays most of the examples in the book several times.  She also includes drumming sections so that students may practice improvising to the accompaniment.

2 CD Set

Product review

The Teckronomicon

by Kevin Hartnell

CLICK TO VISIT WEBSITE

"The "Tekronomicon" is a book of over 100 exercises and drills for the aspiring darbuka (doumbek) player and features a primer on learning split finger/hand technique throughout.The "Tekronomicon" is designed to help the drummer to build skills by establishing a regimen of various exercises and rhythms to work on. The book features basic through advanced material (plenty of photos too!), including traditional rhythms and plenty of variations featuring split finger/hand technique as popularized in Turkey.  This technique divides each hand into two striking areas which can increase speed and dexterity as well as providing a fun challenge to players of all levels." Product Description from author's website

CLICK TO VISIT WEBSITE

"Method For Darbuka Vol. 2 " - Ruben Van Rompaey

CLICK TO VISIT WEBSITE

"Play The Darbuka " Pieces to play Together - Ruben Van Rompaey

CLICK TO VISIT WEBSITE

Product Description:
It gives us great pleasure to present the venerable tradition of playing the darbuka drum using a method that makes it easy to hear and simple to learn. The rhythms which will introduce you to this enchanted world have been chosen with care and are played by Ramzi Besharat and the Galilee Percussion Ensemble. Slow rhythms (played at a slow pace) are customary in artistic music; Rhythms used in both artistic and popular music; Fast-paced rhythms (played at a lively pace) and Rhythms used in popular or folk music.

1) Part One: The Percussion Instruments   (2) Part Two: The Sounds   (3) Part Three: Exercises   (4) Part Four: The Rhythms   (5) Part Five: Minus One   (6) Part Six: Rhythm Sequences   Rhythm Notation  

"RHYTHM COLLECTION ORIENTAL" with CD & DVD by Rüdiger Mau

N.B. This is in German !!!

"This rhythm collection with 112 rhythms from 21 countries offers a
comprehensive insight into the world of the oriental percussion.

The differentiating notation makes possible for the knowledgeable
as well as the self-taught, a clear understanding of the rhythms,
which are illustrated in the accompanying CD. In this way, this book
is equally appropriate for beginners and experienced musicians.
The structure progresses through 9 chapters, from easy until very
complex irregular beats, in which common dance rhythms , as well
as the rhythms of the Sufis too are included.
An additional ´´ special ´´ is offered on the DVD, on which the application
and playing techniques of the most important oriental -, but also
other popular percussion instruments are illustratively explained:
Darabukka, various frame drums like the Mizhar, Tar, Bendir, Duff and
Riq, Davul, Bongos,congos, Djembe and Cajon
The ensemble compositions, as stimulation for playing together, are
seen on the DVD as well." - Product Description from author's website

La Derbouka

by Philippe Vigreux

N.B. This is in French !!!

Language: French

"Between method and delivers rates/rhythms, the derbouka is the best-seller of the French-speaking works on the subject. Although it does not provide an audio or video support, this book is the work of one impassioned of the drum-goblet and the history of the Arab people.

Thanks to the many texts, rich person and as good French, one discovers the paths of a very widespread instrument in the East and with the Middle East.

Philippe Vigreux, musicologist specialist in the Arab world and percussionnist, are a also translator of Arab authors, and present a restitution of a traditional art whose transmission is usually oral.
Information of this serious and practical book is articulated around 8 chapters. The author observed, listened to and collected a mass of information refined during many voyages in the Arab world.

Cut in a broad format, the work treats design and role of the rate/rhythm in the Arab music, while passing by the fundamental technique of the derbouka (illustrated by many photographs), and peels more than one hundred of rates/rhythms and exercises.

To advise with the beginners, initiates, advanced and confirmed, this method is a kind of bible for the “drâbkî” (player of derbouka) and a reference near the specialists.
 
Enthralling and impossible to circumvent!"

Product review

by Mahdi Milla

N.B. This is in German !!!

From the Arab peninsula to North Africa:
 
Arab, Moroccan and Turkish rhythms
 
Book with CD

Product review

by Khalfa Dahmane

N.B. This in French !!

This Method of Derbouka presents in a simple way of the rates/rhythms of the Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) and the East (Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Pays of the Golf). Dahmane KHALFA called upon several musicians to ornament the musical beaches with melody instruments such as the nay, the kanoun, the lute, the mezmar, the goumbri, and of the percussions like the karkabous, the saguettes, the def, the req or to bendir it, thus emphasizing the richness of the derbouka. This method is presented in the form of booklet accompanied by audio CD.

Product review

by Khalfa Dahmane

N.B. This in French !!

Product review

This newest book by author Kenne Thomas, is volume one from the comprehensive Middle Eastern rhythm study text, "ANTHOLOGIA." Vol Two covers the animated rhythms of Zills and Riqq for dance. This book is a categorized rhythmic study of the intricate and mesmerizing "Iqa'at," the modes and patterns of Middle Eastern dumbek drum performance.

Chapter on dumbek instruments, "Iqa'at" (Rhythmic modes) and handing techniques with photographs.
Authentic Middle Eastern rhythm patterns from Adani to Zeimbekiko
Chapter covering rhythm terminology for reading and interpreting the Middle Eastern patterns.
Rhythms of al Andalus, the Balkans, Persia, the Maghreb, the Levant, and other regions.
Dumbek patterns and techniques for rhythm variations, improvisation and soloing.
Recommended recordings list of dumbek, zills, riqq and belly dance performance music.

Product review

WEBSITE

This newest book by author Kenne Thomas, is volume two from the comprehensive Middle Eastern rhythm study text, "ANTHOLOGIA." Vol One covers the nuances and intricacies of dumbek drumming. This book is a collection of rhythms for zills and riqq to be used in instrumental and dance ensembles. Included are Ten Essential dumbek Iqa'at, the rhythmic modes of Middle Eastern drumming for dance performance. Raq cultural information and artistic details are included in this educational volume.

Authentic Rhythms of al Andalus, the Balkans, Persia, the Maghreb, the Levant.
Ten Essential Dumbek Rhythm Patterns (Iqa'at)
Zills /Sagat, (Finger Cymbals) technique and rhythms for Takht (Inst. music ensembles) and Raqs (Dance) use.
Riqq techniques and patterns for Takht (Inst. music ensemble) RaqS (Dance), and Taqsim (improvised soloing).
Raqs al-Sharqi; Middle Eastern dance styles, descriptions and cultural reference guide.
Recommended recordings list of dumbek, zills, riqq and belly dance performance music.

Product review

WEBSITE

This newest book by author Kenne Thomas, is a categorized rhythmic study of the intricate and mesmerizing "Iqa'at," the modes and patterns of Middle Eastern dumbek drumming with sagat and riqq studies for ensemble and dance performance.

Chapter on dumbek instruments, "Iqa'at" (Rhythmic modes) and handing techniques with photographs.
Authentic Middle Eastern rhythm patterns from Adani to Zeimbekiko
Chapter covering rhythm terminology for reading and interpreting the Middle Eastern patterns.
Rhythms of al Andalus, the Balkans, Persia, the Maghreb, the Levant, and other regions.
Dumbek patterns and techniques for rhythm variations, improvisation and soloing.
Zills (Sagat, Finger Cymbals) chapter with rhythms for Takht (Inst. Ensembles) and Raqs (Dance) use.
Riqq patterns and techniques for takht (ensemble) participation, and improvised soloing.
Raqs al-Sharqi; Middle Eastern dance styles, descriptions and cultural reference guide.
Recommended recordings list of dumbek, zills, riqq and belly dance performance music.

Product review

PLAYING ALONG WITH MIDDLE EASTERN RHYTHMS COMPANION BOOK by TALISEN

A5'ish stapled booklet - 24 pages by Bardic Productions

Companion booklet to the 2 CD's produced by Talisen and reviewed under CDs.  

Oriental Percussion

by Lars Bo Kujahn

LARS KUJAHN WEBSITE.

Also to see Lars' CD review click here

Darbuka Method, Advanced Darbuka technique by Behnan GÖÇmez

Softbound, A4 size, 55 pages with accompanying CD - published by Mel Bay Publications.

The darbuka is a goblet-shaped small hand drum that is widely played in classical and folk music, especially in North Africa and Turkey. It is commonly available in Egyptian and Turkish varieties. The instrument is also known by various other names including darabukka, darbuquah, or tombak. This method presents intermediate to advanced instruction including playing positions, techniques, and rhythm exercises. Numerous photographs and diagrams aid comprehension of the material, as does the companion CD, which demonstrates all of the exercises and examples in the book. Advanced techniques covered in this text include: the up position, the finger tick, clap stroke, 3-2-3 technique, hammer technique, the slap technique, and dampen technique. The text is presented in English, French, and German.

Product review

Click here to order from the distributor