Music/Instruments

Wind Instruments

Nay - A reed flute used in Turkish, Arabic and Persian music. It produces haunting, wavering, breathy notes and exudes and ethereal quality that suggests lightness.

Kawala - A flute played in Arabic and Turkish music. The "kavala" (Turkish pronunciation) originated as a shepherd's pastoral calling instrument, and because of this quality often participates in call-and-response instrumentals. It is higher in pitch then the Nay, but it can also produce a soulful, wailing sound affect.

Arghul - A double-reed pipe, also called an "Egyptian oboe". It looks like an oboe but the Arghul, like the Kawala, can produce a soulful, wailing sound similar to that of a clarinet.

Mizmar - An Arabic horn that produces a sound like the drone of Scottish bagpipes, but loud and trumpeting. It is often played for the Saidi cane dance of Upper Egypt. The sound has a vitality and energy.

Stringed Instruments

Oud - A pear-shaped wooden lute similar to a guitar, played with a plectrum. The name means, literally, "flexible stick." The Oud is intrinsic to Middle Eastern music, creating both melody with it's notes and rhythm with the strumming style. The sounds of the lute family bring life and energy to the music.

Bazouki - The Greek version of the Oud. It is a smaller, longer-necked lute popular in the chiftetelli style of music (of Turkish origin), and is often played tremolando throughout an entire piece.

Saz - A very long-necked lute from Turkey that is played tremolando for the Turkish chiftetelli. the dancer often responds with a shimmy movement in the shoulders or hips, or inward figure-eights that Turkish dancers call "lakoum" - meaning "Turkish-delight."

Rababa - A very early version of a violin. It has a coconut shell for the body, with horsehair strings attached to a long neck, and is played while the musician is seated. The sliding horsehair bow over the strings produces notes similar to the sound of "a swarm of mosquitoes or bees!"

Qanoon - An Arabic and Turkish dulcimer. Also known by it's Greek name "zither", this is a harp-like instrument made of wood, usually walnut. The body acts as a resonator for the 72-78 horsehair or metal strings. Qanoon literally means "the law", as it controls the Arabic takht (acoustic wooden ensemble) for both the dancer and the musicians.

Santoor - Similar in design to the qanoon, but struck with wooden mallets, like a xylophone. The Santoor produces a surprisingly playful sound that induces accents and shimmies.

Percussion

Darbuka/Tabla - A Middle Eastern drum. The Darbuka, from the Arabic word "darba" ("to strike"), is known as a "Tabla" to the Egyptians. It began as a drum with a hollow clay base covered in fish or animal skin. Nowadays, the Darbuka can sport a wooden base covered with attractive mother-of-pearl or made from tougher alloy. The Darbuka, played open-handed, produces a variety of tones, from a deep, deep tone - called a "dom" - created by striking close to the center, to a light treble sound - called a 'tak" produced by striking the rim. When these main doms and taks are arranged in special combinations, the resulting series of Middle Eastern rhythms can be the basis for an emotive dance balad or a climatic "drum solo".

Dumbek - The metal goblet-shaped drum popular in Turkish and Persian music. It cannot be played in the same way as the Darbuka because of it's hard metal rim. The drummer clicks and rolls their fingers over the skin covering the Dumbek to produce the "rolling" taks, and still plays the doms by striking the center.

Doholla - The Arabic bass version of the Tabla - a bigger, thicker-skinned drum that sets the pace of the rhythm, giving it body and strength.

Mazhar - A drum from the tambourine family with rows of metal cymbals around the edge, and played up close to the shoulders. It creates a steady rhythmic tinkering sound.

Dof - Another drum from the tambourine family. but without cymbals. it is also played up close to the shoulders. It creates a lively rhythm with a rap-a-tap sound.

Maktoum - A large, round-based drum played between the knees, also known as a "katem", meaning 'background". The Maktoum plays only part of the rhythm - the bass, giving it strength and dynamism.

Tabul - An enormous drum from the tambourine family, played low, often strapped to the drummer's body, so the free hands can pummel the skin with padded sticks. It produces a heavy bass sound and keeps a steady rhythm.

Reque - A light tambourine with layers of cymbals, which produces a delicate sound.

Zills - The Turkish name for small metal finger cymbals, also known as "sagat" in Arabic. The dancer wears them over the thumb and middle finger of each hand and plays them by striking together the rims of each pair. In this way the dancer embellishes the music with light tinkering rhythmic patterns.