The Darbouka

The darbouka (or darrabouka or derbouka) is an instrument of percussions shaped like a bowl that can be made in pottery, or metal and cover with a Animal skin. The origin of this instrument dates back to the Babylonian antiquity, that is to say roughly 1100 before JC.

This instrument is widely found in all the Arabic world, from the Middle East to the Maghreb.The "drabki" (derbouka player) usually plays seated, while jamming the instrument under the arm, his fingers striking the skin with the fingers or the hands. According to the place where he hits, he obtains a deeper or lighter tone. All the art of mastering the derbouka is to alternate bass sounds beatings and clear/dry slap beatings.

Listen to a metallic darbuka solo:

Its aspect varies of a type to another depending of the region / country it comes from. Traditionally, it might be made of earth clay or of ceramic and it is often richly decorated with drawings of flowers or of geometric arabic artforms. The derbouka's very thin skin can be tuned either very tight or more loose, depending on the force and type of the sound that the player desires to get. To produce this sound, one acts by a subtle game of the Palm and of the ten fingers on the membrane
The Darbouka is also both a popular music instrument played in many families as well as a an instrument used in an advanced music art. When it is integrated to the traditional orchestra (said Arabic Takht) , the derbouka is called « Table ».
Having today a leading role during traditional music concerts, this instrument has also a such a range of sounds that it has replaced several other traditional instruments since since roughly a century.

These days, all kind of Derbouka are used, from small to bigger ones used to entertain the whole family (ceramic or clay body + sheep skin) to the ones used in modern music bands (aluminium bodies + skins made of plexiglass)
In classical arabic traditions, only men had the right to play the derbouka.