Darbuka rhythm library.

Egypt & the Levant

A widely used 4/4 rhythm in Egyptian and Levantine songs and dance music. Its opening Dum–Tek and answering bass stroke give it a clear, versatile pulse.

Egypt & the wider Arab repertoire

A grounded 4/4 rhythm heard in Egyptian dance music and the wider Arab vocal repertoire. Two opening Dum strokes give it weight; its other name, Masmudi Saghir, means “small Masmudi”.

Upper Egypt · الصعيد

A lively 4/4 rhythm from Upper Egypt, heard in Sa‘idi folk music and cane-dance performances. The pair of Dum strokes in the middle gives this version its strong forward drive.

Egypt & the Levant

A short, circling 2/4 rhythm used in Arab folk and popular music. Its 3 + 3 + 2 pulse pattern gives the phrase a rolling momentum and makes a useful bridge between longer cycles.

Egypt & the Levant

A compact 2/4 cycle heard in Sufi singing, folk music and dance. Also called Zar in Egyptian contexts, its repeated bass-and-rim figure creates a persistent circular feel.

Arab tarab · especially Egypt

A spacious 4/4 rhythm associated with Arab tarab singing, especially the Egyptian repertoire. Its name means “one”, referring to the single main Dum that leaves room for the singer’s phrasing and ornament.

Egypt · rural folk traditions

An Egyptian folk rhythm named for the fellahin, or farming communities. Its flowing 2/4 pulse resembles a fast Maksum, but has a smoother, more even balance of bass and rim strokes.

Egypt & the Levant · tarab repertoire

A spacious 8/4 cycle central to twentieth-century Arab tarab music. This is Masmudi Kabir, the “large” Masmudi: listen for two or three opening Dum strokes and the answering bass note halfway through.

Egypt & the Levant · tarab repertoire

An eight-beat expansion of Wahda, common in mid-twentieth-century Arab vocal and instrumental music. Its long gaps let a melody unfold across the whole cycle; it is also known as Wahda Sunbati.

Turkish origin; also widely used in Arab music

A rhythm of Turkish origin, widely used in Arab music to accompany vocal or instrumental improvisation. This study uses the spacious 8/4 form, leaving an open ending before the next phrase.

Turkish & Arab classical traditions

The ten-count Samai Thaqil cycle, shared by Turkish and Arab classical traditions. It supports the instrumental sama‘i form and many muwashshahat; usually written in 10/8, it is counted here in an expanded 10/4 study.

Especially Egypt · wedding processions

A festive 4/4 processional rhythm strongly associated with Egyptian weddings. The name refers to the wedding procession; this pattern’s repeated rim strokes create a ceremonial, marching feel.

The Levant · folk music & dabke

A Levantine 4/4 folk rhythm used for dabke line dancing, with its first Dum on the “and” of beat 1. This Basic study leaves Nawari’s opening Tek silent.

Arabian Gulf

A 2/4 Gulf-style teaching groove with two close Dum strokes and a Tek response. Khaleeji means “of the Gulf”.

Turkey · regional dance traditions

A 9/8 study associated with Turkish Karşılama, where dance partners face one another. Basic and Classic use 2 + 2 + 2 + 3; the alternate variation uses 2 + 2 + 3 + 2.

Egypt · vocal and instrumental improvisation

An Egyptian rhythm practised here in 4/4, with a characteristic run of three Dum strokes. These can lead the phrase or connect the end of one cycle to the beginning of the next.

Egyptian dance repertoire

A syncopated 4/4 pattern taught in Egyptian dance music, closely related to Maksum. In this study, the first Tek falls just before beat 2, while the second Dum anchors beat 3.

Egypt & the Levant · documented use

A 2/4 rhythm heard in Egyptian and Levantine songs. Its Tek-led opening and late Dum give it a distinctive shape, often played with a relaxed, unhurried feel.

Arab song repertoire · Latin American influence

A 4/4 rhythm adapted into Arab music from Latin American rumba. A syncopated Tek between Dum strokes on beats 1 and 4 gives this study its relaxed feel.

Iraq, Iran, Turkey & Kurdish repertoires

A 10/8 rhythm heard in Iraqi, Iranian, Turkish and Kurdish folk and classical music. Count this study as 3 + 2 + 2 + 3, keeping the two adjacent Tek strokes clear before the second Dum.

Iraq · folk music & group dance

A driving 4/4 rhythm associated with Iraqi group dance. In this practice version, three Dum strokes lead into clear Tek responses on beats 3 and 4.

Arab & Turkish instrumental music · longa repertoire

A direct 2/4 rhythm with Dum and Tek alternating on four even eighth notes. Often played briskly in instrumental passages, Fox also supports the Ottoman longa form.

Arab vocal and instrumental repertoire

A three-beat rhythm in 3/4 used in Arab vocal and instrumental music, including the Darij instrumental form. Its basic Dum–Tek–Tek pattern keeps a clear, even 1–2–3 pulse.

Turkish origin · Arab muwashshah repertoire

A 6/8 rhythm of Turkish origin, widely used in Arab muwashshahat. Two groups of three eighth notes carry Dum–Tek–Tek, Dum–Tek–rest, with an open sixth count before the cycle returns.

Europe; adopted into Arab music

The European triple-time waltz, adapted here for darbuka. A strong first beat followed by two lighter responses gives it a turning 1–2–3 feel, with room for small ornaments between the main strokes.

Greece · folk dance traditions

A Greek folk-dance rhythm in 7/8, grouped 3 + 2 + 2. Its long–short–short movement supports the Kalamatianos circle dance. This study places Dum on counts 1 and 4, with Tek on 3 and 6.

Turkey · Romani dance traditions

A 9/8 study associated with Turkish Romani dance music, also searchable as Gypsy. Classic follows the Gypsy 9 pattern, with Dums on counts 1 and 3 and light Tek–Ka fills.

Black Sea & Thrace · regional dance traditions

A 7/8 dance study grouped 2 + 2 + 3, with two short groups and a longer ending. Laz is associated with the Black Sea region; Mantilatos is a Thracian dance with the same grouping.

Balkans · Romani dance music

A 4/4 teaching pattern associated with Balkan Romani dance music. Three main attacks trace a 3 + 3 + 2 shape, with light rim pickups in the fuller version.

Lebanon & Palestine · dabke

A 6/4 rhythm used in Lebanese and Palestinian dabke. Two opening phrases with Dum pickups lead into a spacious Dum–Tek ending. Count six quarter-note beats in three pairs.

Arab Sufi music · Levantine and Egyptian repertoire

A 4/4 rhythm widely used in Arab Sufi music, including percussion-led pieces. One opening Dum anchors five Tek responses, with two eighth-note spaces that keep the phrase breathing.

Arab classical music · muwashshah repertoire

A 7/8 cycle widely used in the Arab muwashshah repertoire. Three opening strokes lead into two shorter groups, giving the rhythm its 3 + 2 + 2 shape.

Arab classical music · muwashshah repertoire

A spacious 7/4 cycle used in the Arab muwashshah repertoire, often at a moderate or slow tempo. Basic and Classic use Dum on beats 1 and 4, with Tek responses on 3, 6 and 7. The alternate bass phrase changes this outline.

Modern Arab repertoire · study version

A lively 4/4 practice groove with a pair of bass strokes in its second half. Keep those two Dums distinct as the lighter rim strokes join the phrase.

Egyptian repertoire · study version

A 4/4 darbuka study with a bass-and-rim exchange followed by an open ending. Count the remaining space before the first Dum returns.

Middle Eastern dance percussion · Bolero adaptations

A measured 4/4 darbuka pattern with Dum on the first and fourth beats and Tek on the two middle beats. Light rim fills connect the main strokes.

Middle Eastern dance percussion

A compact 2/4 teaching rhythm related to Ayyub. Three Dum strokes, including a close pair across the second beat, lead into a clear Tek response.

Arab classical music · muwashshah repertoire

A fourteen-beat cycle used in muwashshah compositions. Three consecutive opening Dums establish the phrase before a spacious exchange of bass and rim strokes.

Arab classical music · muwashshah repertoire

A thirteen-beat cycle associated with the muwashshah repertoire. Its Dum–Tek–Tek opening leads through alternating strokes and spaces to a final Dum and a full beat of rest.

Arab classical music · muwashshah repertoire

A sixteen-beat cycle used in the muwashshah repertoire. Widely spaced opening Dums lead into paired Tek responses near the end of the phrase.

Arab muwashshah repertoire

A rare 5/8 cycle used mainly in the muwashshah vocal repertoire, also called Aqsaq Turki. Dum on count 1 and Tek on 3 and 5 outline five even eighth notes.

Morocco · Gnawa traditions

Tbel and qraqeb play together in 6/8 or 4/4; the 6/8 arrangement also includes handclaps.

Morocco · Middle Atlas Amazigh traditions

Four interlocking bendir parts in a ternary 12/8 practice ensemble.

Algeria · western dance traditions

An Algerian 2/4 teaching pattern with five main attacks and a silence on the second beat.

Morocco · High Atlas and Souss Amazigh traditions

High Atlas drum ensembles: opening accompaniment and a later four-part excerpt with the txllif lead.

Algeria & Morocco

A 6/8 rhythm taught in Algerian and Moroccan percussion. In this version, rim accents on counts 1 and 4 lead to Dum on count 5.

Morocco · popular music

A Moroccan Chaâbi teaching groove in 6/8. Tek marks the start of each group of three, with Dum arriving on the fifth eighth note.

Morocco

A Moroccan 12/8 study with different opening and answering phrases. Dum stays on counts 5 and 11 while the Tek pattern changes between bars.

Algeria · Oran and the raï repertoire

Two 4/4 raï teaching motifs adapted to darbuka. The first places bass just after the beat; the second crosses four evenly spaced rim strokes over three beats.

Caribbean · New York · darbuka adaptations

Salsa in 4/4 for darbuka, dahola, bendir and riq: tumbao, martillo, mambo, son clave and cáscara, with optional sagats.

Dominican Republic · darbuka adaptations

Bachata in 4/4 for a darbuka ensemble: Derecho, Majao, a sparse mambo drum part, a güira study and quiet ki/ti fills.

Brazil · darbuka adaptations

Samba studies in 2/4 with Zak and Dum contrasts, quiet ki/ti fills, and two-bar pagode, tamborim and agogô adaptations.

Funk · darbuka study

A 4/4 Western groove with slaps on beats 2 and 4 and syncopated Dum strokes between them.

West Africa · Guinea and neighbouring traditions

A relaxed 4/4 dance groove arranged for darbuka, dahola, bendir and riq, with optional sagats.

West Africa · Sierra Leone / Temine tradition

A lively darbuka groove with alternating bass support and paired riq offbeats.

West Africa · Guinea / Malinké tradition

A Malinké harvest rhythm adapted into a darbuka phrase with paired slaps and an answering bass line.

West Africa · Guinea / Malinké tradition

A flowing 12/8 darbuka adaptation with four dotted-quarter beats and answering bendir strokes.

West Africa · Guinea / Baga tradition

A rolling 12/8 darbuka groove with paired slaps, a two-bar dahola phrase and a bright riq timeline.

West Africa · Guinea / Landuma tradition

A Landuma dance rhythm in 12/8, with an uneven Dum–Slap phrase and paired riq support.

West Africa · Mali / Khassonké tradition

A lively 4/4 darbuka adaptation with paired slaps and a two-bar bass answer from Mali’s Khassonké repertoire.