Nawakht نَواخْت

A spacious 7/4 cycle used in the Arab muwashshah repertoire, often at a moderate or slow tempo. Dum on beats 1 and 4 anchors the phrase, with Tek responses on 3, 6 and 7. [1][2]

7/4Arab classical music · muwashshah repertoire

Hear the shape of the rhythm.

BASIC PATTERN

Count seven quarter notes as 3 + 4: Dum–rest–Tek, Dum–rest–Tek–Tek. Play Dum on beats 1 and 4 and Tek on 3, 6 and 7. Classic adds light rim fills around those main strokes; keep all seven beats even.

3 + 4 · quarter-note groups

Darbuka

1DR

e·rest

&·rest

a·rest

2·rest

e·rest

&·rest

a·rest

3TR

e·rest

&·rest

a·rest

4DR

e·rest

&·rest

a·rest

5·rest

e·rest

&·rest

a·rest

6TR

e·rest

&·rest

a·rest

7TR

e·rest

&·rest

a·rest

D · DumT · TekK · KaS · SlapP · Pop· · Rest

What do these notes mean?

Practise Nawakht Try Classic

Names & context

Arabic name: نَواخْت
Arabic alternatives: نواخت · نوخت
Other names & spellings: Nawakhat · Nawaht · Nawakht 7/4

Basic follows the MaqamWorld notation, counted here as 3 + 4. Classic adds original light practice fills while keeping the five main strokes. [1][2]

Video tutorials

Nawakht: count the seven-beat cycle
Adel Shams el-Din · Arabic · Intermediate lesson
**Watch & try.** Follow Adel Shams el-Din’s Nawakht lesson. Count seven quarter notes, listen for the two main Dum strokes and keep the cycle steady as ornaments are added.
Open on YouTube ↗
Abderrahman Kazzoul · دروس إيقاعات التراث، مع عادل شمس الدين،إيقاع نواخت

Sources & further reading · 2 references

Learn

Nawakht · نَواخْت

Hear the shape of the rhythm.

Names & context

Video tutorials

Nawakht: count the seven-beat cycle

Nawakht نَواخْت