doumbek rhythms

	Heterotic but not hetero

thump thump thump

page last updated: 04 Apr 2009

Here are some doumbek rhythms described in notation and including audio samples of how they might sound.

D = Doum, a resounding strike to the centre of the drum head with the fingers of the lead hand

T = tek, a strike to the near edge of the drum head with the fingers of the lead hand

K = ka, a strike to the near edge of the drum head with the fingers of the off hand

- = rest

Name	Audio	Tabulature	Notes
Maqsuum	none	Basic: 1+2+3+4+ DT-TD-T Walking: 1+2+3+4+ DKTKDKT-	This is a foundational 4/4 rhythm. There are several variations upon it.
Sayidi	none	1+2+3+4+ DT-DD-T-	Sayidi is a variation upon the maqsuum.
Baladi	slow baladi uptempo baladi	1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + D-D-TKTKD-TKT-TK	Most common of all rhythms. Everybody knows baladi. If you only learn one rhythm, learn this one.
Masmoudi	slow masmoudi uptempo masmoudi	1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + D---D---TKTKT-TKD-TKTKT-TKTKT-TK	This is grand masmoudi, an 8/4 rhythm that I lurv.
Ghawazi	slow ghawazi uptempo ghawazi	1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + D-TKD-D-TKTKT-TK	The proper name of this beat is not ghawazi, but that is what we always called it. Old habits die hard! Played against baladi, the two rhythms provide an interesting counterpoint. With a path for a nice two level effect. (A path! A path!) Please note that the last Tek Ka is actually a lead-in note to the first measure of the beat, and can optionally be played before the beat starts. Does this make sense? It makes sense to me, but then I'm the one writing this, so I'm certainly not capable of making an objective judgment.
2/4	slow 2/4 uptempo 2/4	1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + D-TKD-T-D-TKD-T-DKTKDKTKDKTKD-T-	Driving beat -- very good for fast shimmys. If you aren't comfortable playing a solo after the chiftetelli part of the dance, play 2/4. (Interesting note: It is an 8/4 rhythm that we call 2/4. The reasons for this are top secret.)
Kashlimah	slow kashlimah uptempo kashlimah	123456789 D-T-D-TTT	Kashlimah is a Greek 9/8 rhythm. Like many rhythms whose time signatures are not evenly divisible by two, you should not tap your foot regularly when playing this beat; doing so will mislead you as to where the accents should be placed. Kashlimah should be counted ONE two THREE four FIVE six SEVEN eight nine.
Chiftetelli	slow chiftetelli	1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+ D-TT-DT-D-D-T---	Chiftetelli is the "sensual" beat. It is played after the first baladi section of the dance and gives the dancer an opportunity to show off her stuff. Of all of the beats we play, please, this is the one that needs feel! Play chiftetelli with enough emotion to make you cry. Play it so that the women (or men, or all of the above) who are listening to it begin throwing themselves at your feet. Feel it! BTW, if anyone wants to throw themselves at my feet, I am accepting applications. Not you, Falcone.
Naweed	slow naweed uptempo naweed	1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + DKTDTKD-D-TKT-TK	Composed one hazy evening by Falcone, Naweed can be a tough rhythm for beginners. To play it correctly requires the drummer to use off-hand doums. Not an easy thing to do. The name translates from Arabic to English as "Good News."
Creon	none	1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + D-TKD-TKTKD-D-TKD---------------	Creon is an 8/4 rhythm with a three beat rest at the end of the second half. We don't usually notate rests, but these final three rests are important because this is the beat in which we go around the circle, asking each drummer to individually fill in those final three bars. This is a great way to practice improvisational techniques.
Impending Doum	slow impending doum uptempo impending doum	1 + + 2 + + D-D-D-DKTDTK 3 + + 4 + + D-D-D-DKTDTK 5 + + 6 + + D-D-D-DKTDTK 7 + + 8 + + 9 + + DKTDTKDKTDTKDKTDTK	Another of Falcone's creations, Impending Doum also requires some off-hand dexterity. It is a triplet rhythm whose beating alternates between a "ONE two THREE four FIVE six" count and a "ONE two three FOUR five six" count. Impending Doum is an interesting back-'n'-forth exploration of how the same time signature can give different feels based only on the point at which the accents are played. Please note that this beat is played over the space of nine measures, not eight. Groovy. Such is the twisted mind of Falcone.
Neònach	neonach	1234567 DKTKTKT	7/8 rhythms are typically beat in two ways: "ONE two THREE four FIVE six seven" and "ONE two three FOUR five SIX seven." This rhythm uses the first beating. Also, since it's in a weird time signature, the doums are played with alternating hands: with the right in the first measure, with the left in the second measure, right in the third, left in the fourth, etc. The name of this rhythm is the Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic) word for "weird."
Unknown	none	1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + D TKTKT TKTKT TKT T 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10+ D D T T TKTKD T	This is a 10/4 rhythm I learned from Falcone. I have completely forgotten what the name of it is.