Whether or not you've heard of the instrument by name, it's quite likely you've heard the distinctive sound of the doumbek. It provides the rhythmic backbone in many Middle Eastern musical traditions such as Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Egyptian, Lebanese, Syrian, North African. Because of its versatility in tone, it has also become a popular form of percussion in contemporary music such as rock, pop, and jazz. While the sound never gets old, the instrument itself has been around in various forms for over two thousand years (read more on this here), dating back to the Mesopotamian and Babylonian times.
There are at least a couple names for the instrument: darbuka is the more traditional name (meaning 'drum' from daraba, 'to strike'), while doumbek is the more onomatopoetic name, popularized in Western culture for its resemblance to the sound the instrument makes (listen to more on this here). Since different regions have different versions of this goblet drum, there are many names from these different traditions, mostly referring to instruments of a very similar nature. In essence, the doumbek is shaped like a chalice, or hourglass, with a membrane of skin on the top.
You might be wondering what sets the doumbek apart from other goblet drums. While other drums are played with beaters, the doumbek is played with the hands (see examples here). This allows the percussionist to make use of fast rolls and other complex finger ornamentation for added rhythmic texture. While the djembe is played with the hands as well, there is more focus on the palms. With the doumbek, the fingers play a more essential role.
Traditionally, doumbeks are made of clay pottery, often with an inlay pattern, and the drum head membrane is animal skin (often fish, or goat, or cow leather). While this traditional form is still a popular choice today, alternatives have arisen over the years to create different voicings of the same instrument, and a synthetic head is often used to make the instrument less sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. Many professional players have instruments of different materials in order to be prepared for different musical contexts (learn more about this here):
- Clay and ceramic doumbeks tend to have the most natural and warm tone, but they are the heaviest and most easily breakable. That said, they are usually beautifully decorated and have an organic and earthy tone not found in other materials.
- Metal doumbeks such as aluminum, brass, or copper tend to produce a brighter sound than clay drums, especially around the rim of the drum head. Aluminum drums are usually the lightest, with a brighter and crisper sound. Copper drums are slightly heavier, with a warmer, richer, and more resonant sound.
- Vinyl doumbeks are lightweight, durable and affordable. They may lack some of the depth and warmth of other materials, but they are easy to maintain and great for use when traveling.
No matter which doumbek you decide to play, you'll find that you can create beautiful and intricate soundscapes by making use of different percussive techniques (see a demo of these here). While it can take years and years to achieve a level of mastery in this instrument, as with any instrument, it is simple enough to lay down a basic rhythm from day one. Many tutorials exist online to help you get started, such as this one here. You can start simple and continually add new layers to your playing, but the most important thing is to have fun!