Frame Drum Rhythms and Playing Tips
There are many rhythm combinations used in Middle Eastern music and if you include related musical practices from the Balkans and Mediterranean there are hundreds of them! This page will focus on the more common rhythms especially those commonly used in Middle Eastern dances. Before you jump into the rhythms though, you should familiarize yourself with the various sounds of the frame drum and the notation style I will use on this page.
The frame drum sounds you will hear will be:
Doum: On the Riq this is played by striking the head of the drum with the ring finger (or ring and middle finger). The hand should be open and loose and the finger should bounce off the head. It should hit towards the outer middle of the head. On a frame drum like the Tar this is played by the dominant hand pivoting inwards to strike the head with the ring finger. It creates a low deep open resonating sound.
Tek: On the Riq using the upper portion of your ring finger on your dominant hand, rotate the wrist inward to strike. It should hit the outer portion of the head at about a 45* degree angle. On a drum like the Tar this is played by striking either ring finger against the rim.
Ka: On the Riq the Ka sound is played on the cymbals or jingles. It can be done with either hand but is the only functional note played by the holding/non-dominant hand. The ring finger should be curved inwards and should be loose and should strike the jingle in front of your holding thumb. There are two ways to play to play this, closed and open positions. The closed position is most commonly used and the open position is often used to add additional accent. Open position is played by removing the holding thumb from the jingle which changes the sound and allows it to resonate through the jingles more.
Cha: On the Riq this is played by striking the ridge of the palm (just under the fingers where it turns from finger to palm) against the rim.
Roll: On the Riq a roll is played by quickly striking the jingles (like in Ka) using three finger from the dominant hand and one from the non-dominant/holding hand. They are struck against the jingle in succession from ring, middle, index, ring (holding hand).
Pah: The non-dominant hand should be slightly cupped and loose. It should strike the center of the drum head with the finger tips and should be held for a second. They should not bounce off immediately.
Rock: This is only done with a cymbaled instrument like the Riq or Mazhar. It is done by tilting the instrument forward and back. The jingles will sound on both the forward portion of the rock and the backward portion. This gives it two successive notes.
Brush Stroke: This is generally only played on an instrument like the Tar but could be played others. It is done by brushing the fingertips down and up on the drum head. This scratching of the fingernails against the head creates a resonant sort of brushing sound.
Pause: a silence which is not played. It is a rest or pause in the pattern usually lasting no more than one beat.
Note that I have assigned a color to each of these. This is to visually help you see what the rhythm is for quicker reference. On this site I will color code all of the rhythms but I will also write out the sounds just as you see here. Another common notation is to abbreviate these as: D (Doum), T (Tek), k (Ka), C (Cha), P(Pah), R (Rock), p (Pause), B (Brush Stroke), and rr (Roll). If it assumed that everything is played in closed position. If something is suggested in open position it will be followed by o in the same color as the note. You will see this abbreviated form as well as the fully written version. Some people when first learning like the fully written version and then once they get the pattern like to use the abbreviated form. So I have provided both and you can determine which you prefer to read. When you watch the videos you may see other styles of rhythm notation as well. The ones here on this site are the ones I personally prefer but that does not make them the best or most correct form so if you like a different notation style please adapt the rhythms here to your preferred style. To hear and see these sounds demonstrated watch the videos below.
Now that you've familiarized yourself with the basic sounds and technique your ready to start learning the actual rhythm patterns. Sometimes the same pattern has more than one name, when this happens the more proper name will appear first and the other name will appear after that in parenthesis. Another important thing to understand about these rhythms is "fill," all rhythms have a very basic pattern. The patterns can be elaborated on by adding in extra sounds between the existing base pattern (the fill). So you will always see the basic pattern first followed by filled patterns. Sometimes patterns that are more filled are called by a different name. So you will find that Middle Eastern rhythms have families that they belong to which means they share a similar or the same basic pattern but have different fill or have a variation to the pattern but still recognizably within the same timing rhythm. Many rhythms are in the 4/4 time signature but there are also wide ranges of signatures from 8/8, 2/4, 6/8... there are even more unusual time signatures among more historical patterns of various muwashahat. Sometimes the same basic rhythm pattern is played in more than one time signature and may be called something different in the other time signature. So, ready to get started?
To quickly navigate to a specific rhythm you can click on its name below or simply scroll down till you find it.
AYUB (أيوب) / ZAR (زار) 2/4 |
Basic 1: Doum Ka Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - - K D - T -
Basic 2: Doum Tek Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - - T D - T -
Light Fill: Doum Tek Ka Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - -TK D - T -
Medium: Doum Ka Tek Ka Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - KTKD - T -
Advanced: Doum Ka Tek Ka Doum Tek(o)
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - T K D - To -
Advanced: Doum Ka Rock Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - KRRD - T -
BOLERO (بوليرو) 4/4 / RHUMBA (رومبا) 2/4
Basic (2/4): Doum p Tek Doum
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - - - p - - - - T - - D - - -
Medium 1 (2/4): Doum Teka Tek Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - KK - T - K - T - K - D - K -
Advanced 1 (2/4): Doum Rock Tek Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - RR - T - K - T - K - D - K -
Medium 2 (4/4): Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ka Tek Ka Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - K - K - T - - - K - K - T - K - T - K - D - - - T - - -
Advanced 2 (4/4): Doum Roll Ka Ka Tek Ka(o) Tek Ka(o) Doum Ka(o)
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - r r r r KKT - - - Ko- - - T - - - Ko- - - D - - - Ko- - -
CHIFTITELLI (Çiftetelli) / WAHID KABIR (واحد كبير) 4/4
Basic: Doum p Tek p Tek Doum Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - p - T - - - p - T - - - D - - - D - - - T - - - p - - -
Medium: Doum p Tek Tek p Tek Tek Doum Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - K - T - - - K - T - - - D - K - D - K - T - K - K - - -
Advanced 1: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka Doum Ka Tek Ka Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - K - K - T - K - K - T - K - D - K - D - K - T - K - K - - -
Advanced 3: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ka Doum Rock Rock Ka Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - K - K - T - K - K - T - K - D - R - R - R - R - K - K - - -
Advanced 4: Doum Rock Tek Rock Tek Ka Doum Rock Rock Ka Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - R - R - T - R - R - T - K - D - R - R - R - R - K - K - - -
FALAHI 2/4 (فلاحي) / WALKING MAQSOUM 4/4 ({walking} مقسوم)
Basic (2/4): Doum ka ka Doum ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
D K - K D - K -
Basic (4/4): Doum Tek Ka Tek Doum Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - - - T - D - - - T - - -
Medium (4/4): Doum Tek Ka Tek Doum Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - K - T - D - K - T - - -
Advanced 1 (4/4): Doum Tek Tek Doum Roll
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - - - T - D - - - rr - - -
Advanced 2 (4/4): Doum Tek Ka Tek Doum Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - Ko- T - D - Ko- T - - -
Advanced 3 (4/4): Doum Rock Ka Doum Rock
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - R - R - K - D - R - R - - -
GHAWAZEE (غوازي) / SAIDI (صعيدي) 4/4
Basic (Ghawazee): Ka Doum Tek p Doum Doum Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
K - D - T - p - D - D - K - T -
Medium (Ghawazee): Ka Doum Tek Ka Doum Doum Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
K - D - T - K - D - D - K - T -
Advanced (Ghawazee)1: Ka Doum Tek Ka Rock Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
K - D - T - K - R - R - K - T -
Advanced (Ghawazee)2: Tek Ka Doum Ka Tek Ka Ka Rock(f) Ka Rock(b) Ka Tek Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
T K D K T K K - R K R K T K T -
Basic (Saidi): Doum Tek p Doum Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - p - D - D - - - T - - -
Medium (Saidi): Doum Tek Ka Doum Doum Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - K - D - D - K - T - K -
Advanced(Saidi): Doum Ka Tek Ka Ka Doum Ka Doum Rock Ka Rock Ka Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D K T - K K D K D - R K R K K
KARSILAMA (karşılama) 9/8
Basic: Doum p Tek p Doum p Tek Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 -
D - - - T - - - D - - - T - T - T -
Medium: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Doum Ka Ka Tek Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 -
D - K K T - K K D - K K T - T - T -
Advanced: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Doum Rock Ka(o) Ka(o) Ka(o)
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 -
D - K K T - K K D - R R Ko- Ko- Ko-
MALFOUF (ملفوف) / SAUDI (سعودي)/ KHALIJI (خليجى) 2/4
Basic (Malfouf): Doum Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - - T - - T -
Medium (Malfouf)1: Doum Ka Tek Ka Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - K T - K T -
Medium (Malfouf)2: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
D K K T K K T K
Advanced (Malfouf)1: Doum Ka(o) Tek Ka(o) Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - KoT -KoT K
Advanced (Malfouf)2: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka(o) Ka(o) Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
D K K TKoKoT K
Advanced (Malfouf)3: Doum Ka Ka Tek Rock Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
D K K T R R T K
Advanced (Malfouf)4: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka(o) Ka(o) Tek(o) Ka(o)
1 - + - 2 - + -
D K K TKoKoToKo
Advanced (Malfouf)5: Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ro|ck Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - | 1 - + - 2 - + -
D K K T K K T R | R K K T K K T K
Basic (Saudi / Khaliji): Doum Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - - D - - T -
Medium (Saudi / Khaliji): Doum Ka Doum Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
D - K D - K T K
Advanced (Saudi / Khaliji)1: Doum Ka Ka Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
D K K D K K T K
Advanced (Saudi / Khaliji)2: Doum Ka Ka Doum Ka Ka Rock
1 - + - 2 - + -
D K K D K K R R
Advanced (Saudi / Khaliji)3: Doum Ka(o) Ka(o) Doum Ka(o) Ka(o) Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + -
DKoKoDKoKoT K
MAQSOUM (مقسوم) 4/4
Basic: Doum Tek p Tek Doum p Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - p - T - D - p - - T - -
Medium 1: Doum Tek Ka Ka Tek Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - T - K K T - D - K K T - K K
Medium 2: Doum Ka Tek Ka Ka Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka Ka Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D K T K K K T K D K K K - T K
Advanced: Doum Ka Rock Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka Rock Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D K R - R K T K D K R - R - K -
MASMOUDI (مصمودي) / MASMOUDI KABIR (مصمودي كبي) 8/4
Basic 1: Doum Doum p Tek Doum p Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - D - - - p - - - T - - - D - - - p - - - T - - - T - - -
Basic 2: Doum Doum Doum Tek Doum p Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - D - - - D - - - T - - - D - - - p - - - T - - - T - - -
Medium 1: Doum Doum Ka Ka Tek Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - D - - - K - K - T - - - D - K - K - T - K - K - T - K -
Medium 2: Doum Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - D - - - K - K - T - K - D - K - K - T - K - K - T - K -
Advanced 1: Doum Doum Rock Tek Ka Doum Rock Tek Rock Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - - - D - - - R - R - T - K - D - R - R - T - R - R - T - K -
Advanced 2: Doum Ka Doum Ka Doum Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka(o) Ka(o) Ka(o) Tek Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + - 5 - + - 6 - + - 7 - + - 8 - + -
D - K - D - K - D - K - T - K - D - Ko- Ko- Ko- T - K - T - K -
MASMOUDI SAGHIR (BALADI) ((بلدي) مصمودي صغير) 4/4
Basic: Doum Doum p Tek Doum p Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - D - p - T - D - - - T - - -
Medium: Doum Doum Ka Tek Doum Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - D - K - T - D - K - T - K -
Advanced: Doum Doum Tek Pah Doum Tek Pah Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - D - T - P - D - T - P - K -
MOROCCAN 3/6/9/12 (مغربي) (may sometimes be called "filalia")
Basic (3): Tek Tek Tek Doum
Medium (6): Tek Tek Tek Doum Tek Doum Doum
Advanced (9): Tek Tek Tek Doum Tek Doum Tek Tek Doum Tek Doum
Advanced (12): Tek Tek Tek Tek Doum Tek Tek Tek Tek Tek Doum Pah
SONBATI (سنباطي)/SOMBATI (سومباطي) 4/4
Basic: Doum Tek Tek Doum Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - - T - - T - D - - - T - - -
Medium 1: Doum Ka Tek Ka Tek Doum Ka Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K T - K T - D - K K T - K -
Medium 2: Doum Ka Tek Ka Tek Doum Doum Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K T - K T - D - D K T - K -
Advanced 1: Doum Ka Tek Ka Tek Rock Ka Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K T - K T - R - R K T - K -
Advanced 2: Doum Ka Tek Ka Tek Rock Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K T - K T - D - R R T - K -
Advanced 3: Doum Ka Tek Ka Tek Doum Ka(o) Ka(o) Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K T - K T - D -KoKoT - K -
ZAFFAH 4/4 (زفه)
Basic: Doum Ka Tek Tek Doum Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K - T - T - D - T - T - - -
Medium 1: Doum Ka Tek Tek Doum Tek Tek Ka
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K - T - T - D - T - T - K -
Medium 2: Doum Ka Tek Tek Doum Tek Doum
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - K - T - T - D - T - D - - -
Medium 3: Doum Doum Doum Tek Ka Ka Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - D - D - T - K - K - T - T -
Advanced 1: Doum Rock Tek Ka Ka Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - R - R - T - K - K - T - T -
Advanced 2: Doum Doum Doum Tek Ka(o) Ka(o) Tek Tek
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - D - D - T - Ko- Ko- T - T -
Advanced 3: Doum Doum Doum Tek Rock Tek(o) Tek(o)
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
D - D - D - T - R - R - To- To-
Advanced 4: Doum Ka(o) Ka(o) Ka(o) Tek Ka Tek Ka Doum Ka Tek Ka Tek Ka(o) Ka(o) Ka(o)
1 - + - 2 - + - 3 - + - 4 - + -
DKoKoKoTK T K D K T K TKoKoKo
Want more rhythms? Be sure to check out the following sites:
Want to learn more about frame drums? Be sure to visit the About Riqs, Daffs, and Other Frame Drums page where you can learn about the history of the Frame in Arab, North African, Turkish, and Persian music as well as different names for the various frame drums and different styles of frame drums. If you already have a frame drum and want to know how to care for it, repair it, or tighten the head visit our Care of Riqs, Daffs, and Other Frame Drums page.
