- Hicham Billouch
- Aug 6, 2023
- 3 min read
Arabic music has a long history of interaction with many musical styles around the world. The Arabs translated and developed Greek texts and mastered musical theories. In the pre-Islamic period, Arabic music consisted of singing poetry. As for musical instruments, they were used in a way that could accompany and savor the meaning of poetry.
Arabic instruments can be classified into three main types:
String, wind and percussion instruments.
CUERDAS / STRINGS
Oud
It is a pear-shaped instrument that contains 12 or 14 strings, its acoustic spectrum covers approximately two and a half octaves. It is used in Arabic, Persian, Greek, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Armenian, North African, popular, Spanish, Andalusian, Somali and Middle Eastern music.
Qanun
It is one of the most prominent instruments in the oriental takht (ensemble) and is also played solo. Its wide acoustic spectrum covers approximately three octaves divided into 26 triple strings, and therefore covers all scales of Arabic music . Qanun also means law in Arabic. Similar to the western piano, its importance lies in balancing the other instruments, which is why it occupies the central position in the orchestra.
Rabab
Al-Rabab or Al-Rababah is an ancient Arabic single-stringed musical instrument that precedes the violin. It is made from simple materials available to the people of the desert, such as wood and goatskin.The Rabab is mentioned in many ancient works by prominent scholars such as Al-Jahiz and in Ibn Khaldoun's collection of letters. Al-Farabi's great musical book includes a detailed description of this instrument. It can be square, rectangular, round and pear shaped. After the Islamic conquest of Andalusia, the rabab was adopted in Europe and changed its name: in France it is called Rabela, in Italy Ribak and in Spain Rabel or Erbil.
VIENTO / WIND
Nay
An oriental musical instrument used since ancient times by the Babylonians and Egyptians. It is made from wild cane, which is a hollow stem, open at both ends. It has six holes in a straight line down the front and one on the back that is controlled by the thumb. The musician uses more than one nay to cover the different scales.
Kawala
It is an open hollow cane, divided into four parts. The upper part is usually shorter than the other parts, it contains six frontal holes, there are no holes at the back. It is played similarly to the nay, pressing it against the lips, but the fingers are positioned differently.
Mizwij
It consists of two joined bamboo canes. Each one has five or six holes. The word Mizwij" means "double". Blowing on the Mizwij is very strenuous and requires great physical ability. It is a popular music instrument from the Al-Sham region and is used in styles such as the "Dabke".
Mizmar
The history of the Mizmar dates back to the 17th century, making it one of the oldest Arabic wind instruments. It is used in styles such as "Saidi".
PERCUSSION / PERCUSSION
Derbuka
It is the most popular Arabic percussion instrument. It consists of a body of clay or metal. The patch is made of leather, although it can also be made of fish or synthetic skin. In the southern Arabian Peninsula it is known as Darbujah. In Egypt it is known as Tabla or Darbuka, in Syria and Lebanon it is derbake, and in Iraq as dunbak.
Riq
It is a type of tambourine used in popular music and classical music throughout the Arab world. It has a wooden or metal frame and a thin, transparent head that can be made of leather, fish skin, or synthetic. Scholars of the history of musical instruments confirm that the Riq was an innovation of the Islamic period. Its first appearance was in Iraq in the 15th century.
Sagat
Sajjat is an ancient placophone musical instrument made of copper that comes in various sizes. The dancers place a cymbal on the middle finger and another on the thumb, holding them with a spring. They are also used by Sufi groups in "dhikr" or religious ceremonies.
Daff
It is a very old tambourine, and according to archaeological discoveries, it has existed in Arab civilization since the third millennium BC. The oldest Daffs come from Mesopotamia and date back to 2650 BC. It is made of a wooden frame on which a thin skin is stretched.
Mazhar
It is an instrument similar to the riq but much larger and heavier. This instrument is designed for bands that contain a large ensemble of percussion instruments and need a loud sound, such as at weddings, where it is played to the "Zaffa" rhythm.
Tabel
It is a large drum consisting of a circular wooden frame and a leather head on both sides tautened by a rope. It is played with two wooden sticks in each hand, one wider than the other. The tabel is a percussion instrument used in various styles such as popular and folk dances in countries such as: Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq, as well as in northern Saudi Arabia.
