What are the differences between a Riq and a tambourine? They tend to resemble each other and seem to be played in a similar style, however there are subtle differences that make each one unique.

The riq (also spelled riqq or rik) is a type of tambourine used as a traditional instrument in Arabic music. It traditionally has a wooden frame (although in the modern era it may also be made of metal), jingles, and a thin, translucent head made of fish skin (or, more recently, a synthetic material). The frame of the riq can be covered on both the inner and outer sides with inlay such as mother-of-pearl, ivory or decorative wood, like apricot or lemon. It has ten pairs of small cymbals (about 4 cm in diameter), mounted in five pairs of slits. The skin of a fish is glued on and tightened over the frame, which is about 6 cm deep. In Egypt the riq is usually 20 cm wide; in Iraq it is slightly larger. The player of the riq plays without singing. The player alternates between striking the membrane and shaking the jingles, as the need for freedom of movement necessitates that they stand up. Students of the instrument are required to master the technical problems imposed by the timbre of the membrane and the jingles, both separately and in combination; aside from developing a virtuoso technique they also need to learn the many rhythmic cycles and the techniques of modifying them through creative invention.

The tambourine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a single drumhead mounted on a ring with pairs of small metal jingles. Most modern tambourines used in western popular music today consist only of the ring and jingles, with no drumhead. The tambourine can be held in the hand or mounted on a stand, and can be played in numerous ways, from stroking or shaking the jingles to striking it sharply with hand or stick or using the tambourine to strike the leg or hip. It is found in many forms of music, classic music, Roman music, Persian music, gospel music, pop music and rock music.

Remo Prizmatic Tambourine

10" Tunable Tambourine

Riq 8"

Glen Velez Riq

Labels: cymbals, drumhead, fish.skin.head, jingles, percussion.instrument, riq, tambourine, world.percussion

Below are some quick but useful tips on starting a drum circle. Good luck!!

1. There is a lot of information already out there on the web about how to start a drum circle. Google it.

2. Buy a drum - You'll need some sort of hand-drum or percussion instrument in order to start or join in a drum circle. A djembe is a good, reasonably inexpensive and practical choice as a beginner drum, and you may also consider investing in a few small but cheap alternate percussion instruments, such as egg shakers or claves.

2. Advertise - flyers in your local drum stores, used cd stores, used book stores, holistic groceries, massage schools, coffee shops - places where new-age types will hang out.

3. Be patient. It takes time to grow these things. Don't worry if you don't have a lot of people. Get started with just a few and meet once or twice per month. Grow it gradually.

4. Get help. Don't try to do it all on your own. Hold an interest meeting for the first session and get volunteers to help you spread the word and shoulder the responsibility of organizing, advertising, coordinating space, etc.

5. Network with all the other drummers in your area - spend time chatting up the guys working in the drum stores; they'll help you get the word out. Here is an excellent resource in finding and hooking up with other drummers in your area: Drum Circle Meetup.

6. Attend local events and festivals and play outdoors every chance you get. People will ask what you're doing, at which point you can give them more information. Never run out of flyers! I had Kinko's run me little quarter sheet tear off pads. I can leave them on counters in local handouts and easily tear off one to give to anyone interested.

7. Start a Myspace group or a Yahoo group so that you don't have to manage an email list on your own computer. Let it do the work for you.

Always remember to have fun and keep an open invitation to new drummers!

Labels: djembe, Djembe.Buying.Guide, drum, drum.circle, drummers, hand.drum, hand.drumming, percussion.instrument

Congas, being percussive instruments, do not have to be tuned to any particular note in purely percussive settings. They are tunable to different notes. However, when playing with harmonic instruments, they may be tuned to specific notes. Generally congas are tuned using the open tone. The original drums were tuned by adjusting knots and tension ropes on the drumhead, or, where the drumheads were tacked or nailed to the top of the shell, by careful heating of the head. Modern congas use a screw-and-lug, tension head system that makes them easier to tune (or detune).

Terminology for the drums varies. The naming system used typically follows those currently in use by major conga manufacturers. The drums are discussed in order from largest to smallest; the sizes of the drumheads slightly vary by manufacturer, model, and style:

The supertumba can be as large as 14 inches across (35.5 cm).
The tumba is typically 12 to 12.5 inches across (30.5 to 31.8 cm).
The conga is typically 11.5 to 12 inches across (29.2 to 30.5 cm).
The quinto is typically around 11 inches across (about 28 cm).
The requinto can be smaller than 10 inches across (24.8 cm).
The ricardo can be as small as 9 inches across (22.9 cm). Since this drum is typically played while hanging from a shoulder strap, it is considerably shorter and narrower than a traditional conga.

In general, the particular note will depend on the make, model, and size of the conga drum. The drum should be tuned so that the bass tone resonates; the open tone rings, and the slaps pierce through the musical mix. If the tuning is too loose, the bass and slap tones will sound "flabby"; too tight, and the drums will sound unnatural and "pinched." With a single drum, it is difficult to go wrong with tightening the drum until it makes a pleasing sound. When two or more drums are used, however, there is much variation on which two notes are chosen. With two drums, it is not unusual to find them tuned a perfect fourth apart.

Labels: conga, conga.drums, congas, percussion.instrument, quinto, requinto, ricardo, supertumba, tumbadora, tuning.congas

The following is an unbelievable story I recently read regarding women in Africa who are literally being disowned by family members for playing the drums. That's what many members of the Amazones (The Women Master Drummers of Guinea) have to deal with in their native African homeland of Guinea.

The instrument of choice in The Amazones performance is the djembe. Traditionally played by men in Guinea, the djembe is forbidden for women to even touch. Several of the women in the group have been shunned by their families, where in one case a mother of one of the djembe players not only disowned her but told her to look for another job, and even burnt her performance costume. It's wild to think that this is happening in the 21st century. "The mind couldn't get it that the woman decided to do this," said the Amazones' founding director Mamoudou Conde.

Conde said he encouraged the Amazones, a group of up to 14 women, to push past the criticisms and to stick with the djembe. "One of the reasons for bringing the girls on this instrument for me, is really to speak out," Conde said. "Part is a fight for African women and their rights." Conde added that after nearly a decade of performing worldwide, the women's families are starting to see inspiration in the group's determination, and even young girls are becoming exposed to the instrument.

"Many girls now are picking up some of these instruments," Conde said. "They see their mother doing something they want to do. This really gives girls courage and ability to do what they want to do.

Labels: african.djembe, amazones, djembe, drum, drummers, guinea, percussion.instrument

Virtually all percussion instruments that are manufactured today are made in Bangkok, Thailand. Bangkok's close proximity to the raw material and skilled labor needed to manufacture percussion instruments make it an ideal location. Brands such as Tycoon, Latin Percussion, Toca, Meinl, and Fat Congas to name a few are all manufactured in Thailand. In fact Latin Percussion and Toca are subsidiaries of Kaman Music. However, only Tycoon owns its own factory in Bangkok. Most other brands rent factory space in Bangkok to manufacture their line of percussion instruments. The factories rented are in many cases generically set-up to produce all sorts of products - not just percussion instruments. That's not to say that these brands aren't quality, it's just the reality.

Because of Tycoon's specialized factory for making percussion instruments, there are some cases where companies commission Tycoon to manufacture their percussion instruments where they are eventually shipped to the states and sold to you under a different brand name.

Tycoon Percussion has been manufacturing high-end percussion instruments in their own factory for 20 plus years and has just recently decided to market the Tycoon Percussion brand in the U.S. market. We decided to carry the Tycoon percussion line because of their excellent reputation and experience in making top quality instruments. The Tycoon Percussion brand name is very well known and respected in Europe and Asia and is now on its way to becoming a top competitor in the U.S market. We're excited to offer these high quality instruments directly to you at the lowest guaranteed prices. Enjoy!!

Labels: bangkok, bongo, conga, djembe, fat.congas, latin.percussion, meinl, percussion.instrument, tambourine, toca, tycoon.percussion

The cajon is believed to have originated in Peru when the African slaves, brought to Peru from Angola, began using fruit crates as percussion instruments. Displaced from their homeland, the African slaves substituted cod shipping crates for their native drums.

In Cuba, small dresser drawers were used for the same purpose. The instrument was refined and became an important part of Cuban and Peruvian music. Early usage of the Peruvian cajon was to accompany Tondero and Zamacueca (old version of Marinera) dances. Tapping knuckles on wooden tables may be considered a predecessor to the cajon.

Three quarter inch pine or other white wood was generally used for five sides of the box. A thin sheet of plywood was nailed on as the sixth side and acted as the head or striking surface. The top edges were often left unattached and could be slapped against the box. A sound hole was cut in the side opposing the head. The player sat on the box striking the head between his legs. The modern cajon has several screws at the top for adjusting percussive timbre and may sport rubber feet. Some versions may also have several vertically stretched cords pressed against the tapa for a buzz like effect or tone.

Today, the cajon is heard extensively in Andean, Cuban, and Flamenco music. It's steadily gaining popularity in all types of contemporary music and has become a favorite for "unplugged" sessions and is often used to accompany the acoustic guitar.

Labels: cajon, cajon.drum, cajons, cuban.music, flamenco.music, percussion.instrument, peruvian.music

For over 22 years Tycoon Percussion has been manufacturing high-end, top quality, percussion instruments for musicians worldwide. They have over 150 skilled craftsman creating all types of percussion instruments including bongos, congas, djembes, timbales, and cajons to name a few. Tycoon currently produces around 40,000 sets of percussion instruments each year and venture to all the main music exhibitions including NAMM.

Tycoon instruments are known by professional percussionists (such as Virgilio Figueroa, David Stanford, Tamasito Cruz, Inocento Alvarez, and Arnaldo "Arnie" Silva) to deliver pure, crisp sound every time they are played. Additionally, Tycoon percussion is known for creating beautiful sought-after glossy finishes that catch the eye of even the most critical player. They continuously change and develop a unique array of colors and patterns to constantly bring excitement to their line of percussion based instruments.

Tycoon Percussion has consistently been growing since the mid-80's when they first began producing their line of top quality hand drums and percussion instruments. Their percussion products are sold in every major country worldwide and are now finally available in the United States. In 2006, Tycoon established a U.S. distribution center in Reno, NV and most recently opend a new U.S. office in Pasadena, CA.

Tycoon Djembe

Tycoon Bongos

Tycoon Congas

Labels: bongo, cajon, conga, djembe, NAMM, percussion.instrument, timbales, tycoon.percussion, world.percussion

A drum circle is any group of people typically playing hand drums and percussion in a circle. It is a rhythm-based event where a diverse group of individuals and instruments are gathered for the common purpose of empowering a community with creative self-expression in a group music making experience. Rhythmical expression is as ancient and unique as man and found throughout the world, represented in art, celebration, meditation, and wellness situations. Drum Circles are commonly used for social gatherings or to promote wellness in populations such as nursing homes, assisted living, at risk youth, mentally or physically challenged, and various community situations. Other instruments and dance can also be incorporated into the drum circle. They are distinct from a drumming group or troupe in that the drum circle is an end in itself rather than preparation for a performance. They can range in size from a handful of players to circles with thousands of participants.

A Community Drum Circle is a place for individuals to express themselves through the use of drums and percussion instruments. These instruments are accessible to a multi-generational and multicultural community. An individual can express himself or herself through the instrument without much skill or technique, becoming a part in the group song. The use of different instruments (drums, shakers, bells, etc.) allows the group to experience a metaphoric relation of the unique individuals involved in creating a diverse spontaneous rhythmic song, fun for the whole group. As the groups' sounds evolve, participants begin to hear the rhythmic interdependent relationships creating the songs. Conversations through rhythmic pulses emerge as the community becomes connected beyond the music produced.

Types of Drum and percussion instruments typically found in a drum circle include:

Ashiko
Bongo
Cluster Drum
Cajon Drum
Conga
Dhol (type of 2-headed drum)
Djembe
Doumbek
Drum Sticks
Jug Drum
Shakers
Tambourine
Timbales (sometimes)

Labels: ashiko, bongo, cluster.drum, conga, dhol, djembe, drum, drum.circle, drum.sticks, drums, hand.drum, percussion, percussion.instrument, tambourine, timbales