Orchestra

Instruments

All instruments can be purchased at the Arabesque Boutique which features Egypt's highest quality percussion instruments by Gawaharet El Fan.

Daff

A shallow hand drum used for back up rhythm

Daholla

Large bass sounding dumbek used for the back up rhythm

Dumbek

Also known as Durbeki and Tabla, the main percussion instrument found throughout the Arab world

Kemanga

Violin, all classic Arabic music uses the violin

Mizmar

Wooden trumpet like instrument which has a very loud, nasal and piercing sound, folkloric

Naye

Bamboo flute, classical and folkloric instrument, a set of nayes includes one for each octave

Oude

String instrument like a mandolin or lute with no frets, classical instrument found throughout the Arab world - both the six string and the 8 string versions

Qanoon

78 string instrument with holes covered in fish skin played with picks on both hands, a classical Arabic instrument played on the lap of the musician

Qatim

Large hand drum

Rababa

2 string instrument, a stick attached to a small drum with a fish skin, the predecessor of the violin from Upper Egypt

Riqq

Tambourine used for main percussion in classical Arabic music as well as back up

Saxophone

Western instrument to be played for more contemporary music

Saz

Turkish string instument, cross between an Oude and a Bozouki

Segat

Finger cymbals made of bell metal

Semsemeya

From Port Said in Egypt, a harp type instrument shaped like a lyre

Sumbati

A slightly larger Dumbek, the new instrument of choice for professional Arab drummers

Tabal

Large drum hung over shoulder and played from both sides with two sticks, folkloric instrument found in many parts of the Middle East