Riq (Tambourine)
The Riq is the Tambourine , usually with an inlaid wood frame around 8 to 9
inches in diameter, with 5 sets of brass cymbals in two rows around the frame.
The head is traditionally fishskin, sometimes they are made of goatskin or with
synthetic heads.
It is a hand held instrument with brass cymbals , and fishskin head, is played
by striking both the head and the cymbals that surround it, thus making the
perfect chiming noise when the drum is struck. The metal plates of the Riq are
quite flat compared to a normal tambourine, therefor they do not have a long
sustain when clinging together. This enables fast and accentuated playing.
Like the tabla the Riq also has a (dum) sound which is the down beat (DUM)
which is played by striking about half way to the center with the middle finger
(s) of the dominant hand. The (tec) sound is played by striking near the edge
with a finger or striking the whole head with fingers
Again like the table, the Riq has different variation to produce different sounds
of dumas an tacas as well as the “jingling” sound it’s known for.
inches in diameter, with 5 sets of brass cymbals in two rows around the frame.
The head is traditionally fishskin, sometimes they are made of goatskin or with
synthetic heads.
It is a hand held instrument with brass cymbals , and fishskin head, is played
by striking both the head and the cymbals that surround it, thus making the
perfect chiming noise when the drum is struck. The metal plates of the Riq are
quite flat compared to a normal tambourine, therefor they do not have a long
sustain when clinging together. This enables fast and accentuated playing.
Like the tabla the Riq also has a (dum) sound which is the down beat (DUM)
which is played by striking about half way to the center with the middle finger
(s) of the dominant hand. The (tec) sound is played by striking near the edge
with a finger or striking the whole head with fingers
Again like the table, the Riq has different variation to produce different sounds
of dumas an tacas as well as the “jingling” sound it’s known for.