Goblet drum

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"Tablah" redirects here. For the instrument used in Hindustani classical music, see Tabla.
A goblet drum

The goblet drum (also chalice drum, tarabuka, darbuka, debuka, doumbek, dumbec, dumbeg, dumbelek, toumperleki, or tablah,[1] Arabic: دربوكة‎ / ALA-LC: darbūkah) is a single head membranophone with a goblet shaped body used mostly in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe.[2] The African djembe-wassolou is also a goblet membranophone.[3] This article focuses on the Eastern and North-African goblet drum.


The origin of the term darabukka probably lies in the Arabic word "darba" ("to strike"). The original use of goblet drums in Babylonia and Sumer dates from as early as 1100 BCE. On Celebes one large form serves as a temple instrument, set on the floor when performed, which could be a survival of the ancient use of the drum .[4]


Derbekkeh from Jerusalem, 1859. From Thomson, p. 580.

The Eastern and North-African goblet drums are played under the arm or resting on the player's leg, with a much lighter touch and quite different strokes (sometimes including rolls or quick rhythms articulated with the fingertips) than hand drums such as the djembe, found in West Africa.



There are three main sounds produced by the goblet drum. The first is called the "doum". It is the deeper bass sound produced by striking the head near the center with the length of the fingers and palm and taking off the hand for an open sound. The second is called the "tek" and is the higher-pitched sound produced by hitting near the edge of the head with the fingertips. A 'tek' struck with the secondary hand is also known as a "ka". The third is the closed sound 'pa', resting rapidly the hand on the head to not permit an open sound. Additionally, there are more complex techniques including snaps, slaps, pops and rolls that are used to ornament the basic rhythm. Hand clapping and hitting the sides of the drum can be used in addition to drumhead sounds.

Another technique commonly used in Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey and Egypt is to tap with the fingers of one hand and with a thin stick in the other. In Turkey the stick is called the çubuk, which means wand, or stick. The Romani of most of the countries associated with the goblet drum use this technique.

Use in Western classical music[edit]

The first known Western classical composition to feature a goblet drum is the opera Les Troyens (1856–1858) by the French composer Hector Berlioz, which calls for a tarbuka in the Dance of the Nubian Slaves in Act IV.

The first compositions for goblet drum and orchestra were composed by Halim El-Dabh in the 1950s; his Fantasia-Tahmeel for goblet drum and strings was premiered in New York City in 1958, with a string orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski.


See also[edit]


  1. ^ Silverman, Carol (2012). Romani Routes: Cultural Politics and Balkan Music in Diaspora. Oxford University Press. pp. 258, 393. 
  2. ^ Blades, James. (1970). Percussion Instruments and their History. NY. p.175
  3. ^ Garland Encyclopedia of World Music). Routledge; Har/Com edition (November 1999). ISBN 978-0-8240-4946-1
  4. ^ Sadie, Stanley, (1980). "Darabukka". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Vol. 5. p. 239. ISBN 1-56159-174-2.