The sounds of traditional Arabic musical instruments like the oud, the shababa, and the tableh help create that distinct sound of Arabic music.
The historical origins of Arabic music are diverse. Early Arab musicians borrowed from the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Sumerians. Many of the instruments used today are direct descendents of those depicted in the wall paintings and carvings of those past civilizations.
Arabic music first became influential after the decline of Byzantium. From the mid-7th to the early 9th century AD, the Eastern Roman Empire suffered from cultural stagnation. At this time, the spread of Islam occured, and an Arab empire was established. Helping to revive an interest in Greek music and literature through Arabic translations, Arab music filled the cultural void and contributed to the later European Renaissance.
Traditional Arabic Musical Instruments
The present form of Arabic instruments date back to their ancestral instruments of the 8th-10th centuries, which is known as the classical Islamic civilization and Golden Age.
The oud, has remained a popular instrument among Arab musicians, and produces a soft and gentle tone. The oud was the predecessor of the European lute, which was replaced by the guitar in the 16th century.
The tableh, or durbakke, is a vase-shaped drum with lamb or fish skin stretched over the wider end. The tableh is made from either metal or ceramic, and is traditionally held under the left arm while being struck with the right hand. It is struck in the middle for strong beats, and the outer edges for sharper beats.
The duff is a percussion instrument which much like the tambourine, is a round untuned framed drum with metal discs set in pairs around the frame.
A qanan is a trapezoid-shaped flat board mounted with strings in groups of 3, and is the origin of the European zither. It is believed to be the same instrument in drawings found on ancient Egyptian wall paintings.
The shababa is an ancient flute with 6 front finger holes and 1 hole for the thumb. The shababa is played by blowing gently across the open mouthpiece.
Finally, the rababa (or spike fiddle) is a string instrument with a long tubular neck that extends the length of the instrument. The rababa is the oldest of the bowed instruments, having usually 1 string, but sometimes 2. The single-string rababa is most often used in simple songs, and is the instrument most used by the desert Bedouin nomads.
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