| The Tabla is a goblet shaped Egyptian hand drum. It is a member of the Doumbek family of drums. In Egypt the style of playing is distinct. The neck of the drum is usually wide and so it lets the sound go out quickly, which makes the sound crisp and loud. The earlier ones made in Egypt, of clay, many times have goat or fish skin heads. The really nice ones, they paint or inlay with mother of pearl. Sometimes they inlay with bone, wood or plastic, whatever material they have around. A lot of the designs come from life, from masks, or from carpets. Modern tablas can be made of aluminum. ... Doumbeks: Drums in this family are goblet shaped, and played with the hands. Their sounds range from very deep to high. ... Traditionally, the doumbek was made of clay, with a head of goat or fish skin. Some are inlaid with bits of shell, wood, or plastic. Today many of these drums are made of modern materials, such as aluminum, with a Mylar head. They may be embossed, painted, or covered with vinyl. Others are made o |
