Darbuka (tarabuka)

The darbuka (tarabuka) is a goblet-shaped drum, like half an hourglass. It is found mainly in Arab countries, in various sizes. The body is made of cast aluminium about 10 millimetres thick, or of clay. The head, of skin or plastic, is fixed to a ring, which is held over the wide opening by a larger ring with tuning screws. On clay drums the skin is fixed with glue and rope, and the only way to tune it is by warming it.