Product Description

Learn to play doumbek (dumbek, darbuka) with New York's most beloved Arabic percussionist, the master instructor, the one and only Amir Naoum! If you are a beginning drummer, this DVD will serve as a very accessible, friendly and solid introduction to the art of Middle Eastern percussion. If you are a dancer, Amir Naoum's clear introduction to the most popular bellydance rhythms and their more subtle variations will help you learn to recognize the rhythms, even in their most sophisticated forms. Born in Syria and raised in Lebanon, Amir Naoum has played in NYC Arabic clubs, for family celebrations and bellydance shows for over 30 years. He has contributed generously to the success of most New York star bellydancers and Middle Eastern percussionists. Amir's method of teaching Middle Eastern rhythms and doumbek technique have helped many dancers and drummers take their first steps toward understanding Middle Eastern rhythms, and develop toward higher levels of musicality and doumbek playing technique. Amir is known for his warm, welcoming, encouraging teaching style and for helping dancers at every level of skill do their best in performance. This program is a beginner-level doumbek instructional course with a lot of beyond-the-basics information and spectacular demonstrations of Middle Eastern drumming and dance rhythms.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #42130 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-10-16
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Colour, DVD-Video, Widescreen, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .15 pounds
• Running time: 60 minutes

Review
Have you been itching to get drumming with a dumbek? Amir will get you going with everything you need to know to get started! The DVD is divided into convenient sections covering a welcome/introduction, rhythms, practices, and demo. You learn about the dumbek, how to hold the instrument comfortably and how to perform your first few beats. Then you can proceed with the practice drills or go on to learn to play AND recognize the popular and common Arabic rhythms. The beat is counted out for you clearly on the screen, and verbally without being annoying. Amir is a fantastic host and instructor, offering friendly and encouraging advice throughout the instruction. I love how easy the format is to follow, you can go all at your own speed and pace, and navigate through the different sections and lessons by a simple click of your remote thanks to the convenient index of the lessons. Repeat a section as many times as you need or jump ahead to something more advanced...you won't be bored! The quality of the screen and sound is excellent, this isn't a shoddy homemade instructional DVD! I'd like to note that Middle Eastern Dancers/Belly Dancers will also find this DVD a great resource even if you don't plan on learning to drum. You can gain a great familiarity with the instrument and to instantly recognize the various Arabic rhythms by sound and name. It will really enhance your dance experience. I've found it invaluable for increasing my understanding of the music and rhythms I dance to. After watching, you just might want to give drumming a try! This DVD brings the beauty of the Dumbek and Arabic rhythms right to the comfort and convenience of your own home. With some time and practice, you'll be comfortably drumming in no time at all, even if you've had no prior experience. Those with percussion experience will appreciate the clear review of fundamentals and while learning some fun and exciting new rhythms. It really couldn't be easier to get started with the Dumbek than with this affordable DVD. --amazon.com (US)

Review
Amir is an amazing professional musician and instructor, you will want to follow along as he breaks down basic doumbek technique and patterns. As a serious dancer I am left with better knowledge and understanding of Arabic percussion- essential in designing my drum solos, taxim sections of dance. Anyone at any dance level can benefit from so much knowledge deposited right into your lap.Fundamentals of doumbek are simply broken down, complete with exercises and different patterns that you can use to follow along.Doum, tek, ka, pop, slap 5 -different sounds created from the tabla just by learning which area of the drum to strike. Anatomy of the drum, how the hold the drum, also combinations of these 5 sounds that create the nine Arabic percussion combinations, masmoudi,ayoub, baladi,saiidi, malfouf,maksoum,soumbati,ciftetelli, and some variations. Amir and Aziz combine the drum and tambourine,riq, for a beautiful demonstration of patterns. A very valuable tool for learning and reference to drumming in bellydance. The quality of this dvd is great, color is vivid, overall an exceptional, purchase more than worth its price. --amazon.com (US)

Review
I highly recommend this video. It teaches you technique, although I think more time could be spent on the 'ka'. The top of the screen cuts off a little bit of the top hand when the instructor plays. One other issue is that in one of the lessons the music and the video do not match up exactly, which is distracting. But I can let that go since the rest of it is just great. The DVD gives you instructions and several practice rhythms which you should use whether you are a beginner or intermediate doumbek player. The demos include a riq player as well, with a lot of improvised fill-ins to the primary rhythm. Excellent tool and inspiring! --amazon.com (US)

Customer Reviews

Excellent beginners DVD
Got a doumbek for my birthday from my wife who belly dances because I'd watched a drum solo and thought 'Hey - I could do that - I could drum, you could dance!' Well, I guess I found it looked easier than it was! I'd picked up hints and rhythms etc. on the internet and listened to some Hossam Ramsey (who's a really nice guy by the way) and bought another instructional DVD by another player which at least got me going, but I'd hit a wall and wasn't really progressing any more. Just couldn't work out 'How do they make that sound?', and 'That bit's so fast, I can't tell what hand is doing what!', and so on.

Now, with this DVD, I feel I'm really making progress again. Amir starts with some practice exercises which of course I skipped and went straight to the interesting stuff. Pretty soon I was back at the exercises - they're really important for building up strength and speed and consistency, I've found, as I couldn't play the more complex stuff at all without a good work out first.

Amir takes each rhythm, starting with the easier ones, and shows the basic rhythm nice and slow so you can pick it up and join in. Then he adds the extra taks and kas and so on and builds up several variations of increasing complexity step by step. The easy ones are not too bad, but I soon found myself having to practice lots to get the next and the next. In this way I felt I was really progressing - each step a challenge but not too great a leap and carfully demonstrated stroke by stroke at each stage.

I've got a long way to go, but now I can see exactly where I'm going and how to get there, and am thoroughly enjoying the journey. I can see this DVD keeping me busy for many many hours to come.

Stu.

definitely recommend
Good down to earth musician, simple instructions, I would definitely recommend the DVD. but have to say that I found it hard to pass the basic rhythms, start simple but goes far too complicated and it is frustrating to keep rewind it.

Great stuff
This is specialist stuff. Amir is a great tutor. The DVD takes you from start up to advanced. Arabic drumming is incredibly complex but this DVD helps you start to understand. There are great demos, exercices etc etc. RECOMMEND.

A. Henderson