The Riqq

A Small Hand-Held Frame Drum with Cymbals

Two traditional fish-skin riqq-s. © MaqamWorld

Pronunciation of Riqq

The Riqq is a small hand-held frame drum with cymbals. The frame is usually made of wood (a few aluminum models exist), and is 9 to 10 inches in diameter. It is traditionally fitted with fish skin, although modern riqq-s use plastic (Mylar) instead. The cymbals give the riqq its distinctive sound. They are made of brass (around 0.8mm to 0.9mm thick) and come in 5 (sometimes 6) groups of four.

The riqq can be used to play very complex rhythmic cycles and ornamentations using intricate fingering technique, and can produce a wide variety of sounds by utilizing the skin, the wood frame and the cymbals.

The riqq is usually the only percussion instrument in a takht (traditional Arabic chamber group) and its player is called dabet al-iqa‘ (controller/manager of rhythm).

Hassan Anwar Riqq player Hassan Anwar (the official dabet al-iqa‘ for the Diamond Orchestra in Egypt) exchanges solos with the org player in Abdel Halim Hafez's song Qari'at al-Fingan (1976, music by Muhammad al-Mugi).

Muhammad al-‘Arabi Egyptian riqq player Muhammad al-‘Arabi performs a Riqq Solo (on a riqq with a plastic head) where he explores many iqa‘at.

Adel Shams el-Din Egyptian percussionist Adel Shams el-Din performs a Riqq Solo on a fishskin riqq, where he explores many iqa‘at (recorded in 2005 at the Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris).

Mustafa Bayyumi Egyptian percussionist Mustafa Bayyumi performs a Riqq Solo (on a riqq with a plastic head) where he explores many iqa‘at.

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