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: #49161 in DVD
• Brand: STRATOSTREAM
• Released on: 2006-08-29
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .15 pounds
• Running time: 60 minutes

Features

• 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 dancer, Amir Naoum's clear introduction to the most popular bellydance rhythms and their subtle variations will help you learn to recognize the rhythms, even in their most sophisticated forms. If you are a beginning drummer, this DVD

About the Actor
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.

Amir attended the Studio al-Fann (The Art Studio) the most famous and renowned conservatory of music in Beirut, Lebanon. Since coming to the United States in 1977, Amir has performed for Arabic, Turkish, Greek, Jewish, Armenian, and of course, American audiences. He has performed at locations across the US and Canada, becoming one of the most prominent Arabic-style drummers in North America. Amir Naoum has performed particularly extensively in New York City: At all the major Middle Eastern nightclubs; Carnegie Hall; Town Hall; Lincoln Center; The Merkin Concert Hall; and special cultural appearances for The United Nations.

Amir's drumming is often featured on radio and TV broadcasts, in films, and on a long list of Arab, Armenian, Turkish,Greek, Jewish, Latin Pop, and Indian-Arab Fusion recordings.

Amir Naoum is a master teacher of dumbek and other instruments of Arab percussion. He has taught in New York and New Jersey since 1979, and seen many of his students go on to become professional drummers themselves. Amir is proficient not only on dumbek, but also on tambourine (riq), muzhar, and bendir.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Beginner DVD! It Couldn't Be Easier to Get Started!
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.

GET YOUR BEAT ON..............!
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.

Quite good
My overall impression of this DVD is that Amir is quite knowledgeable about the doumbek. I found it interesting that he presented the different types of doumbeks together with a brief history. Some of the editing is choppy, especially as he is explaining technique. I think he could have also spent more time going in depth into technique. But when he goes into showing rhythms the editing is constant and the variations are quite interesting.