Where does the Tambourine come from?

Tambourine is documented in this archive as a percussion tradition associated with Middle East. Open the culture guide from this page for regional context.

How difficult is the Tambourine to learn?

Difficulty varies by player and pedagogy. Use the difficulty field in the quick facts panel as a relative guide, then listen to specimen audio and explore related instruments in the same family.

Instrument · traditional

Percussion

Tambourine

Name: Tambourine
Brand: Middle East
Availability: OnlineOnly

The tambourine is a Middle Eastern percussion instrument consisting of a frame drum with metal jingles around the edge. It's central to folk and world music and is often used to provide rhythmic accompaniment in ensembles. The instrument produces a bright, jingling sound that's essential to folk and world musical traditions.

Catalog

Sample

Overview

Cultural context

The tambourine is central to folk and world music and represents the bright, rhythmic voice of percussion traditions.

Legendary players

Carmen Amaya—
Paco de Lucía—
Tommy Igoe—
Percussion Ensembles—

Specimen note

The tambourine is often called the 'jingle drum' and is one of the most important instruments in folk music, often providing rhythmic accompaniment in ensembles.

Technical specifications

Exhibit datasheet · derived from catalog fields

Materials & construction hints: See specimen tags and description for construction lineage
Tuning & pitch: Tuning systems vary by repertoire; consult tradition-specific pedagogy for concert pitch.
Register & role: Percussion · typical use: Folk, World Music, Contemporary
Acoustic range (general): Non-pitched percussion emphasizes temporal envelope; pitched percussion follows bar or membrane physics.
Market class (indicative): $20-$200

Historical context

The tambourine is central to folk and world music and represents the bright, rhythmic voice of percussion traditions. The tambourine is a Middle Eastern percussion instrument consisting of a frame drum with metal jingles around the edge.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Tambourine?: The tambourine is a Middle Eastern percussion instrument consisting of a frame drum with metal jingles around the edge. It's central to folk and world music and is often used to provide rhythmic accompaniment in ensem…
Where does the Tambourine come from?: Tambourine is documented in this archive as a percussion tradition associated with Middle East. Open the culture guide from this page for regional context.
How difficult is the Tambourine to learn?: Difficulty varies by player and pedagogy. Use the difficulty field in the quick facts panel as a relative guide, then listen to specimen audio and explore related instruments in the same family.

Discovery web

Related artifacts

Swipe →