To contact us, please mail on:
ELMANPERCUSSION@GMAIL.COM
Influences
Sounds Like
Salam Muhanna, David Kuckhermann and Simon Valentin playing ELMAN riqs at Tamburi Mundi festival in Freiburg
Joss Turnbull playing with Raed Khoshaba on German TV programme
To contact us, please mail on: ELMANPERCUSSION@GMAIL.COM
Our design combines the traditional sound and technique with some original innovations;
The frame is extra thin (2") and it has a special form with thicker parts between the jingles which makes it easier to hold the drum in both positions.
The jingles are all individually hand-hammered. The standard set includes 3 different timbres.*
The head is leaning on the narrow metal bearing edge that contributes to the clear and sharp TEK sound. The riq includes a tuning mechanism operated by an Allen key. Two models of riq are available: one with a plastic head and one with a traditional fish skin.
Frame - 9"
Grip - 2"
Head - 8"
Weight ≈ 730 gr
*Various cymbal sounds are available on special request.
About the fish skin riqs: For hundreds and probably thousands years up until very recent times (about 30 years ago, when the plastic substitutes were introduced) the riq traditionally had a fishskin head, (sometimes a goat or some other animal skins were used, but much less successfully). Like any other natural skin, the fish skin is influenced by the relative humidity of the air. The higher the humidity percentage - the looser the skin's tension and vice versa. In order to overcome this obstacle, when the drum was tuned too low, it could be heated, causing the humidity to evaporate from the skin and the tension (and consequently the pitch) - to rise. So, most of the regulary performing drummers had two identical riqs and by the time the musician was playing one of them, the other was meanwhile placed above some heating device (hot coals, candles and in the 20th century - an electric bulb). After 10-20 min (depending on the humidity levels) he would switch between the two instruments. In this way it was possible to perform with the desired pitch of the instrument and without interruption as long as was required. ________________________________________________________________________The main reason for the overwhelming popularity of the synthetic heads is that they free the musician from the necessity to deal with such tuning hustle (and also the need to carry around two drums instead of one). But what is being largly underestimated by many modern musicians is the very high price for the comfort - NO synthetic substitute can possibly sound as good as the natural skin! ________________________________________________________________________________In order to overcome some difficulties while preserving the original sound, we developed the traditional way of tuning with the help of some modern technological advantages: we've built a special round stand that maintains a permanent pitch of the riq regardless of the surrounding conditions, as long as the instrument is laid on top of it. The rest is the same: you receive two identical handmade riqs, and while you play one of them, the other one remains on the "electric stand". After 10-20 min, when the first drum starts to lose tension/pitch, you can switch to the other one and so on. The main advantage of such "electric stand" over the traditional heaters is that the musician doesn't need to be worried about an overheating, which may damage the riqq - the instrument will be automatically regulated as long as it is placed on the stand.
Myspace Codes
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Thanks for adding me and also your kind comments. Your drumming is truly inspiring! I'm going to start saving for one of your riqqs, beautiful! Oakland, CA
Hi Lev, thanks for the add! Your playing is really unbeliavable, so inspiring! Thank you very much for your kind words, i hope to see you play live somewhere, someday! Cheers from Italy, Davide
Hy Lev, I met one of your customer, Giovanni Squillacioti from Crotone (Italy), a beautiful person and great player of drums. I saw and tried your riq .... congratulation! It's a wonderful drum! I hope to meet you soon....At the end of May there will be 'Tamburo mundi europe' in italy.....could be a good time! Give me your news.... and again congratulation. Stefano
Shalom Lev,the musicianship of Israel is unique,you are a part of this,also your craftmanship is tops! I hope one day to return to Israel and meet you so I can get your special Riq,all the Best!
...I am honoured of your comment! A video is already present in my space (by Massimo Carrano a great italian percussionist)... Where have you know my tamburines?? In freeburg?? bye
