Percussion instruments
Bendir
Bendir: A large frame drum played by hand, with skin stretched over its wide frame. A wide-framed hand drum; in Sufi music it accompanies dhikr and hymns, and it is also common in folk music.
In brief
- Family: Percussion; large single-headed frame drum without jingles
- Origin: Frame drum tradition reaching back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia; widespread in North Africa and Western Asia
- Body and materials: Skin stretched over one side of a thin wooden frame
- Snares: On some, gut snares running under the skin give a buzzing timbre
- Playing: Held upright, the thumb through a hole in the frame; struck with fingers and palm
- Music: Tekke music, dhikr and ilahis; North African folk music
- Other names: Bender, mazhar; related to the def, the daire and the jingle-less Egyptian tar[1, 2]
Listen
History
A wide-framed hand drum; in Sufi music it accompanies dhikr and hymns, and it is also common in folk music.
Construction
Skin is stretched over one side of a thin wooden hoop; in some types snares (kiriş) run beneath the skin and give a buzzing sound.
How it is played
It is held with one hand and struck with the fingers and palms of both hands; the centre gives the low düm, the edge the high tek.
Its place in makam music
It carries the usul patterns; in Sufi lodges it keeps the rhythm of zikr and hymns. The bendir can be selected in the site's percussion accompaniment.
Getting started: types, sizes, tuning
Start with this instrument
Masters on recordings
Performers who play this instrument on recordings of works in the score archive (MusicBrainz).
Frequently asked questions about the Bendir
What is the difference between the bendir and the tef?
The bendir usually has a larger diameter and no jingles on its frame; on many bendirs, strings (snares) running under the skin add a buzzing resonance to the strokes. The tef's frame has pairs of brass jingles that ring with every stroke. The bendir's sound is deeper and more resonant, the tef's brighter and livelier.
Why is the bendir important in Sufi music?
Its deep, resonant sound forms a simple ground for the words repeated in dhikr and for the usuls of ilahis. In tekkes it keeps the rhythm of the dhikr circle and unites the community in the same breath. The same instrument is widespread in Sufi traditions and folk music from North Africa to the Middle East.
How is the bendir played?
It is held by its frame with one hand and struck with the fingers and palms of both hands. A stroke in the center gives the low düm sound, a stroke at the edge the high tek sound. The fingers of the hand holding it from behind the skin both strike and can change the tension of the skin to adjust the tone color.
Can I hear the bendir on the site?
Yes. The “Listen” section on this page has real bendir strokes. You can also choose the bendir as the percussion instrument in the usul metronome under Tools and in the usul bar of the pieces in the sheet music archive; this way you can listen to the usul of an ilahi or a şarkı with the sound of the bendir.