Doira
Doira
(daira in Georgian, def in Azerbaijani, and daf or dapp in Armenian), a percussion instrument, a type of tambourine. Use of the doira is widespread in Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, and in the Transcaucasian republics. It consists of a round wooden hoop (approximately 400 mm in diameter), a membrane stretched taut over one side, and jangling metal rings hung on the interior of the hoop. The method by which the doira is hit (for example, tapped with the finger close to the edge or in the center) determines the various timbres that can be produced. The doira is used in instrumental ensembles and is often the sole accompaniment of folk dances. A skilled doira player can create extremely complex rhythms.