Brief Course Description

Contemporary Riq is a comprehensive online course on the Riq (Middle Eastern tambourine) taught by world-renowned performer and teacher Yousif Sheronick.  

The course covers both Cabaret and Soft Position playing with 65 video lessons along with PDF worksheets which contain all of the exercises and grooves from the course.  This course takes you beyond the standard “Dum and Tek” and guides you through Advanced Techniques, shows you how to use them in Grooves, and gets you started on Soloing ideas.    

Included is the Middle Eastern Groove Basket with instruction on some of the most popular Middle Eastern Rhythms.  



Is this course right for me?
Absolutely!  This course is designed for ALL players.  It is a step-by-step process that starts with the basics of how to hold the instrument and play basic tones, then systematically guides you through advanced techniques seen by today’s top players.  Beginners as well as players with years of experience will improve their playing using Yousif’s unique and proven teaching method.  He consistently addresses all levels of players whether he is working through tone production, strength building, playing "melodically", or odd time signatures.    

What material can I view and when?
Upon enrollment you have instant access to ALL 6 hours of videos and PDFs.  You can watch whatever you like, whenever you like.  Keep to Yousif's step-by-step curriculum or jump around the course videos as you wish.  

How does the monthly payment plan work?
With the monthly plan you are paying for one month (30 or 31 days) of access to the entire course.  You can start anytime.  Monthly subscriptions rebill on the anniversary of your start date.  For instance, if you enroll on April 15th you will have access through May 14th. You are free to watch all the videos and download the PDF worksheets anytime during that month.  The subscription renews after one month unless you cancel.  Once you cancel you can still view the videos until that current month of access has ended.  The downloaded PDF worksheets you can keep forever.   

Why take THIS course?  
Excellent question!  Yousif’s master plan is to make you a well-rounded musician.  You won’t simply be given a series of strokes that make up a groove.  You will learn to play musically, to be able to pull “melodies” out of those grooves, to have solid internal rhythm and a greater ability to play in odd time signatures.  Yousif moves your thought process away from the analytical side of the brain and to the creative, stripping away numbers (math!) and replacing them with South Indian vocal cycles.  You will learn base patterns first before filling up those grooves with embellishments.  This will bring out the melodies in those grooves and transform you from a drummer into a musician!  

How are the sessions organized?
The first section is centered on Cabaret Position (playing both on cymbals and drum head), the second is devoted to Soft Position (playing mainly on the drum head). Those sections start from the basics of holding the drum and playing basic strokes, then move to Advanced Techniques such as Split Hand Technique, Glen Velez Fast Fingerings, and various shaking patterns.  You will also learn several grooves in these sections putting the basic and advanced techniques in context. In the final section you will experience how Yousif incorporates these practices into his solos as you learn parts of his composed solo Manta Ray Dance.  



Drum Suggestions:
Yes!  Check out the Cooperman Riq - Yousif Sheronick AIS Model!!!

Purchase the Riq from my store and receive one free month's subscription to this course!
Click here to order from my duoJalal linked store.


Full and Partial Scholarships are now available.  
Click Here to Learn More



Course Reviews:

5 star rating

The most complete Riq course online

Pedro Carapinha

What a great piece of instruction! The course provides all the wonderful and complex technique aspects of the instrument, presented progressively and in a ...

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What a great piece of instruction! The course provides all the wonderful and complex technique aspects of the instrument, presented progressively and in a structured way, plus a bunch of musicianship tips from someone clearly very experienced that just take this work to another level. The essential foundations lead to very quick improvements and technique development. All the videos are extremely detailed, clear and easy to follow, giving the feeling that Yousif is actually practicing and teaching in real time. I could not be more happy for having enrolled in this course.

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5 star rating

This course is absolutely great

Germanno Falcão

The teacher makes the whole difference. He really emanates good vibes and ease while teaching, so we feel very very conformable when learning the Riq. He ex...

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The teacher makes the whole difference. He really emanates good vibes and ease while teaching, so we feel very very conformable when learning the Riq. He explains calmly, and also shows how far the technique can go and how beautiful it can sound. And everything starts really simple. Just loved it.

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5 star rating

Fantastic

Adam Rose

For many years I wanted to learn the riq, but I had an old drum with a dead head which wasn’t very inspiring. Deciding to purchase a good quality riq and th...

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For many years I wanted to learn the riq, but I had an old drum with a dead head which wasn’t very inspiring. Deciding to purchase a good quality riq and then enroll in this course was such a great decision! It would have taken me years to learn all of this material piecemeal, so it’s awesome that it’s all in one place. The lessons are clearly taught and the demonstrations are inspiring as well. It will provide me with things to practice for a long time. Very happy to call myself a riqist now!

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5 star rating

Excited!

Marjolein van Ammers

Feel excited to finally make a start with this Riq journey! I will be enjoying studying the South Indian exercise and strokes while listening to the differe...

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Feel excited to finally make a start with this Riq journey! I will be enjoying studying the South Indian exercise and strokes while listening to the difference in sounds of bronze and brass ✨ I wrote the above last October but now I realize that I forgot to touch ‘send review’ Meanwhile I worked myself through the Cabaret Position and learned so much. The riq truly is a huge amount of framedrum in a small package! Yousif pays much attention to the right hand and wrist posture for the different strokes and these lessons go much further than simply counting and playing in time. This makes it possible to learn a new instrument online without feedback. As a professional pianoteacher with some framedrum experience I still encountered some challenges. It will be very usefull to repeat certain lessons in the end. But I enjoy the daily braintraning (reciting solkattu while playing triplets in four) and making videos of myself practising and witnessing the progress. Looking forward to start 2023 in the Soft Position! March ‘23 Love the soft position! March 10th of to the Manta Ray Dance.. May 13th 2023 I have made it ‘till the end! Thank you Yousif Sherronick for this thorough Riq course. Most of all I enjoyed the Middle Eastern Groove Basket. It felt great to feel the flow of these rhythms and being able to put the learned techniques into practice!

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5 star rating

Excellent course!

Justin DeHart

Very clear and lots of cool rhythms and techniques. Highly recommended

Very clear and lots of cool rhythms and techniques. Highly recommended

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5 star rating

Riq Course

Caron Shanahan

Very easy follow along to the instruction. Learning faster than I imagined.

Very easy follow along to the instruction. Learning faster than I imagined.

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5 star rating

Title's fine

Marvin Collins

I consider myself to be an intermediate to advanced amateur riq player. This course was valuable for me in going back over the basics plus adding a few new ...

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I consider myself to be an intermediate to advanced amateur riq player. This course was valuable for me in going back over the basics plus adding a few new "contemporary" techniques. For expansion of the course I suggest going into detail on traditional middle eastern rhythms and accompaniment. From Yousif: Thank you for your feedback Marvin. I have added over 4 hours of Middle Eastern rhythms to the course!

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5 star rating

Great teaching materials

Shinya Watanabe

While doing work to live, I am taking this course to acquire work skills to help me live better. It is a course that I can learn without difficulty even in ...

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While doing work to live, I am taking this course to acquire work skills to help me live better. It is a course that I can learn without difficulty even in my busy life cycle. There are some interesting lessons on YouTube, but they are not as good as this class. I am happy to meet a really good school. It may take some time for me, but I strongly want to take other courses someday.

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5 star rating

Amazing and unique course

Paul Antoine NASSIF

5 star rating

Fabulous instructions

MJ Gernes

Easy to follow along as instructor Yousif Sheronick walks you through from simple basic rhythms, to adding on beautiful embellishments. Also tips on double l...

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Easy to follow along as instructor Yousif Sheronick walks you through from simple basic rhythms, to adding on beautiful embellishments. Also tips on double left hand (or triplet) strengthening exercises. Very professional, highly recommend.

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Course Curriculum

    1. Introduction

    2. The Basics - Worksheet

    3. 1 - Holding

    4. 2 - Basic Tones - Dum

    5. 3 - Head Tek (Pah) and Rim Tek

    6. 4 - Frame Tek

    7. 5 - Cymbal Tek

    8. 6 - Reduction Exercise

    1. Basic Grooves - Worksheet

    2. 7 - Groove 1

    3. 8 - Groove 2

    4. 9 - Groove 3

    5. 10 - Groove 4

    6. 11 - Groove 5

    1. Technique Exercises - Worksheet

    2. 12 - Triplet Exercise

      FREE PREVIEW
    3. 13 - Open and Closed Cymbals

    4. 14 - Ring Finger Dum

    5. 15 - Groove 6

    6. 16 - Flam Head Tek (Pah)

    1. Contemporary Techniques - Worksheet

    2. 17 A - Glen Velez Fast Fingerings Part 1

    3. 17 B - Glen Velez Fast Fingerings Part 2

    4. 18 - Fast Fingerings 4321L

    5. 19 - Rim + Cymbal Tek

    6. 20 - Back and Forth Shake

    7. 21 - Split Hand Technique

    8. 22 - Split Hand Triplet

    9. 23 - Out In Shake

    10. 24 - Triplet Shake

    11. 25 - Extended Fast Fingering Pattern

    12. 26 - Fast Fingering Tehai

    1. Embellished Grooves - Worksheet

    2. 27 - Malfouf

    3. 28 - Groove 2 Embellished

    4. 29 - Rim + Cymbal Groove

    5. 30 Groove 3 Embellished

    6. 31 - Groove 4 Embellished

    7. 32 - Maksoum Embellished

    8. 33 - Split Hand Groove

    9. 34 - Split Hand Triplet Groove

    1. The Basics - Worksheet

    2. S 1 - Holding and Dum

    3. S 2 - Tek

About this course

  • $39.00 / month
  • 98 lessons
  • 11.5 hours of video content

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About the instructor

Yousif Sheronick

Hailed by the New York Times for his “dazzling improvisations” and his “wizardry on a range of humble frame drums” Yousif Sheronick enjoys an active career as percussionist, composer, producer and educator. Having studied classical percussion through a Masters degree at Yale, Yousif went on to study music from Brazil, India, Africa and the Middle East which he seamlessly incorporates into his playing. Yousif’s unique skills in both World and Classical music have led him to perform with a diverse range of ensembles and musicians including Philip Glass, Yo-Yo Ma, Laurie Anderson, Ethos Percussion Group, Lark Quartet, Silk Road Ensemble, Branford Marsalis, Sonny Fortune, Cindy Blackman Santana, Glen Velez and Paul Winter. His many musical influences are highlighted in duoJalal, his venture with violist and wife Kathryn Lockwood. A feature article in Drum! Magazine highlighted Yousif’s versatility in an article titled “At The Corner Of The World”. Always wanting to build bridges through music, Yousif has become a major force in bringing world percussion into contemporary/classical music. He has had the luxury of in-depth work with composers Evan Ziporyn, Derek Bermel, Kenji Bunch, Ljova and John Patitucci, all of whom were eager to compose for his exotic instruments. As a composer himself, Yousif’s compositions have been premiered and performed around the world at both the collegiate and professional level. All released under his own publishing company Bribie Recordings. He has arranged several parts for his collaboration with the Lark Quartet including John Adams’ Book of Alleged Dances which was released on Bridge Records. Producing credits include a solo CD and two instructional DVDs. “A testimony to his genius” raves Modern Drummer Magazine about Yousif’s CD Silk Thread, and Rhythm Magazine (UK) says Yousif’s Riq Instructional DVD “is a must to uncover the mysteries of this ancient instrument.” ​In demand as an educator, Yousif has conducted residencies and master classes at top universities including Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, University of Michigan, University of Kentucky, the Queensland Conservatorium and National University in Australia. A whirlwind trip to Taiwan was filled with 10 solo workshops in 4 cities in 5 days. With increasing demand from drummers around the world, Yousif established his online frame drum school www.framedrumschool.org which has enrolled over 1100 students from 70 countries. ​Yousif has appeared throughout North and South America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia with festival appearances including the JVC and Newport Jazz Festivals, Jazztel (Madrid), Renaissance Festival (Rethymno, Greece) Early Music Festival (Regensburg, Germany) and Jerusalem Festival (Palestine). Prestigious venue performances include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Royal Festival Hall (London) and Wigmore Hall (London). He has performed live on NPR’s “Performance Today” and John Schaffer’s “New Sounds.” Yousif holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Iowa. ​Yousif gratefully endorses products from Cooperman Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Innovative Mallets and Pearl/Adams.