Revisiting the shibbabeh, the Palestinian flute

Doc Jazz on stage playing the shibbabeh

There has always been a consistently high demand for information on the shibbabeh, judging from web traffic coming to my website. Also, I frequently get questions about the instrument, and my tutorials. I really apologize for not answering all of them. It’s just too much work, and frankly, in most cases, I think people are able to figure out the answers by watching the videos again.

After the renewal of the website, the many links that exist on the web are dead, and the user ends up on an error page. I guess that is the price you pay for totally rebuilding your website. It’s really unpleasant for me to have to disappoint my visitors like that. I have therefore decided to create a new post that sums up what I have posted on the subject. This will be indexed by the search engines, and hopefully this way people will find their way back to the material.

Also, I wish to extend my praise to those who have taken the trouble to make their own shibbabeh according to my instructions. By doing this, you are helping to preserve Palestinian culture, and that is a great thing!

Links and information about the shibbabeh

Below, you will find the links to the pages posted on the Musical Intifadah about the shibbabeh. I have also included the images that explain the measurements for making one. Below that, you will find the most relevant videos about the subject, in case you just came here to review them.

1. How to make a Palestinian shibbabeh and play on it. This article gives you the basics. It includes the video tutorial, the instructions how to make it, and some elementary information on how to get some sound out of it. Yes, that last bit is the greatest challenge, I know. I would say that about 95% of the questions I get are from people who have gotten a bit frustrated because they were not able to produce sound. It just really takes some stubbornness and determinations. If you fail to produce any sound, don’t doubt the instructions; most people fail to produce sound in the beginning. Just keep going!
2. Make your own shibbabeh: different sizes.  There are various sizes you can create. Personally, I favor the 20 mm one. I believe it is also the easiest one to play on, so I would definitely recommend it to beginners.
3. In-depth study of the shibbabeh and its history. Wonderful article by Ruud Bemelmans, who got so enthused by the instrument that he wrote an excellent treatise on it.

Diagram of measurements to make your own shibbabeh

Measurements for the 20 mm shibbabeh. Click on the image to get measurements for other sizes.

Videos about the shibbabeh

The most relevant video about the shibbabeh is the tutorial I made, in which I explain how to use the instrument. You can find it here, and below it, a video of me performing on the shibbabeh in my home town in Palestine.