Pharmacist Sherif El Refai recently obtained his doctor of pharmacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In his spare time, Sherif El Refai enjoys listening to Arabic music.

1. By Sherif El Refai

2. Instruments and Ensembles of
Arabic Music
Pharmacist Sherif El Refai recently obtained his
doctor of pharmacy from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. In his spare time, Sherif El
Refai enjoys listening to Arabic music.

3. Instruments and Ensembles of
Arabic Music
Arabic music possesses a history that goes back
hundreds of years. By the 9th century, it had adopted
some of its most notable features, including regular
improvisation and a focus on melody.
Additionally, unlike European music, it utilized
quartertones as the smallest scale unit rather than the
“bigger” semitones.

4. Instruments and Ensembles of
Arabic Music
A key aspect of Arabic music is the takht. The
conventional Arabic ensemble, it consists of five
instruments: the violin, nay, quanun, and oud provide
the melody while a riq serves as a percussion
instrument. The violin and the nay (a type of flute) are
considered sahb because they require pulling or
stretching. Complementing their sounds, the
quanun, which is similar to a harp, and an oud, which
is like a guitar, are called naqr (plucking or
hammering) instruments. In duets, musicians usually
pair the oud and the violin or the quanun and the nay.