Collection: Bendir / Duff / Riqq

The daf, also called def, duff, deff, defi, defli, or dap, is a large frame drum originating from the Persian tradition. Used in Iranian music like the zarb, it is also widespread in the Middle East, particularly in Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, as well as in Central Asia as far as Siberia. It is believed to be the ancestor of the Arab-Andalusian tar, which spread throughout the Maghreb and medieval Europe. It is still found today under the name adufe in Portugal and Spain, as well as in Brazil and Guatemala, under the names pandero or pandeiro.

The daf is related to the riqq, but differs in its size and type of jingles. It should not be confused with the bendir (smaller and with gut strings), the tar (with jingles), or the doyre (smaller, with a solid frame and fewer large rings).

The terms "duff" or "deff" refer to both daf in some Asian countries and an Arab-Andalusian variant of adufe.