Dear Sue,
Tonbak is an instrument like a Daf, but they have different sounds. A Daf is larger than a Tonbak. I sent a picture from Tonbak for you. I have 3 friends that played Tonbak very well. I wanted that my younger brother play Tonbak, but he don’t like playing Tonbak.
He is little and he has time for playing an instrument.
We have 7 keys in Iranian music. In your music a note divide into 12 parts. In our music a note divide into 24 parts. In Indian music a note divide into 48 parts. Sometimes finding a sound is by feeling. Divides aren’t very precise.
I think wars and captures are a reason for ruing in our music.
We usually dance in marriages, birthdays and galas.
In Qhajar period (Qhajar is a king’s family that they were about 200 years ago) our music was a tool for dance and luxury. Now, people don’t dance with Santour and Tar and etc. I think usually Keyboard and Jazz are better for dancing, now. We have a dance with Daf that called soar usually with Molavi’s poems. It is very interesting and beautiful.
I think to dance is a beautiful work. In nature trees dance with wind and water dances in the river.
“God is beautiful and he loves beauty”
Holy Koran
Take care,
Bahman
