Traditional Instruments of Morocco

Nov 06, 2025 0

Moroccan music is a vibrant and diverse soundscape that reflects the rich cultural tapestry of this North African nation. Music has always held a significant place in Moroccan culture, with a history that stretches back through the centuries. Morocco’s geographical location at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East has made it a melting pot of musical influences. Musical culture and instruments are usually shared between cultures, especially those that live close to each other.

Moroccan music is characterized by its use of traditional instruments such as the oud (a pear-shaped stringed instrument), the guembri (a three-stringed bass lute), and various percussion instruments like the darbuka and bendir. And Moroccan instruments are no exception-while there are unique names and specific qualities to Moroccan instruments, you will find they have many similarities to Turkish and Arab instruments from different countries.

String Instruments

Let’s dive into the most well-known Moroccan musical instruments and find out what makes them unique!

1. Gimbri (Lotar)

The Gimbri, also known as the Lotar, is a traditional Moroccan instrument that most resembles the modern guitar. Like a guitar, the body of the instrument is made of wood and the strings are tied into pegs that allow you to adjust the tuning. But unlike a modern guitar, there are only three strings and they are made of goat’s gut instead of steel. The strings are usually plucked with a long and curved pick.

The gimbri tone is bass. In Gnawa music, central is the use of the guembri, a three-stringed bass lute. The gimbri’s strings resonate best with lower tones, and as such the music played on the gimbri is usually repetitive sounds meant to put the listener into a trance-like state. In addition to the sound from the strings, there are also rings along the gimbri’s neck. They produce a jingling sound while playing. These rings add a nice percussive element to the instrument.

Read also: Explore South African Music

Gimbri

2. Sintir

The Sintir, another stringed instrument used in traditional music, is a bass guitar-like instrument that has a small body and a long neck. Like the gimbri, it is made of wood and uses gut strings. But compared to the gimbri, it has a much smaller head/body and a much longer neck. The strings are tuned with a tuning noose, which can be raised and lowered to change the pitch. But, the way that they’re played involves hitting the top of the body so it has a very percussive element to its playing too.

A metal piece, with rings, is attached to the neck of the gimbri, which produces a jingling sound audible during play.

3. Oud

And finally, the Oud is another guitar-like stringed instrument, and it is visually similar to the European lute. The Oud is made with a wooden soundbox and has a short neck with anywhere from five to ten strings. It probably came from lute-like instruments in Arabia thousands of years ago, which would explain the popularity of similar instruments throughout Middle Eastern cultures, like the baglama in Turkish music.

Oud

4. Kamenjah

The Kamenjah is an important Moroccan instrument because, like the derbouka, it has stayed in the Moroccan culture over the years, and people modernized it along the way. The kamenjah is essentially the Moroccan violin or cello, that also uses a bow to make a sound. But the traditional kamenjah only has three strings. Modern versions of the instrument, though, often use four strings.

More important than the physical difference between kamenjah and violin is the extremely different playing position and style in traditional kamenjah performances. A classically trained violinist places the instrument horizontally under their chin. But a Moroccan kamenjah player holds it vertically on their knee and moves the bow sideways across their body. Almost all Moroccan musical styles-including contemporary ones-make use of the kamenjah.

Read also: A Guide to Ethiopian Music

Wind Instruments

1. Rhaita (Ghaita)

The Rhaita, also called the Ghaita, is a Moroccan folk instrument similar to the Western oboe. The instrument is often called an Arabic oboe for this reason. It is made of wood (usually apricot) and produces sound through the vibration of a double reed. The sound travels through a tube with a series of holes and exits through a bell at the end.

The instrument itself comes from the northern regions of Morocco, and its sound is thought to have a spiritual element to it, making it popular in Sufi music. But its spirituality is not to say that the ghaita is purely serious-Moroccans also use it in dances and ceremonial music like weddings. The ghaita was also featured a few times on Howard Shore’s soundtrack to Lord of the Rings.

2. Mijwiz

The Mijwiz is a traditional wind instrument that is one of the oldest instruments in Moroccan culture. Despite its age, the mijwiz has barely changed throughout its history. They make it with two parallel bamboo pipes, creating something that ends up looking like a double flute. Each pipe has a separate reed mouthpiece along with 5 or 6 finger holes to alter the pitch.

The sound of the Mijwiz is loud and nasally, especially because the player can make two sounds at once. In addition to the difficulties of sound production, one of the most difficult aspects of playing the Mijwiz is that the player must use circular breathing to keep air constantly flowing through the pipes. Circular breathing takes years to master because it requires one to breathe in and out at the same time. You push air out of the mouth with the cheek and neck muscles while also breathing in through the nose.

3. Nai (Ney)

The Nai, also called the Nay or Ney, with its simple construction, is one of the oldest instruments dating back even to ancient Egypt. It has fingers holes along a small bored body which is why it is in the flute family. Depending on the style of music, the nai can make upbeat and uplifting sounds or dark and haunting sounds. You can make a modern version of the nai with metal-which would be more durable and accurate for tuning-but they make the traditional version out of reed or wood.

Read also: The Sound of Yoruba Music

Percussion Instruments

Percussion instruments play a vital role in Moroccan music, providing the rhythmic backbone for various genres.

1. Bendir

The Bendir is a circular percussion instrument that is hand-made and played with the hands. They make the drum’s frame out of wood, and the top is then covered with goatskin that is stretched over it. In addition to the drum sound, it also has gut strings along the backside of the drum head that produces a snare/rattling sound.

The sound of the bendir is traditional at Moroccan weddings because it produces both a deep sound and a celebratory buzzing snare at the same time. Besides weddings and other ceremonies, you can hear the unique sound of the bendir in street folk music while walking through a town or city. The bendir is a frame drum played with the fingers, and it usually has a snare stretched across its back (as shown in the photograph), which produces a buzzing sound when the instrument is played.

Bendir

2. Qraqeb

Qraqebs are small percussion instruments that you could describe as hand cymbals. With two metal sides that each make a sound, the qraqeb can make an interlocking rhythm pattern similar to clackers in Europe. By placing a qraqeb in each hand, the player has a lot of flexibility in what rhythms they can make. With the right rhythm, they can also mimic the sound of horses walking.

The qraqeb itself is not a solo instrument and is more often used to add an energetic percussive element to other musicians. The material for qraqebs is iron or steel so that the clapping sound can be loud. This percussion instrument, popular in the Sufi music tradition, particularly captures Moroccan culture and musical tradition.

Qraqeb

3. Tarija

The Tarija is another Moroccan percussion instrument in the shape of an hourglass. They make the drum’s body from glazed pottery and the drumhead with stretched goatskin. The smaller ones are as short as 12 centimeters, allowing children to play with them. And like the bendir, the Tarija has snares on the inside. They add a buzzing sound to the rhythm of banging the drum.

Players will often snap their fingers onto the drum to create a popping sound that adds variety to the rhythms capable of the instrument. And besides the sound, it is also customary to make the Tarija beautiful to look at by painting colorful patterns and Moroccan artwork on the sides.

4. Derbouka (Doumbek)

Although the Derbouka is a traditional instrument used in folk music, it has been modernized and remains a popular percussion instrument in Moroccan culture. It is a goblet-shaped drum with a single head, and you can think of it as a larger and fancier version of the Tarija with the snare sound.

The original derboukas were made of wood, clay, and stretched goatskin for the drum head. But like many modern percussion instruments, the modern derbouka is now made with a steel body and a synthetic drum head. While this newer version cannot have the same sound quality as the original, steel bodies and synthetic heads are much more stable over time. To play the derbouka, one holds the drum under their arm or rests it sideways on their lap, allowing the opposite hand to make a sound on the drum head.

5. Tar

The Tar is another type of frame drum with small metal cymbals called zills attached to the rim, much in the same way that a modern tambourine does. The drumhead itself makes a normal percussive sound, while the metal discs all the outside are played to add another texture to the instrument. They can be played themselves or they will naturally resonate when the musician hits the drumhead.

This jingling sound, along with how easy it is to hold, makes it especially convenient for social gatherings, dancing, celebrations, and street performances.

Other Instruments

1. Tbel (Ganga)

The tbel (also known as ganga) is a large double-headed drum played with one curved stick and one straight stick. In the most traditional, spiritual, Gnawa ensembles, the tbel was not typically used.

2. Guellal

The guellal is a long, cylindrical drum made from clay or wood, with a goat-skin head.

3. Gasba

The gasba is a traditional Berber wind instrument in Algeria. It is made from wood and typically has 7 or 9 holes.

Instrument	Type	Description
Gimbri (Lotar)	String	Three-stringed lute, similar to a guitar, with a bass tone.
Sintir	String	Bass guitar-like instrument with a small body and long neck.
Oud	String	Pear-shaped stringed instrument, similar to a lute.
Kamenjah	String	Moroccan violin or cello, traditionally with three strings.
Rhaita (Ghaita)	Wind	Double-reed wind instrument, similar to an oboe.
Mijwiz	Wind	Double pipe wind instrument made of bamboo.
Nai (Ney)	Wind	Flute-like instrument with finger holes.
Bendir	Percussion	Frame drum with a snare on the back.
Qraqeb	Percussion	Metal castanets held in the hand.
Tarija	Percussion	Hourglass-shaped drum made of pottery and goatskin.
Derbouka (Doumbek)	Percussion	Goblet-shaped drum with a single head.
Tar	Percussion	Frame drum with small metal cymbals (zills) attached.
Tbel (Ganga)	Percussion	Large double-headed drum played with sticks.
Guellal	Percussion	Long, cylindrical drum made from clay or wood.
Gasba	Wind	Berber wind instrument made of wood.

Moroccan music is not confined to traditional genres alone; it is a constantly evolving landscape that embraces fusion and experimentation. One notable example is the fusion of Gnawa with jazz, rock, and electronic music. This fusion has given rise to innovative artists and bands that push the boundaries of what Moroccan music can be. Additionally, Moroccan hip-hop and rap have also emerged as influential genres, offering a platform for artists to express their social and political concerns.

Morocco’s love for music is celebrated through numerous music festivals that draw both local and international talent. The Gnaoua World Music Festival in Essaouira is a prominent event that showcases Gnawa music alongside other world music genres.

Moroccan music is a kaleidoscope of sounds, rhythms, and emotions that reflect the complex and diverse culture of this North African nation. As Morocco continues to bridge the gap between tradition and innovation, its music remains a vibrant expression of the nation’s past, present, and future.