Yshai Afterman Percussion School

Middle Eastern Percussion,
taught with depth.

Group lessons and private tuition in Darbuka, Lapstyle Frame Drum, Riqq, and Upright Frame Drum — built on a complete pedagogical system developed over decades. There is no equivalent for these instruments online.

Explore Classes Register Interest
1,700+ Live group lessons taught since 2021
4 Instruments — Darbuka, Riqq, Lap Style & Upright Frame Drum
2010 Teaching online since — one of the longest-running in the field
Yshai Afterman
About Yshai

A method built on thousands of hours of practice and search

Inspired by my teachers and by years of deep practice, I spent a long time developing a method that leaves nothing out — technique, musical understanding, rhythmic phrasing, independence, and spirit. It is the method I wish I had when I was starting out.

Inspired by my teachers and by years of practice, I developed a step-by-step method that covers everything a student needs: technique, musical understanding, rhythmic phrasing, coordination — and most importantly, spirit.

"If you have a dream to play these instruments and are willing to put in the work — reach out and let's make it happen."
Read More
Group Lessons

Four instruments, one rigorous method

Darbuka

Darbuka

The most widely played Middle Eastern goblet drum. Classes build solid technique, deep rhythmic understanding, musical phrasing, and real improvisation ability — drawing from both the classical tradition and a modern approach to the instrument.

Learn more
Lap Style Frame Drum

Lapstyle Frame Drum

A meditative and nuanced instrument with a vast tradition. Classes develop technique, rhythmic sensitivity, phrasing, and improvisation — blending the roots of the tradition with a contemporary musical sensibility.

Learn more
Riqq

Riqq

The classical tambourine of Arabic music — deceptively complex. Classes build the technique, rhythmic understanding, and expressive phrasing the instrument demands, with a focus on finding your own musical voice within its tradition.

Learn more
Upright Frame Drum

Upright Frame Drum

A powerful instrument played standing, bridging ancient tradition and modern expression. Classes develop technique, rhythmic depth, phrasing, and improvisation — building a musical language that is both rooted and alive.

Learn more

New groups open once a year per instrument. Register your interest →

The Teaching

Most percussion teaching can show you what to play. Very few teachers can show you how to think. What Yshai has built is a complete pedagogical system — not a collection of phrases, but a musical language that students genuinely internalise and make their own.

Students who come having studied with other programs often describe the same experience: that they are, in a real sense, starting again. Not because they haven't worked hard — but because the depth, structure, and musical thinking here are unlike anything else available for these instruments online.

2026

Upcoming Events

Masterclasses, open mics, and community gatherings — open to students and newcomers alike.

Pedram Khavarzamini

April 13  ·  Online · Zoom

Pedram Khavarzamini Masterclass

A rare online masterclass with one of the world's finest tombak players. Live Q&A included. 85 ₪.

Reserve your spot
Community Open Mic

April 11  ·  Saturday · 8:00 PM

Community Open Mic

A monthly gathering for the percussion community — come to perform, share, or simply enjoy the music.

Register now
Yshai Afterman Free Masterclass

April 2026  ·  Date TBA

Free Masterclass with Yshai

An open masterclass with Yshai — free for all. A chance to experience the teaching before committing to a group.

Learn more
Summer Percussion Seminar Greece

July 31 – Aug 5  ·  Peloponnese, Greece  ·  In Person

Summer Percussion Seminar 2026

Five immersive days in the mountains of the Peloponnese — daily group lessons, individual practice, and evenings together at the Re-Green EcoCulture Center. Students only. Limited spots.

Learn more & apply
See All Events
2025–26 Masterclass Series

World-class masters,
exclusively for our students

As part of an ongoing effort to inspire and motivate his students, Yshai brings the world's top percussion masters for exclusive masterclasses — available to all group and private students.

View Full Series
What Students Say
"I have been studying with him for almost 4 years now and I feel so lucky for the day I started. Beyond the fact that he is an amazing person and a gifted musician, he is truly the best teacher I have ever had — and I have been studying music my entire adult life. Anyone who starts will discover how organized and simple everything is. Yshai takes you step by step from the basics to the highest level. Thank me later."
Avshalom David — Israel Student · 4 years
"Yshai is one of the best teachers I have ever experienced. He has created a beautiful, comprehensive system for the development of skills and techniques — and through his teaching, empowers us to become better musicians, to learn to listen, to develop a feel and a keener sense of time, and the inspiration to improvise and compose."
Shirsten Lundblad — USA Student · Frame Drum
Read More Start Your Journey