Yshai Afterman Percussion School

Learn the language of rhythm.
Make it your own.

A structured method for Darbuka, Frame Drum, Riqq and Upright — built around understanding rhythm, composing, and improvising. For beginners and experienced players alike.

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1,700+ Live group lessons since 2021
4 Instruments taught
2010 Teaching online since
Free Masterclass

Understanding Rhythmic Terminology

Not sure what eighth notes and triplets actually mean? This 53-minute masterclass breaks down the naming system behind rhythmic values — what the names mean, and the rules that follow.

Watch Now — Free →
Yshai Afterman
The Method

A complete path from first rhythm to full musician

Students here don't just learn patterns — they learn to understand the language of rhythm and their instrument, to compose, and to improvise. The method builds technique, musical understanding, phrasing, coordination, and spirit. It works whether you're a total beginner or a 20-year player, because you're developing your own musical voice — not copying phrases.

"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."
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Group Lessons

Choose your instrument, start your path

Darbuka
Goblet Drum

Darbuka

The goblet drum at the rhythmic heart of Middle Eastern music. Known for its sharp, resonant tone, dazzling speed, and its central role in ensemble playing and solo improvisation.

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Lap Style Frame Drum
Frame Drum

Lap Style Frame Drum

A large single-headed drum held across the lap, with deep roots in Persian, Turkish, and Arabic music. Its warm tone and extraordinary dynamic range make it one of the most expressive instruments in the percussion world.

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Riqq
Tambourine

Riqq

The classical tambourine of Arabic music — a rhythmic orchestra in one instrument. Crisp tones, shimmering sustain, dry snaps, and cascading rolls. Few instruments offer this much colour in a single pair of hands.

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Upright Frame Drum
Frame Drum

Upright Frame Drum

A frame drum played standing, held vertically. Rooted in ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions — equally at home in meditative, trance-like playing and in rich, virtuosic expression.

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

The Teaching

Most percussion programs teach you phrases to copy. Here, you learn to understand the rhythmic language itself — so you can compose, improvise, and make the music genuinely your own.

Students who arrive having studied elsewhere often describe the same experience: that they are, in a real sense, starting again. Not because they hadn't worked hard — but because the depth, structure, and personal guidance here take them somewhere they didn't know they could go.

2026

Upcoming Events

Masterclasses, open mics, and community gatherings.

Beyond the 1 — Masterclass with Yshai Afterman
April 25
Masterclass · Yshai Afterman

Beyond the 1

An online masterclass on rhythmic awareness for phrasing freedom. Open to community members.

Saturday, April 25, 2026
8:00 PM GMT+3 · Live on Zoom
Free to all students
Register — Free →
Percussion Community Open Mic
May 9
Community Event

Community Open Mic

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

Saturday, May 9, 2026
8:00 PM GMT+3 · Live on Zoom
Free to all students
Register — Free →
Giridhar Udupa
May 11
Guest Masterclass Series

Giridhar Udupa

A masterclass with the renowned Indian ghatam player — one of the most celebrated percussion artists in the world of Carnatic music.

Monday, May 11, 2026
8:00 PM GMT+3 · Live on Zoom
$35 · Community only
Register →
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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.

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Students in Action

See what students actually play

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Darbuka

Original composition in 5/8 — Bala PD

Lap Style

Student-Composed Piece

Upright

Malfuf Solo

A Global Community

You're not learning alone

"What starts as online lessons becomes something bigger — friendships, creative partnerships, and a shared language that crosses borders."

Students from around the world study here, and many have been part of this community for years. Every group session is a room full of different backgrounds and countries, united by the same instruments and the same method.

Weekly live classes mean you play alongside other students at your level — you hear each other, learn from each other, and push each other forward. This isn't a course you finish. It's a practice and a community you grow with over time.

Beyond the lessons, students share recordings, give each other feedback, and meet at events. Some of the strongest musical friendships start here.

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
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