AftermanPercussion ConservatoryThe most comprehensive study of Middle Eastern percussion online.
Live weekly classes on Zoom with Yshai Afterman, personal video feedback on your playing once a week, and a worldwide community of players.
Upright from 3 JanuaryLapstyle from 7 JanuaryBilled monthlyCancel any month
Where to begin
Two new frame drum groups from the first lesson: Upright on Sundays from 3 January, Lapstyle on Thursdays from 7 January. Complete beginners and experienced players start side by side.
See the January GroupsDarbuka on Wednesdays, Lapstyle on Mondays and Riqq on Tuesdays, underway since September. Join now and catch up from the recordings.
Darbuka on Wednesdays and Riqq on Tuesdays, underway since September. Join now and catch up from the recordings.
See the current groups →Choose a drum
Four instruments, taught live online: darbuka, frame drum, riqq (riq) and upright frame drum, through one method from the fundamentals to musicianship, with original compositions, notation and recorded lessons building week by week.
The goblet drum at the rhythmic heart of Middle Eastern music: sharp, resonant, and central to ensemble playing and solo improvisation.
Current group on Wednesdays. Join and catch up from the recordings.
A large frame drum held across the lap, with deep roots in Persian, Turkish and Arabic music, and an extraordinary dynamic range.
Current group on Mondays. Join and catch up from the recordings.
New group on Thursdays from 7 January →The classical tambourine of Arabic music: a rhythmic orchestra in one instrument, from crisp tones and dry snaps to cascading rolls.
Current group on Tuesdays. Join and catch up from the recordings.
A frame drum held upright, rooted in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions, at home in meditative playing and in rich, virtuosic expression.
Explore this class →Not sure which drum is yours? Compare the four →
The Afterman Method
So you can compose, improvise, and make the music genuinely your own. Three pillars, one crown.
Knowing the rhythmic cycle intimately. The more deeply you inhabit a groove, the more freely you play inside it.
Technique, grouping, phrasing, composition: not patterns to copy, but tools to create with.
Tension and release, dynamics, phrasing: the branches that make playing alive rather than correct.
Your teacher
Yshai is a performer, composer and recording artist. He has toured extensively, played hundreds of concerts and given masterclasses across the globe.
For eight years, from 2016 to 2024, he was Head of the Percussion Department at Maqamat, the School of Eastern Music. He teaches every group himself, live on Zoom.
“Teaching has become another expression of my art. I treat it with the same commitment and wholeheartedness as I treat my music. The evolution of my students is important to me and I feel responsible for each one of them.”More about Yshai →
Students
“I started learning to play the frame drum as part of Yshai's online class 4 months ago, arriving with no past experience in percussions. Yshai's very systematic and clear approach has enabled me to develop confidence and thoroughly enjoy these months.”Yoni Yeruham, Frame Drum (beginner)
“I started studying with Yshai years ago, when my knowledge of darbuka, frame drum and riqq were next to zero. His methods and compositions have allowed me to find my connection with these instruments like never before, and I always have loads of fun practising for lessons. These days, I am able to apply what I have learnt to playing as part of an instrumental trio.”Eugene Toh, Singapore · Darbuka, Frame Drum & Riqq
“Once in a lifetime, you may be so lucky to study with a master. These classes are that opportunity. Yishai is that master. Everything is well organized and all you have to do is show up, practice and follow his process.”Tamara Kolton, USA · Lapstyle & Upright Frame Drum
Inside the Conservatory
Everything around the live lesson, in one private portal.
Each lesson waits in your portal with the notation, a lesson summary and short videos of Yshai demonstrating the homework.
A metronome, a rhythm player, and a personal speed tracker for every core technique.
Send a video of your playing and receive personal feedback from Yshai.
Players from more than 25 countries learning side by side, with open mics, masterclasses and live events.
Each month Yshai brings one of the world's great masters for an intimate, live online masterclass.
Booking is inside the portal, with a free Conservatory account.
Now Booking
Now Booking
Now Booking
Hosted so far: Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman · Shai Maestro · Amit Kavthekar · Andrea Piccioni · Giridhar Udupa · Pedram Khavarzamini · Oumar Ngom · Glen Velez · Aleix Tobias · Zohar Fresco
Ways to learn
The full recorded group lessons in packs of 4 to 45, with the notation sheets, at your own pace. Personal video feedback is available as an add-on.
Explore the recordings →A weekly live class on Zoom, every lesson recorded with the notation sheets, and personal video feedback on your playing once a week.
Choose your group →One-to-one study with Yshai, shaped around your playing and your goals.
Ask about private study →Not ready yet?
Introductory lessons on all four drums, a masterclass on rhythmic terminology, and the Practice Room. No card, yours to keep.
Start Free Today
January 2027
Sundays, 18:00–19:30 (GMT+2), from 3 January.
Thursdays, 20:00–21:30 (GMT+2), from 7 January.
