Where to start

If you are new to the tanbur, this page helps you find your way through Tanburban.

1. Listen first

Before you pick up the instrument, get to know its sound:

• Maqams: the playlist “72 Maqams of the Tanbur” and Ali Akbar Moradi’s album Maghamate Majlesie Tanboor.

• Ensembles: albums by the Shams Ensemble, such as Afsaneh-ye Tanbur, and by the Baba Taher ensemble, such as Sana-ye Ali.

• Concerts: concert videos and the Kohan Avaha-ye Tanbur festivals.

To listen to albums on music platforms, see the music platforms guide.

2. Get to know the instrument

Read Construction and Tuning and technique, and if you don’t have an instrument yet, see Buying and care.

3. Start a course

Free courses on Tanburban:

• 100 Tanbur Lessons – Milad Heydari: short, step-by-step lessons, good for beginners.

• Mastoor School – Mozaffar Mansourian

• Daftarcheh-ye Tanbur – Hamzeh Taheri

• Tanbur lessons – Adib Shahebrahimi

• Tanbur lessons – Seyed Vesal Hoseini

• Tanbur course – Hamidreza Heydari

After the basics: Tanbur maqam lessons with Sirous Karami. All courses

4. Keep a book at hand

• 100 Lessons

• Tanbur Method – Behnoud (book 1), book 2 and book 3

• Tanbur Method – Kakavand (book 1)

• Forty Fingering Exercises for Tanbur

• Seventy-Two Tanbur Studies

All books

5. Find a teacher

Videos and books help, but the traditional tanbur is passed on in person; many subtleties of the right hand can only be learned by watching and listening to a teacher. The artists section introduces many teachers who teach in person or online.

About the tanbur: What is the tanbur? · History · Construction · Tuning and technique · Maqams · Makers and Fash village · Buying and care · Where to start