How to play an open dum on a riq!

[Light]

Hi all,
As I am a Riq lover and trying to learn how to play an open dum on a riq while playing in closed position. I can see many middle eastern riq players doing that very smoothly : while playing in closed position they unhand the right hand, holding the riq only with the left hand to play a loud dum and then grab the riq again back to the closed position. I can do that, but I have some difficulties holding the riq well balanced especially when I have to play a left hand tek before my right hand hits the skin again.
I would appreciate any trick or piece of advice on how to achieve that

Thanks in advance.

[Solo]

Thanks for your interest  on riq. I first learned classical riq using Mary Ellen Donald's Arabic Tambourine book. She shows the classical style doom as a right hand index finger hit with the left hand alone holding the riq much as you describe. This results in a very nice sounding doom but it really plays havoc with playing speed and dexterity. I was delighted when Souhail's Foundation of Arabic Rhythm DVD showed the classical doom as an undamped ring finger hit toward the center of the head. Yousif Sheronick in his Riq Instructional DVD also shows this technique. It's a little more difficult to get a resonant doom sound, but a heck of a lot easier to move around. Mary Ellen's book is great in every other respect.

[gasoline]

By born a riq fan. I have yet to learn to play classical style well. However, I do play cabaret style, and I can tell you it takes a little practice to hit the tek with the left hand and dum with the fore finger. It helps to have a frame that is small enough for your hand to reach around. I can almost hit the rim with my right #3 as fast as both #3 fingers classical style, anyway. It's also much louder and works better loud in the band I'm in. I don't get much call to play the classical way at the moment.

[Melodious]

In fact the drum in classical style is usually played with the ring finger and that's the way I played it. But it seems to me that it doesn't sound the same as the open drum, and I think that playing the one or the other depends on what rhythm and the context we are playing in.