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In Pontos the drum is known as the Ndaouli (daouli, tymbano). The Ndaouli is a wooden cylinder that has both ends covered with skin held taut by rope. It is a rhythmic instrument.

The way a Ndaouli is played is by striking the drum - ends with two specially made drumsticks (Ndaouloksila).

The Ndaouli is made in many sizes starting from 25cm going up to one meter, and the distance between the skins from 20 up to 60cm. In Ponto it was nor common to find smaller Ndaoulia. In most cases the Ndouli player (Ndaoultsis) made the Ndouli to his measure, to suit his height and arm length etc.

For the two ends of the Ndaouli the most common skin used is wild goatskin, but for the strength people have used donkey, wolf and even dog hides, according to older drummers, "they are strong and do not have many pores".

TThe Ndaouli player play while standing upright, his drum hangs from his left or right shoulder (depending on the drummer). If it is hung to the left then the Ndaouli should have the deeper sounding skin on the right hand side.

On this side of the Ndaouli he uses thicker "kopano" stick to maintain the strong beats (and visa-versa if your left handed).

The perpetration of the skin traditionally consisted of bathing the skin in salt and drying it outdoors but not in direct sunlight, however today ready made commercial skins are available. After the tanning period the skin is stretched and fastened to two wooden hoops, which in turn are fitted to the two ends of the cylindrical shell of the drum.

Holes are then cut around the circumference of the skin. A rope is then passed through the holes of the two skins, bringing them together. To tighten the Ndaouli there are different ways of bounding the rope.

he Ndaouli is made up of these parts:

1 . Derma - Skin:

2 . Stefani - Hoops :

3 . Soma - Body :

4 . Skini - Rope :

5 . Kopano - Big stick:

6 . Vitsa - Thin Stick:

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