African Musical Instruments
Zulu
Grass Rattle
Small handwoven noise-making device
of African
origins.
Bendrey
Gourd Drum
Gourd drum from Burkina
Faso in Africa,
which have a goat skin head.
Rhythm
Gourd
Cowrie shells create the incredible
percussive sound of this African
rhythm instrument. From 1/2 a large gourd,
painted and carved in striking African designs.
North
African Story Tellers Drum
Traditional story tellers drum made
in Morocco. Skin
on both sides. Beautiful traditional painting on both skin heads.
Sistrum
This instruments was made in Kenya.
It is mostly used for rituals and is wonderful when using two at a time.
Still used as magical ceremonial rattles.
Nutshell
Shakers
Shakers made of nut shells, quite loud
with a sharp sound. When shaken or tapped it produces a rattly, loud sound,
which can be heard over many drums.
Talking
Drum (Adondo)
Drums have many uses in African
society and through the life span of the African. The sound of the drum
is present during birth, initiation, and death. Made from various objects
including calabash, gourds, wood, and bamboo, the "Talking Drums"
are widely used in Ghana,
called so because they can produce a wide range of pitches including high
female sounds and low male sounds. There is a language that is spoken with
these magical sounding drums. They send messages of happiness, sorrow and
war to other tribes through the beating of the drum.
Kalimba, Sansa,
Mbira
Kalimbas (thumb pianos,
also called mbira) have played a part in African
culture for 800 years. After work in the evening
Africans sit in a circle, tell beautiful stories, sing and play kalimba.
Also used to pass the time on long journeys on foot.
Steeldrums
Originally fashioned from discarded
55 gallon oil drums by the 'panmen' of Trinidad
in the mid 1940's. Popular throughout the
Caribbean and
in many other areas of the world, including the US.
By varying the size of the notes on the top and the depth of the drum,
the sounds range from a xylophone/piano
combination to a resonance resembling violas
and cellos
beginning with a percussive beat.
Kora, cora
This is one of the most famous West
African
musical instruments. It is an 18 string African
harp-lute.
It is used to accompany narrations, recitations and songs. Although it
sounds like a harp, its playing style can be closer to flamenco guitar.
The kora's body is made of a gourd cut in half and partially covered with
the skin of a cow.
Images and sounds courtesy of
MusixCool© By
Nadav Dafni
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