2011-11-10

Great Musical Instruments of Africa

Africa is known for its contributions to the world of music since the ancient times. Several interesting musical instruments come from the musical heritage of African continent and its countries. Whereas these instruments found their early usages amongst tribal and local music of African countries, many of these instruments are gaining popularity amongst the lovers and artists who are into modern forms of music. Several music artists have come from African countries as well and they have played an important role in promoting use of these instruments too. Here are few of these instruments with their brief details:

African Harps

These are typically arched in shape and have five, seven or eight strings connected to the ends of the instrument. They originate from the north-east African countries and have a long and rich history of being used as accompanying instruments with men’s singing. Enanga and Kundi are two popular kinds of African harps.

Slit Drums

Slit drums are wooden or bamboo drums that are hollow and cylindrical in shape. They typically have ‘H'shaped slits cut on their cylindrical surface while their sides are closed and flat. They are known for their exquisite carvings and beautifully designed surfaces in addition to their sound quality. As with most other instruments, slit drums also require a proficient artist for a great performance. The most popular versions of slit drums are Ekwe, Lokole, Mondo, Mukoku, Tongue drum etc.

Mbira

Mbira is an instrument with 22 to 28 keys made of metal. This ancient musical instrument has its origin in Zimbabwe where it was used to be played during religious ceremonies and social gatherings. This instrument has become quite popular these days and has almost become a trademark of African folk genre of music. If you stay in the UK, Europe, or USA, and belong to any social sects or age group, profession or location, for instance, tailors Nottingham, chances are you might have enjoyed this instrument without knowing about it.

Rock Gong

It is a gong made of a rock. This is played by hitting it like a drum and it’s used to typically produce a loud sound. These gongs are usually made of dolerite gongs and are known to weigh up to several tons.

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