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WEST AFRICA These are Sabar drums, from the Wolof in Senegal and Gambia, they have a goat skin head and are played with one hand and one (soft) stick and have a very sharp sound. In the front are also two Tamas, Wolof talking drums. From left to right; Mbung Mbung Bal, Mbung Mbung, 2 tamas, Sabar, Lambe and Mbung Mbung Tungone. The drums on the right here, are quite like Sabars, but these are from the Mandinka tribe. From left to right; Kutiriba, Sabaro and Kutirindingo Of course everyone knows the Djembé, the most common African drum, with a goat skin head and, native to a lot of West-African countries. Popular for the wide range of tones that can be played on it, it is now used in many styles of music. however, traditionally it is used for polyrhythmic musical arrangments. These drums also come from Senegal, but then from the Diola tribe and are called Bougarabou. The heads are with cowskin and give a very warm sound. Usually, they are played in sets of 4, with two high pitched drums in the middle. The sound of the drum is in the name. And then here we have a not such a great picture of some Dunduns... These bass drums have a double cowskin head and usually come in a set of three drums and a bell; the small one is called Kenkenni, the middle sized Sangban and the big one just Dundun. Dunduns give melody to the west african percussion and is played syncoptically with it's bell. In Ghana they like to use antilope hide for their drumheads, because of its deep sound, as in this Adowa set, from the Ashanti tribe. The big drums are also called Kpanlogos and are with the hide stitched on, tuned by hammering in the pegs. These are Ghanaian Talking drums and are much bigger than it's Senegalese cousin, the Tama. Sometimes they got little riverstones in, to give an extra effect. Held under the arm, the tension of the ropes change the sound, when hitting it with a bent stick, the other hand can play the backbeat. One of the few african snare drums come from Ghana and is called Breketé. They have a double goatskin head, with a piece of rope over the skin. they are usually played with one stick and one hand and gives a very divers sound The Nigerian Bata drums are also well known, because the slaves took this instrument to Cuba, where the Bata music develloped further. However, these drums (often in a set of three) originally come from the Yoruba tribe. The small one is called Okonkolo, the medium Itotele and the large one Iya. In Nigeria they also have a ceramic drum, called Udu, which looks like a pot with extra holes. They come in slightly different shapes and sizes and have a lot of notes in it, which you can vary by covering or uncovering the holes and hitting it in different places. In India exists a similar drum called the Ghatam. Another Nigerian drum is called the Ashiko or Shiko and is a great solo drum. Quite like the djembé in sound, but it looks slightly different. Sometimes made from one piece of wood, sometimes many narrow lats put together. |
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| AFRICAN PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS |
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