Strings:
 Kora
The kora is a stringed instrument used
extensively in West Africa. A kora typically has
21 strings, which are played by plucking with the
fingers. It combines f eatures of the lute and
harp.
 The Paragon Heartwood Mali Pro Bolon - 3 String
The Paragon Heartwood Mali Pro Bolon is a
traditional Mande harp consisting of a large opentop gourd covered with skin, fretless neck, bridge,
and 3-4 tunable strings. This instrument is lower
pitched than the other West African harps like the
ngoni or kora, and is said to have association with
the warrior class. Each bolon is hand made in Mali
or Guinea using traditional methods.
 Ngoni
The ngoni is a typically African stringed
instrument from Mali formed of a resonant shell
covered with a goatskin with a wooden handle.
The strings, made of nylon, are attached with
rings, parallel to the handle which follows the
same line as the shell.
Winds:
 Reed Pipe
The reed pipe consists of a hollow stem or
tube with a single or double reed at one
end.
It can be made from various plants such as
guinea corn, sorghum, or papyrus.
 Zurna
The zurna has a cylindrical wooden body
with seven finger holes and a flared metal
bell. It has a disk (or pirouette) below the
reed that supports the player’s lips. This is
a double-reed wind instrument of the oboe
family that originated from the Middle East
and spread to northern and eastern Africa
through Islamic influence.
 Flute
The flute is one of the most common and diverse wind
instruments in Africa. There are many types of flutes made
from different materials such as bamboo, reed, wood, clay,
bone, horn, and gourd. Some flutes are open-ended, while
others are stopped or have finger holes. Moreover, some
flutes are played transversely, while others are played endblown.
.
Percussion:
 Bafalon
Played like the xylophone, the balafon is a
percussion instrument and can be found in
Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, and Burkina
Faso. It has been in recorded history since
the 14th century and according to oral
history, the instrument originated from Mali.
 Djembre
A djembe or jembe is a rope-tuned skin-covered goblet
drum played with bare hands, originally from West
Africa. The djembe can produce a wide variety of
sounds, making it an extremely versatile drum. The
drum is very loud, allowing it to be heard clearly as a
solo instrument over a large percussion ensemble.
 Shekere
The shekere is a West African percussion
instrument consisting of a dried gourd with a
woven netting of beads covering the gourd. The
instrument is commonly used in West African and
Latin American music and can also be heard in
many popular forms of music.
Mapeh- Music
Lets Recall- Page35
Musical Instruments in Africa
Aaron M. Concepcion
Ms.Ferrer
10- Diamond
11/2/2023