What is the balafon used for?

The balafon, as well as the kora, was used to create music in praise of the kings and for ceremonies of importance.

Is the balafon a tuned instrument?

The balafon is a tuned West African percussion instrument. It is the ancestor of the marimba, xylophone and vibraphone, and has been known of in the Malian Empire since the 12th century.

Who created the balafon?

Origins of the Balafon The Balafon is believed to have been developed in the 12th century in the Southern Africa region during the rise of the Mali Empire.

How does the balafon work?

Balafon keys are traditionally made from béné wood, dried slowly over a low flame, and then tuned by shaving off bits of wood from the underside of the keys. In a fixed-key balafon, the keys are suspended by leather straps just above a wooden frame, under which are hung graduated-size calabash gourd resonators.

What is under the balafon?

In a fixed-key balafon, the keys are suspended by leather straps just above a wooden frame, under which are hung graduated-size calabash gourd resonators.

How does a djembe work?

First, the djembe is a “whole hand” instrument, unlike the dumbek or tar, which involved a lot of individual finger work. With each stroke all four fingers will make contact with the head at the same time, and rebound at the same time. The palm is included with the bass stroke.

What is a Bwaba balafon?

The bwaba balafon is a balafon from Burkina Faso known for its particular sound due to its curved and concave shape. The balafon from Mali – bambara balafon – and the Guinean balafon are also known for their quality. African stringed instruments such as the bolon, kora or ngoni are made from a calabash, skin, neck and bridge of wood.

Where is Balafon Music from?

The culture of balafon music is highly developed in the countries south of the Sahara desert (Sahel zone) and the tropical rain forest. In the 16th century, it became a real art at the royal court of Sikasso/Mali and was flourishing under the reign of a generous king.

Was the first balafon player a blacksmith?

Traditionally, it was he who sculpted the shell of the djembe, or the slats of the balafon. The balafola’s gesture is the same as the blacksmith’s. Beating with the stick is the same movement as with the hammer and the slat replaces the anvil. Everything seems to indicate that the first balafon players were smiths.