Where did the Marimbula originally come from?
History. With its roots in African instruments, the marimbula originated in the province of Oriente, Cuba, in the 19th century. Eventually it spread throughout the Caribbean, the Americas, and Africa, from Liberia to the Congo.
What is the Marimbula made of?
A bass instrument made of a large cedar wood box with metal keys attached to one side, which when plucked, create a deep, earthy sound from the resonator hole cut above the keys.
What are used to pluck the keys of a Marimbula?
The keys or tongues are plucked with the thumbs, or with combinations of thumbs and fingers. The keys usually consist of 20 to 24 metal tongues mounted across two bars at one end attached to the soundbox with a wooden dowel holding them in place.
What type of instrument is a marimbula?
The marímbula, (also marímbola), is an African-derived folk instrument found across the Caribbean. Large enough for its player to sit on, this instrument consists of a large, resonating box with metal strips that are plucked to provide a simple bass accompaniment.
What country is a kalimba from?
the Republic of South Africa
This kalimba is a lamellaphone idiophone inspired by indigenous Bantu African instruments and manufactured in the Republic of South Africa. The indigenous kalimba is used mostly for personal entertainment or dance music, but can also be played in bira spirit possession ceremonies.
Is kalimba easy to learn?
The Kalimba is easy to learn with only ten notes that can be played, slightly altered by the vibrato hole, making it easy to understand and learn within a few minutes.
Is the kalimba a real instrument?
The African thumb piano, or kalimba (also called by other names) is an unusual percussion instrument consisting of a number of thin metal blades (keys) mounted on a soundbox or soundboard.
Who created the kalimba?
ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey
In the mid 1950s mbira instruments were the basis for the development of the kalimba, a westernized version designed and marketed by the ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey, leading to a great expansion of its distribution outside Africa.
What country is the balafon from?
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. It has entertained crowds throughout the history of Southern and West Africa, growing in popularity across the African continent.
What countries use the balafon?
The Susu and Malinké people of Guinea are closely identified with the balafon, as are the other Manding peoples of Mali, Senegal, and the Gambia. Cameroon, Chad, and even the nations of the Congo Basin have long balafon traditions.
What is a marimbula?
The marímbula is usually classified as part of the lamellophone family of musical instruments. With its roots in African instruments, the marimbula originated in the province of Oriente, Cuba, in the 19th century. Eventually it spread throughout the Caribbean, the Americas, and Africa, from Liberia to the Congo.
What is a marimba?
In Africa, most marimbas are made by local artisans from locally available materials. Marimba bars produce their fullest sound when struck just off center, while striking the bar in the center produces a more articulate tone.
What is the difference between marimba and gyil?
The instrument itself is present, but is called balafon or heri in Mali and/or Guinea, while it is known as gyil among the Akan peoples in and around Ghana. The word marimba and derivative words is used widely in East, Central and Southern Africa.
Where does the word’marimba’come from?
According to some Western sources, the word ‘marimba’ is formed from ma ‘many’ and rimba ‘single-bar xylophone,’ however the use of the term marimba and/or derivative terms is not present in any West African language.