The African
BALA was taken by the black slaves to South America, mainly Guatemala,
where it became the national instrument. The longer instruments can also
be played by three or more musicians. In these cases, the instrument can
also be beaten by the hands as well as by wooden sticks. The technique
of playing the BALAPHON (better known by the name of MARIMBA)
includes the superimposition of several melodic and rhythmic lines with extremely evocative and, in a certain sense, "hypnotic" effects. The number of elements that make up African xylophones can vary greatly: the instruments of the IBO of Nigeria have few keys, as do those of the BAULE' in the Ivory Coast and other communities in the Zambesi area. In Uganda xylophones are produced with up to 22 keys. It has been noted that whilst drums are common in almost all African communities, the wooden xylophones seem to exactly cover the areas where the great kingdoms of the past flourished.
previous
)
)