Balaphone 7 Tones
Sound samples
Balaphone 7 Tones - sample
Description
From the coast of West Africa this xylo or "balafon" is amplified by gourds suspended underneath the wooden keys, not tuned to the western scale!
The balafon is a traditional African all-wooden percussion instrument similar to a xylophone. It is pentatonically tuned, and under each key is a resonating gourd called a calabash, which ensures the instrument's resonance. The keys, made from mahogany wood, are dried over a large fire for 2 weeks to ensure the proper consistency of the wood. The price includes wooden mallets with rubber ends. Originates from the west coast of Africa.