Kiringi

Kiringi, also Krin, ( different spelling Crin ), Kele; are wooden slit drums from Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The regional variations designated idiophones surcharge instruments belong to the vast African genus of the lips or tongue slit drums. Kiringis be made ​​of a average 50 -centimeter-long tree trunk. This is hollowed out in the central region and is provided with three radially extending longitudinal slots. This two free-swinging wood panels, the width and length of the pitch is largely arise. Kiringis are tuned in solid pitch Idiophone.

Designs and style of play

The wood panels with a width of five to ten centimeters used as playing surfaces and are played with simple wooden or rubber- tipped mallets. Thinner blades give a higher tone.

Kiringis be played in traditional African music as solo instruments or to the accompaniment of balafon and djembe. The Kpelle, whose settlement is focused in Forest Guinea, use mostly three to four in the sound level different slit drums. Like the game of bass drums ( Dunduns ) in Guinea is often combined a very large, deep -sounding and up to a meter long Krin with a diameter of 30 to 45 centimeters with a mean and a small, high-sounding Krin, 35 to 45 centimeters can be long and 10 to 15 inches thick. The result is a polyrhythmic interplay of three different high -sounding Krins with two to five different sound possibilities.

Traditionally, the slot reels are played sitting on the floor wedged between the legs, but it is possible to put it into stand and play standing up.