Thumb piano

Lamellophones are in traditional African music of the Sub-Saharan Africa used various forms of musical instruments, which are among the Zupfidiophonen. Several blades are mounted on a board or sound box and are plucked with the fingers. The different depending on the region Lamellophonen include mbira in the Shona in Zimbabwe, kalimba at the Chewa and Tumbuka in Malawi, in central Africa likembe, nsansi at Nyungwe in Mozambique, Uganda and kadongo luliimba in the Makonde in southeastern Tanzania. Obsolete names from the colonial period are Zupfzungenspiel, thumb piano or Kaffir piano.

Mood

The sounds can be tuned by forward and pushing back the fins. In principle, therefore, the mood at any sound system is possible. The moods are made, however, rather than in terms of intervals on a scale tone steps. In case of a diatonic scale tones, for example, are arranged alternately on the right and left of the long middle lamella. Plucks one two adjacent slats, thus struck a consonant third, with three of a triad, and so on. In free play can therefore be Sekunddissonanzen produce only by plucking a left and a right fin, which is why it usually sounds consonant.

Mbira

The mbira consists of a solid piece of wood, on which - depending on the region and ethnic group mostly from 7 to 28, rarely 56 metal reeds of different length and thickness are fixed. On the bottom right is a hole in the little finger of the right hand is introduced as a prop. The instrument is played with both hands, in which sounds are produced by the tongues with fingernails of thumb (down) or index fingers are plucked ( upwards). As a resonant body comes a calabash or a turtle shell, more recently, a plastic tray for use in which the mbira is attached.

The use of a semi-circular, 15 to 20 centimeters long bamboo tube which is closed at the cut surfaces with matching wood inserts is also quite common. For the metal tabs are also used in the absence of specific materials, dippers. In addition, often mounted on both the mbira itself as well as on the sound box of metal discs, bottle caps, and the like, which are set when playing in vibration and generate the Klirrgeräusche.

A mbira ensemble comprises at least two Mbiras and a Hosho (tube rattle from a calabash. Musiziert is usually over several hours, often at night.

In the religious play of the Shona in Zimbabwe, the special form of the Mbira Dza vadzimu helps both the musicians and the tribal members in attendance to go into a trance.

The mbira has been rediscovered as a traditional instrument and included in the popular music of Zimbabwe. Ephat Mujuru, Stella Chiweshe, Dumisani Maraire and Hakurutwe Mude, and Maurice White ( Earth, Wind & Fire ) are some of the best-known contemporary artists.

The Cuban Marimbula is a kind of bass lamellophones.

Sansula

Since 2001 there is a newly developed lamellophones called Sansula, which was developed and patented by the German musician and instrument maker Peter Hokema. The Sansula consists of a tympanic membrane covered with wooden ring, similar to a frame drum, to the classic sound of the Kalimba block is mounted. Result of this construction is to be a relation to the previously known Lamellophonen improved room-filling sound. If the instrument is played standing on a table, adjust the way a light lateral lifting and lowering of the frame modulate; the effect is similar to a low pass filter.