List of African musical instruments and their names

Traditionally, musical instruments in Africa played a massive role in various aspects of life, extending far beyond mere entertainment. Besides making songs integral to various ceremonies, these devices served diverse purposes ranging from communication and storytelling to ritual and spiritual healing. Below is a list of African musical instruments with names and pictures.

Key takeaways

• Different African societies have unique musical traditions and instrument-making methods.
• The knowledge and art of making these instruments is often passed down within families or communities, with the younger generations sometimes integrating modern tools and skills.
• Most African musical instruments were made from readily available materials such as animal skin or horns, gourds, wood, turtle shells, and metal.
• Some instruments were reserved for specific groups based on age, gender, or social status.
• Certain instruments are considered sacred and used in communication with spiritual realms.
• Specific instruments and rhythms are used to address physical and spiritual ailments.

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List of African musical instruments and their names

African music instruments are divided into five main categories: aerophones, membranophones, idiophones, chordophones, and percussion. This classification of African musical instruments is based on how they are used to produce sound.

Aerophones

Aerophones are any type of instrument that produces sound through vibrating columns of air. Most African communities incorporated them with dancing, as musicians have to synchronize their footwork along with playing their notes.

Aerophones (wind instruments) include;

• Flutes: They can be categorized by construction (end-blown, side-blown, globular), material (bamboo, gourd, wood, metal), and cultural context. Some notable examples include the fula/tambin/tanbinfule from West Africa, globular from southern Africa, Congo, Mozambique, Uganda, and Guinea, East African flutes (fodima, foodhin, lalego, pelo, kumurere), and chivoti from Kenya.
• Whistles: Examples include yaka/yimbila and ndemba/yaka for hunting, chokwe kasengosengo whistle to summon people to gather, nsiba/kongo for hunters and diviners, and amalenga from Congo's sound archives.
• Reed pipes: Single-reed examples include transverse clarinets from West Africa, often made from guinea corn or sorghum stems; double-reed instruments, like the algaita, are common in Hausa communities and are similar to oboes. Conical double-reed types (oboe/shawm) are found in northeastern and northwestern Africa, particularly where Islam has spread.
• Trumpets: Key examples include the kakaki and farai of the Hausa people, kudu horns in Southern Africa, and various animal horn trumpets.
• Horns: Examples include ivory trumpets from Congo, elephant horns from Ghana, and the Ugandan eng'ombe.

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Membranophones

These skin-covered instruments produce sound from a vibrating stretched membrane, typically animal skin, that is struck or rubbed. These instruments are the beat and heart of African music. They generally come in 3 forms: hourglass, goblet, and kettle.

Some prominent examples include the djembe, the talking drum, bata, bougarabou, ngoma, ashiko, dunun, udu, log drums, bongos, and frame drums.

Chordophones

These instruments produce sound from vibrating strings. Chordophones (stringed instruments) include:

• Harps: Some notable examples include the kora, a West African harp-lute, the donso n'goni (hunter's harp), and the kamale n'goni, both from Mali. Other regions boast instruments like the ennanga (Uganda), the bolon (Mali, Guinea), the avondale (South Africa), and the bwiti harp (Gabon)
• Musical bows: Common types include mouth bows, gourd-resonated bows, and earth bows. Sounds are made by bowing, plucking, and striking the string. These instruments are mostly played in Southern Africa.
• Lyres: They are predominantly found in northeastern Africa, with two main types: the large beganna from Ethiopia and Eritrea and the smaller krar from South Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya. Other notable lyres include the endongo (Uganda) and the litungu and nyatiti (Kenya).
• Fiddles: These instruments are part of the broader family of bowed-lute instruments. Examples include the goje (Nigeria), masenqo (Ethiopia and Eritrea), and the endingidi (Uganda).
• Lutes: West Africa is rich with lute-family instruments, including the ngoni, akonting, kora, khalam/xalam, seperewa, and molo.
• Zithers/trough zithers: These stringed instruments are typically found in East Africa. Prominent examples include the inanga, which is common in the Great Lakes region, and the ligombo, from the Nyamwezi people of Tanzania.

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Idiophones

These instruments produce sound through the vibration of their material when struck, shaken, rubbed, or scraped.

Idiophones (activated and self-sounding, resonant solids) are divided into:

• Timber drums: Examples are the mukoku, lokole, lukombé, and alimba from DRC, the ekwe and ikoro from Igbo origins in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, the krin or kolokolos from Guinea, and the mondo from West Africa.
• Rattles and shakers: Examples include the shekere (a gourd with beads or cowries), maracas (often made from gourds), kayamba (reeds tied together), and various types of leg rattles made from gourds, shells, or beads.
• Scrapers: Examples include the dikwakasa from DRC, the sosso bala from Guinea, the gyil from Burkina Faso, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast, the kalimba or mbira from Cameroon and Zimbabwe, and the marimba from sub-Saharan Africa. These are notched pieces of bamboo or wood over which a stick is rubbed.
• Clappers: Examples include bamboo clappers from Madagascar, wooden clappers from Ghana, bozomu from Congo, and metal clappers (krakebs) from North Africa.
• Bells: Examples include agogô from Yoruba origins in Nigeria and dibu from West Africa.
• Gongs: Examples include the gankogui from Ghana. These musical instruments, typically made of metal, produce a distinct, resonant sound when struck.

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Percussion

Different ways people move their voices and bodies (swaying, clapping, dancing, etc.) to create interlocking solo, choral, monophonic, or polyphonic rhythmic patterns and produce vibrant and dynamic sounds. The combination of voice and instrument(s) is essential and always accompanied by percussion.

Percussion (voice and body instrument) includes:

• Yodeling
• Humming tunes
• Whisper singing
• Tube stamping
• Hand clapping
• Tapping or stamping feet
• Ululating

Electrophones have been added later, and they include instruments that produce sound through electrical means, like amplification or electronic oscillators. While not as prominent in traditional African music, they are relevant in contemporary African music.

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10 traditional musical instruments with names and pictures

The sheer variety and innovation in African musical instruments make it a fascinating area of study and appreciation. Check out this list of 10 African instruments with descriptions:

1. Mbira

Mbira, also known as the thumb piano, is indigenous to Zimbabwe's Shona tribe. Interestingly, the instrument is also widely used all over Africa.

It has several names in different countries, such as sanza, agidigbo, Caribbean marimbula, ikembe, sansu, likimba, mbla, and kisanji. A conventional mbira has at least 22 to 28 metal keys fixed onto a hardwood soundboard, but some have as few as 6-8 keys, and others up to 36 keys.

Mbira is played by plucking its metal keys with the thumbs and forefingers, typically using both thumbs and the right index finger.

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The left thumb plays the keys on the double row, while the right thumb plays the lowest three keys on the single row, and the right index finger plays the rest of the single row.

It is held in both hands, often with the fingers wrapped around the sides of the instrument and sometimes with the left pinky underneath for support.

2. Balafon

Bafalon is closely linked to the Senoufo, Gur, and Mandé societies in West Africa. The instrument is common in several countries in West Africa, such as the Gambia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.

Bafalon is also referred to as balani, bala, balaphong, balangi, and balafo. It is one of the oldest African musical instruments, dating as far back as the 14th century.

The instrument is played by striking tuned wooden keys with mallets. Typically, two mallets are held, one in each hand, and the keys are struck in the middle to produce a clear tone. The instrument is an idiophone, meaning the sound is produced by the vibration of the material itself, in this case, the wood.

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3. Bolon

Bolon is a traditional chordophone instrument native to various ethnic groups in West Africa. This instrument is played by communities such as the Senufo, Mandinka, Kissi in Guinea, Banbara, Susu, and Fulbe.

It is played by a combination of plucking the strings and striking the instrument's body for rhythmic percussion. Musicians typically hold the bolon between their legs, with the curved neck facing them, and pluck the strings with their thumbs while using their fingers or knuckles to strike the gourd body.

4. Kora

The kora, first invented in Gambia, is a traditional African instrument featuring a calabash covered in skin with 21 strings representing different notes. The instrument is played by plucking the strings with fingers.

After its discovery in Gambia, the chordophone instrument made its way to other African nations like Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, and Mali. The Kora has been around for more than 5000 years and was a valuable accompaniment during storytelling, singing, and poem recitations.

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It is played by plucking its 21 strings with the thumbs and index fingers of both hands. The instrument is held vertically, resting on the ground or between the legs, with the fingers of both hands securing the instrument by holding onto two hand posts.

The thumbs and index fingers are used to pluck the strings, creating bass lines, melodies, and improvisational patterns.

5. Algaita

The Algaita is one of the West African music instruments that is occasionally employed in jazz recordings. It is a wind instrument native to the Hausa tribe in Nigeria, made of leather, and its body comprises four finger holes as opposed to keys. It is played in the same way as the flute.

6. Djembe

The djembe is one of the finest African percussion instruments to come out of West Africa. It represents a goblet-shaped drum that was made over 800 years ago by the Mandé tribe in Mali. Eventually, its glory made it to other Sub-Saharan countries like the Gambia, Senegal, western Niger, Ivory Coast, southern Mauritania, Guinea, and northern Burkina Faso.

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The djembe is one of the loudest drums, with the ability to produce different sounds, making it the most versatile. Traditionally, women were not allowed to play the djembe among the many other instruments left to the men.

This West African goblet drum is played by striking its stretched skin with the hands to produce different tones and rhythms. Three basic tones – bass, open/tone, and slap – are achieved by varying the striking area and hand position on the drumhead.

It is typically played while seated, with the drum held between the legs, and the player alternates between hands to create complex patterns and rhythms.

7. Kayamba

Kayamba is believed to have originated in the Shungwaya region, where the Mijikenda people of Kenya are from. It is particularly associated with the Digo subtribe of the Mijikenda and is also played by other communities like the Taita, Segeju, and Zigua.

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It is a type of shaker, made from reeds or bamboo, filled with seeds or beads, and played by shaking it and striking it with the thumbs to create a percussive sound.

Kayamba is played by holding it in one or both hands and shaking it to produce a percussive sound. Players often accent the rhythm by striking the instrument against their palm or other body parts, or by using their thumbs to hit a central bar.

8. Ekwe

Ekwe is a wooden drum featuring a cavity with holes created on its interior. It is made from a tree trunk and can be of different sizes and shapes, depending on the purpose of the instrument.

This traditional musical instrument is indigenous to the Igbo people. Several variations of the drum are found in other countries like Congo, Guinea-Bissau, and Zaire.

Ekwe is played with a stick or mallet for communication, rhythm, and storytelling during various celebrations and events.

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9. Marimba

Marimba is made from wooden bars and is composed of keys organized in the same manner as a piano. It is played by striking the bars with mallets to create a melodic and percussive sound.

The marimba was first discovered in Zimbabwe before it was launched in North America in 1680. It was among the African musical instruments that were named as the national instruments of Guatemala in 1821.

10. Maracas

Maracas is a traditional percussion instrument made from a gourd and filled with beads, stones, or seeds. Originally, the Maracas were first discovered in West Africa but were later adopted in many Caribbean and Latin cultures. It is played by shaking to produce different musical sounds. For a better musical effect, it is mostly played in pairs.

How many African instruments are there?

There are countless African instruments, as the continent has a rich diversity of musical traditions and cultures. While it is difficult to pinpoint an exact number, African instruments can be broadly categorized into five main groups: idiophones, membranophones, chordophones, aerophones, and percussion instruments. These categories encompass a vast array of instruments, each with its own unique sound and cultural significance.

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What are the top 10 most popular instruments?

These are the famous 10 traditional musical instruments and their names:

• Mbira
• Balafon
• Bolon
• Kora
• Algaita
• Djembe
• Kayamba
• Ekwe
• Marimba
• Maracas

What is the oldest African instrument?

The oldest musical instrument found in Africa is a flute made from a vulture's wing bone, discovered in the Divje Babe cave in Slovenia.

While not strictly from Africa, it provides insight into early musical practices and instruments. The flute is estimated to be between 42,000 and 43,000 years old, according to some archaeological reports.

In Africa, archaeological evidence suggests that musical bows and various stringed instruments have existed since antiquity, with depictions found on ancient pyramid art. The bolon, a West African stringed instrument, is also considered one of the oldest, with origins predating the Mandinka empire.

What are the most widely played instruments in Africa?

The 3 African music instruments you can easily find in Africa include various types of drums, xylophones, and rattles & shakers. These instruments are particularly iconic and versatile, and are used in diverse genres and ceremonies across the continent—other notable instruments include harps, stringed instruments, and flutes.

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Where can you find more African instruments names and pictures?

To find more African instrument names and pictures, explore platforms like Pinterest, Getty Images, Freepik, iStock, and Shutterstock, which offer collections of images and illustrations. You can also find detailed information and visual examples on YouTube channels, website blogs, and social media blogs specializing in African music and instruments.

This list of African musical instruments and their names can help you understand and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of the continent. This information fosters cultural awareness, provides insight into diverse musical traditions, and allows for a deeper connection with African history and artistry.

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