Ghanaian Musical Instruments




NameImageDescription Video
Aslato The aslato (also known as Kashaka) is a set of two small gourds (stones inside) tying together with a string. One gourd is held in the palm and the other is swung from side to side around the hand to hit the other gourd hard. It is an incredibly versatile instrument that creates an infinite number of beats and polyrhythms.
A handful of musicians are able to play two sets of aslato at the same time.
Atenteben The atenteben is a bamboo flute from Ghana. It is played vertically, like the European recorder, and, like the recorder, can be played diatonically as well as chromatically. Although originally used as a traditional instrument (most often in funeral processions), beginning in the 20th century it has also been used in contemporary and classical music. Several players have attained high levels of virtuosity and are able to play Western as well as African music on the instrument.
The instrument originated with the Akan ethnic group of south-central Ghana, particularly in the region of the Kwahu Plateau.
Gome A gome drum is a goatskin stretched over a wooden box frame. The drummer sits on top of the box and plays this drum with both hands. The heels of the player’s feet press against the skin to change the pitch.
Gyil The gyil is a xylophone-like instrument made of wood and gourds. It is a pentatonic percussion instrument, common to Ghana, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. It is the primary traditional musical instrument used by the Dagara, an African ethnic group.
The instrument is made with a wooden frame, calabash gourds with spider web silk covering small holes in the gourds to produce a buzzing sound, antelope sinew and leather for the fastenings and a red hardwood called liga for the keys.
Kpanlogo Kpanlogo is a barrel drum used in kpanlogo music. The drum originates from the Ga people of the Greater Accra Region in Ghana, West Africa.
Kpanlogo drums are a part of the membranophone family of musical instruments; a shell covered by a drumhead made of one of many products, usually rawhide. The drum has a tapered body carved from a single piece of wood that is similar in shape to a conga. The drumhead is typically made from goat, antelope, or cow skin that is stretched over one end of the drum and is tightened through the use of six wooden pegs. The skin can be tightened by tapping the pegs into the drum.
Talking Drum The talking drum is a West African drum whose pitch can be regulated to the extent that it is said the drum "talks". The player puts the drum under one shoulder and beats the instrument with a stick. A talking drum player raises or lowers the pitch by squeezing or releasing the drum's strings with the upper arm. This can produce highly informative sounds to convey complicated messages.



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