Mozambican Musical Instruments



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Mbila Mbila is a musical xylophone of Mozambique, belonging to the idiophone classification within the percussion family of instruments. Plural of the instrument is timbila.
The Mbila achieves sound amplification using resonators made from the spherical hard shells of the Masala Apple, one mounted under each key. The tuning of any a key is achieved through first roasting the wood around a fire and then shaping the the key to achieve the desired tone. The resonator is tuned to the key through (1) the careful choice of size of resonator, (2) the adjustment of the diameter of the mouth of the resonator using wasp wax, and (3) adjustment of the height of the key above the resonator.
The mbila is played by striking the bars with mallets. The instrument is traditionally associated with the Chopi people of the Inhambane Province, in southern Mozambique.



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