Guide to Cabasa

A photo of the Cabasa

Cabasa is a percussion instrument similar to the shekere, a western African instrument. It is a popular hand percussion classified as an idiophone, a sub-family of percussions. The cabasa is constructed with a steel ball chain that is wrapped around its wide cylindrical head.Its head is attached to a long narrow stick … Read more

Guide to Balafon

A photo of a Balafon instrument

The balafon is a type of struck idiophone as categorized in the Hornbostel-Sachs musical instrument. In the Malinke language, the instrument balafon is a combination of two words ‘Balan,’ the name of the instrument, and ‘fon,’ which means to play. Therefore, the word balafon is the act of playing the instrument, Bala. … Read more