How the balafon makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the balafon belongs to the struck idiophones: the body is struck directly – bells, gongs, xylophones and cymbals.
More broadly it is one of the idiophones, where the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
The balafon is a gourd-resonated xylophone, a type of struck idiophone. It is closely associated with the neighbouring Mandé, Bwaba, Bobo, Senoufo and Gur peoples of West Africa, particularly the Guinean branch of the Mandinka ethnic group, but is now found across West Africa from Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali. Its common name, balafon, is likely a European coinage combining its Mandinka name ߓߟߊ bála with the word ߝߐ߲ fóo (nyáa) 'to say / method of saying' or the Greek root phono.
Other struck idiophones
Frequently asked questions
What does a balafon sound like?
As one of the struck idiophones, its sound comes from the way the body is struck directly.
What type of instrument is the balafon?
It is classified as struck idiophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 111.212).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q789141 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Balafon – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Wilfredor – CC0 1.0