To build an African Marimba Instrument, you'll need to gather a number of materials. You'll need 2 x 200cm lengths of planed timber for the frame, 4 x one meter lengths of 3 x 1.5cm for the legs, and 6 meters of cotton sash cord for the rails. You'll also need a variety of wood screws to hold the different parts together. You can obtain these items as offcuts from other pieces of timber.
Full build plans are available here!!
Xhosa
The Xhosa African Marimba Instrument is the most ancient form of the instrument. The first marimba was probably played around 300 years ago. This form was refined by Olof Axelsson, director of Kwanongoma College from 1972 to 1981. It is now mostly played in Sweden and the USA, and at the Cyrene Mission in Zimbabwe. It is similar to the Tswa muhambi marimba but has a smaller bass and boat-shaped keys. It can be found throughout South Africa, Zimbabwe, Belize, and Zimbabwe.
Xhosa African Marimba songs were originally composed by the Xhosa people of Southern Africa, and their descendants continue to play them even today. The CD contains songs from more than a century of indigenous South African resistance. Songs are accompanied by brief notes and lyrics in a handbook accompanying the CD. Among the songs on the CD are liberation songs, traditional Xhosa songs, church songs, and piano pieces. A CD also contains the traditional uhadi musical bow and other Xhosa marimba sounds.
The Xhosa African Marimba is also referred to as a saba, or a khwa. Xhosa people learned to play drums from British military bands during the 19th century. The Xhosa African Marimba is one of the oldest instruments in the world and has been used since that time in various forms of worship. The Xhosa people use the whole-tone-apart tuning and use two harmonic series to make music.
Another African marimba is the kwa kwene. Unlike the kwene marimba, the Xhosa African Marimba is made with a tswane resonator. In addition to traditional xylophones, Xhosa Marimbas have a tuning calabash resonator. The Zulu culture of South Africa has mythological stories that tell of the goddess Marimba.
Shona
The Shona African Marimba is a popular musical instrument that originated in South Africa. The instrument is played by both men and women and is considered a means of self-empowerment and employment. Those who say music is not important should hear this fascinating instrument and try it. It may change the way you see music forever. This video explains the marimba and its role in African culture. It also gives you a chance to learn a traditional Shona song.
The marimba has a long history in Africa. The Kwanongoma College of African Music, founded in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in the 1960s, created the instrument with the intention of preserving the traditional music of the nation. The college developed an ensemble of marimbas, which it hoped would become the new national instrument. In the United States, the Maine Marimba Ensemble uses marimbas that were developed at Kwanongoma. Many of the ensemble's arrangements are by musicians who studied at the college.
The Shamwari Tamba is an ensemble of young adults that plays traditional Zimbabwean music and original compositions. Its members range in age from fifteen to eighteen and have an average of eight years of marimba playing experience. The musicians have a unique opportunity to study with local Zimbabwean artists while performing in small venues. The ensemble plays traditional Southern African music as well as modern pieces by Chris Berry and other artists. These artists have a unique approach to blending traditional music with contemporary arrangements.
The Rattletree School of Marimba offers an immersive musical experience in Africa. Hand-built marimbas are performed by Joel Laviolette, founder of the school. Laviolette has studied and performed Zimbabwean music around the world for over 25 years. He studied under some of the country's masters, and has been featured on NPR, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and other national and international broadcasts. His work has also been featured in scholarly journals.
Malawi
The Malawians in the country of southern Africa make the African marimba. This melodic percussion instrument has its roots in the Congo, Mozambique, and Malawi. The instrument has a distinctive sound and is commonly made of chonta wood. Its design and tuning are based on traditional African techniques. Its key-shaped frame is similar to that of a piano's black and white keys. The key-shapes are determined by the tone wood.
These instruments are generally used in conventional music education programmes, but they also have their own unique appeal. In addition to being rooted in African music, they are also used in general creative arts classes. Teachers and students may choose to buy three or four instruments and use them to bolster classroom work, or even start an extracurricular marimba band. Children can alternate playing the instruments each week to increase interest. This allows students to develop a love of music and play the instrument with friends.
Nelson Jones began building marimbas in Kwanongoma in 1962, but his initial models did not sound very good. In 1964, Josiah Siyembe Mathe, a student at Kwanongoma College, tried to reproduce the instrument's sound and shape using the Selimba, a musical instrument used by the Lozi in southwest Zambia. Josiah Siyembe Mathe then constructed a thirteen-key soprano and tenor using PVC pipes and bamboo resonators.
In addition to the marimba, Malawi shares its musical traditions with neighboring countries such as Mozambique and Zambia. This instrument is also popular in the Nguni people of South Africa. The Malawian marimba is featured on a UNESCO CD series, "Musics and Musicians of the World."
Kwanongoma College
The African Marimba is a musical instrument that is used to play traditional African music. The instrument originated in Zimbabwe, and was originally invented by Nelson Jones in Kwanongoma College, Zimbabwe. During the 1960s, Nelson Jones began making marimbas. The first marimbas he built didn't work, though; they were made from soft wood. The next generation of marimba builders came to the school in the 1960s.
Today, the marimba is a widely used musical instrument in South Africa. Apart from being an excellent tool for educational purposes, the marimba has become a means of self-empowerment for people living in South Africa. It is a perfect tool for enhancing the cultural activities of schools, and is also a popular instrument for creative arts classes. Schools can use three or four marimbas to enhance classroom work or start an extracurricular marimba band. Students can choose to play each marimba each week, or a combination of different learners.
The African Marimba has gained popularity all over the world, but it hasn't yet gained widespread popularity in the West. While there are many African Marimba ensembles, the Maine Marimba Ensemble uses a variety of marimbas developed at Kwanongoma College. Many of their arrangements originate from students there. So, if you're interested in learning to play the African Marimba, check out their website. There is a wealth of information online about this unique instrument and how to play it! Kwanongoma College builds African Marimbas for schools and students of music in the country.
The college moved to a new location in the late 1970s, which was more convenient for the students and faculty, but it did eventually fade into obscurity. One of its graduates, Dumi Maraire, is perhaps the best known African Marimba player. He composed marimba compositions that have spread all over Africa and the U.S. west coast. In addition, he spent countless years developing Zimarimba bands.
Nelson Jones
Nelson Jones first built his marimbas in Kwanongoma, Zambia, in 1962, but they didn't work because the wood was too soft. In 1964, he recruited a colleague named Josiah Siyembe Mathe to help him. Josiah took the Selimba, an 11-key instrument used by the Lozi people of southwest Zambia, and built a 13-key soprano and tenor. He used PVC piping for resonators, and tried bamboo as well.
After studying with Br. Huwiler, he set up a marimba factory in Umtata, South Africa. The church introduced the marimba to the congregation when Fr. Dave Dargie, a priest at St. Francis Church in Cape Town, was the pastor. Together, they developed new liturgical music for the marimba. In addition, he worked with the Xhosa people to develop a tune suitable for the marimba's two-tone scale.
The resonator tuning process involves adjusting stops in the resonators. This compensates for differences in temperature and humidity in the room. Some companies provide adjustable stops only for the upper octaves, while others have a full range. The resonators can also be decorated to fill gaps in an accidental resonator bank. This does not affect the resonant properties of the instrument, as the end plugs remain at their original lengths.
The marimba was first used by the Shona in the 1960s and is now widely played in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and other African countries. Several European countries have marimba players, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Otto and the Mutapa Calling, one of the UK's most active marimba bands, play music from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Botswana. It has become a vital part of many African festivals and dances, which are held by traditional and abolitionists alike.