Kutana bia
Item
-
Title
-
Kutana bia
-
Description / content note
-
These Ngombi Likembe (Mbira) are played with the instrument slung from the players shoulders. They are too large and heavy to be to be held between the hands as with the majority of this type and as a consequence the bamboo reeds or tongues are plucked downwards with the tips of the fingers with open palms. It is used as a rythmic rather than a melodic instrument. In our experience only the Pedi of the Northern Transvaal in South Africa play this instrument in a similar manner. The instrument is resonated on a large closed wooden bowl, oval in shape, 17 inches long and a tail 2 inches long. A triangular sound hole is cut into the flat top immediately beneath the free ends of the bamboo notes. It is tuned to a pentatonic scale of the following notes in order from left to right. 296, 148, 268, 134, 228, 200, 178, 256 vs. If 134 vs. is the Tonic, it would indicate thah the player is using both the true harmonc 4th (178 vs) and 5th (200 vs). The beating of the bamboo pole sounds almost like marching feet, and both this and the Ngombi are drowned by the strenght of the voices. Ngbandi dance with 2 Ngombi likembe with bamboo notes, and a long bamboo pole, beaten by several men.
-
Publisher
-
International Library of African Music (ILAM)
-
Date issued / published
-
1952
-
Identifier
-
TR0121
-
8
-
Is Format Of
-
Analog reel item
-
Duration (time)
-
00:02:49
-
File format
-
wav
-
Sample Rate
-
15 ips reel
-
Digitisation (original)
-
96000Hz 24Bit Stereo
-
Studer B67 Recorder
-
Sound Forge V.6
-
Rights Holder
-
International Library of African Music
-
License
-
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
-
Access Rights
-
Public
-
Is Part Of
-
ILAM Hugh Tracey Sound of Africa Series
-
Format
-
audio/mp3
-
Genre
-
field recordings