Slit drum

A slit drum is a hollow percussion instrument, usually a log drum of bamboo or wood, that is made one or more slits in it. Most slit drums have three slits, cut into the shape of an "H". If, as is usual, the resultant tongues are different lengths or thicknesses, the drum will produce two different pitches. It is used throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. In Africa such drums, strategically situated for optimal acoustic transmission (e.g. along a river or valley), have been used for long-distance communication.

Types

The people of Vanuatu cut a large log with 'totem' type carvings on the outer surface and hollow out the centre leaving only a slit down the front. This hollowed out log gives the deep resonance of drums when hit on the outside with sticks.

It is usually called a boungu in Africa. A whole log is hollowed out through a narrow slit running the length of the log. Slit gong players use padded sticks to produce a range of penetrating musical notes, depending on where and how the gong is struck. The gong may be carved into various pleasing or significant shapes. Slit gongs are considered to be part of the drum family.

In most instruments, the wood on the two sides of the slit is of different thickness, resulting in tones of different pitch. They can therefore be used to imitate the tonal patterns found in tonal languages. Instruments with two slits (like the ones shown on the picture) can thus have up to four different pitches. Some early European explorers claim to have seen lime green versions of these instruments although this has not yet been proven.

List of slit drums

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Category:Lamellophones Category:Percussion instruments Category:Melanesian musical instruments Category:African musical instruments Category:Idiophones