African Musical Instrument – JSS1 Cultural & Creative Arts Lesson Note (Third Term)

Lesson note at a glance

Subject: Cultural & Creative Arts
Class: JSS1
Term: Third Term
Topic: African Musical Instrument
Order: Topic 8 of 9 this term
Reading time: 6 min

African musical instruments are tools used to create music across the African continent. They are classified into four groups by how they produce sound: idiophones, membranophones, chordophones and aerophones. They have been developed over thousands of years and are used for cultural expression, religious ceremonies, social gatherings and entertainment.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

name the four classes of African musical instruments and say how each produces sound;
give examples of instruments in each class;
describe the origin, use and sound of some major African instruments;
state the cultural functions of African instruments;
make a simple shaker, rain stick or thumb piano;
state how to store and clean musical instruments.

What are African musical instruments?

Each region and ethnic group in Africa has unique instruments that reflect its history, beliefs and artistic traditions. The instruments play essential roles in cultural expression, religious ceremonies, social gatherings and entertainment.

How are African musical instruments classified?

African instruments are classified into four main categories based on how they produce sound.

Class	Meaning	How sound is produced	Examples
Idiophones	Self-sounding instruments	Sound comes from the vibration of the instrument itself. No strings or membranes are needed.	Bells, rattles, xylophones
Membranophones	Instruments with stretched membranes	Sound comes from a vibrating membrane or skin. They are commonly known as drums.	Talking drums, djembe, bata drums
Chordophones	String instruments	Sound comes from vibrating strings, which are plucked, bowed or struck.	Kora, kontigi, molo
Aerophones	Wind instruments	Sound comes from a vibrating column of air. They are blown or reed instruments.	Flutes, horns, trumpets

Which are the major African musical instruments?

Idiophones

Instrument	Origin	Description	Playing method	Uses	Sound
Shekere	West Africa (Yoruba)	Gourd covered with beaded net	Shaken or twisted	Dance music, religious ceremonies	Rhythmic rattling
Balafon	West Africa (Mali, Guinea)	Wooden xylophone with gourd resonators	Struck with mallets	Storytelling, ceremonies, entertainment	Melodic, resonant tones
Udu	Nigeria (Igbo)	Clay pot with side hole	Hit with palm and fingers	Traditional and contemporary music	Deep, hollow bass tones
Agogo	West Africa	Double or single iron bell	Struck with metal rod	Timekeeping in ensembles	High-pitched metallic ring
Sistrum	Ancient Egypt	U-shaped frame with metal discs	Shaken	Religious ceremonies	Jingling metallic sound

Membranophones

Instrument	Origin	Description	Playing method	Uses	Sound
Djembe	West Africa (Mali, Guinea)	Goblet-shaped drum with goat skin	Played with bare hands	Communication, celebrations, rituals	Wide range from bass to sharp slap
Talking drum (gangan/dondo)	West Africa (Yoruba, Hausa)	Hourglass-shaped with tension cords	Held under arm, struck with curved stick	Communication, mimics tonal language	Variable pitch, can “talk”
Bata drums	Yoruba (Nigeria)	Set of double-headed drums	Played with hands on both ends	Religious ceremonies, Orisa worship	Complex rhythmic patterns
Kpanlogo	Ghana (Ga people)	Barrel-shaped drum	Played with hands	Social dances, celebrations	Deep, resonant bass
Frame drum (bendir)	North Africa	Large shallow drum	Held vertically, struck with hands	Sufi ceremonies, folk music	Warm, resonant tone

Chordophones

Instrument	Origin	Description	Playing method	Uses	Sound
Kora	West Africa (Mandinka)	21-string harp-lute	Plucked with thumbs and forefingers	Storytelling, praise songs	Harp-like, melodic
Ngoni	West Africa	Plucked lute with 4 to 6 strings	Plucked with fingers	Traditional griots, modern music	Rhythmic, percussive plucking
Akonting	Senegambia	Three-string folk lute	Strummed and plucked	Folk music, storytelling	Banjo-like tone
Musical bow (uhadi)	Southern Africa	Single string on flexible stick	Struck or plucked, uses mouth as resonator	Solo performance, meditation	Subtle overtones
Krar	Ethiopia	Bowl-shaped lyre	Strummed or plucked	Traditional Ethiopian music	Bright, rhythmic

Aerophones

Instrument	Origin	Description	Playing method	Uses	Sound
Algaita	West Africa (Hausa)	Double-reed wind instrument	Blown with circular breathing	Ceremonies, processions	Loud, penetrating tone
Fulani flute	West Africa (Fulani)	End-blown wooden flute	Blown across end	Cattle herding, entertainment	Soft, melodic
Kakaki	Northern Nigeria	Long metal trumpet (3 to 4 metres)	Blown with pursed lips	Royal ceremonies, announcements	Loud, ceremonial fanfare
Oja	Nigeria (Igbo)	Small wooden flute	Blown transversely	Traditional music, masquerades	High-pitched, piercing
Kudu horn	Southern Africa	Antelope horn	Blown as trumpet	Signalling, ceremonies	Deep, resonant call

How do African instruments differ by region?

West Africa

Dominance of drums and percussion
Complex polyrhythmic patterns
Talking drums for communication
String instruments like kora

East Africa

Lyre and harp traditions
Unique drums like Ethiopian kebero
Arab influence in coastal areas
Traditional horns and flutes

Central Africa

Slit drums for communication
Thumb pianos (mbira family)
Polyphonic singing traditions
Forest-based instruments

North Africa

Frame drums and tambourines
Oud and stringed instruments
Metal castanets (qarqaba)
Reed instruments

Southern Africa

Musical bows
Mbira/kalimba traditions
Unique vocal techniques
Marimbas and xylophones

Why are African instruments important in culture?

Communication

Talking drums send messages
Horns announce arrivals
Drums signal gatherings
Rhythms convey information

Religious functions

Connect with ancestors
Invoke deities
Accompany rituals
Create sacred atmosphere

Social functions

Mark life transitions
Accompany dances
Entertainment at gatherings
Work songs accompaniment

Political functions

Royal court music
War drums
Leadership symbols
National identity

How can we make simple African instruments?

Shaker (shekere substitute)

Materials: plastic bottle, rice or beans, decorations.

Fill the bottle one-third full with rice.
Seal tightly.
Decorate the outside.
Practise rhythms.

Rain stick

Materials: cardboard tube, nails, rice.

Insert nails in a spiral pattern.
Seal one end.
Add rice.
Seal the other end.
Tilt to create the rain sound.

Thumb piano (mbira substitute)

Materials: wood block, metal strips, screws.

Attach metal strips to the wood.
Tune by adjusting the length.
Pluck with thumbs.
Create patterns.

What are the playing techniques?

Hand positions

Open palm for bass
Fingers for high tones
Slap for sharp sounds
Muted strikes

Rhythm patterns

Call and response
Polyrhythmic layers
Syncopation
Cross-rhythms

Ensemble playing

Listening skills
Maintaining tempo
Following lead drummer
Creating conversations

How are African instruments used today?

Fusion music

Afrobeat combinations
Jazz influences
Electronic integration
World music collaborations

Contemporary uses

Recording studios
Concert performances
Music education
Therapy applications

Innovations

Electric versions
Synthetic materials
Digital sampling
Hybrid instruments

How do we care for musical instruments?

Storage

Dry environment
Proper cases
Temperature control
Moisture protection

Cleaning

Regular dusting
Proper oils for wood
Skin conditioning
String replacement

Repairs

Professional restoration
Preventive maintenance
Traditional methods
Modern techniques

What careers are linked to African instruments?

Performance

Traditional musician
Fusion artist
Session player
Cultural ambassador

Education

Music teacher
Workshop facilitator
Ethnomusicologist
Cultural educator

Craftsmanship

Instrument maker
Restoration specialist
Sound engineer
Music therapist

Where can students learn more about African instruments?

Local masters

Community elders
Traditional musicians
Cultural centres
Music schools

Modern resources

Online tutorials
Video lessons
Music apps
Digital archives

Evaluation

Name the four classes of African musical instruments.
Explain how idiophones and membranophones produce sound.
Give two examples each of chordophones and aerophones.
State the origin and one use of the talking drum, the udu and the kakaki.
List three cultural functions of African musical instruments.

Assignment

Choose one Nigerian instrument from the lesson (shekere, udu, talking drum, bata drums, algaita, kakaki or oja). Write five sentences about it, stating its class, origin, description, how it is played and one of its uses.

This term's Cultural & Creative Arts topics

JSS1 Third Term · 9 topics

Costume in Drama
Mosaic
Theories of Music
Introduction to Choreography
Makeup in Drama
Consequences of Using Fake and Adulterated Goods
Beadworks
African Musical Instrument
Tie and Dye