Calabash (Percussion)
In African music, the calabash is a percussion instrument of the family of idiophones consisting of a half of a large calabash gourd, which is struck with the palms, fingers, wrist or objects to produce a variety of percussive sounds. In Tuareg music, the askalabo is a calabash "partly submerged in water, drummed to mimic camels' hooves". The calabash can also be used as a sound board: a finger piano (a flat board with a bridge on which prongs are fastened, that are then played with the fingers) can use a calabash for that purpose, and the gongoma is a similar instrument, using saw blades on a bridge affixed over the calabash—the blades are plucked with the fingers, while the player taps the calabash with their other hand.
Calabash (Percussion)
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- Name
- Calabash
- Field
- idiophone and container.
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In African music, the calabash is a percussion instrument of the family of idiophones consisting of a half of a large calabash gourd, which is struck with the palms, fingers, wrist or objects to produce a variety of percussive sounds. In Tuareg music, the askalabo is a calabash "partly submerged in water, drummed to mimic camels' hooves". The calabash can also be used as a sound board: a finger piano (a flat board with a bridge on which prongs are fastened, that are then played with the fingers) can use a calabash for that purpose, and the gongoma is a similar instrument, using saw blades on a bridge affixed over the calabash—the blades are plucked with the fingers, while the player taps the calabash with their other hand.
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wikidata · Q978694 · wikipedia · Calabash (percussion)
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Overview
Overview
A calabash can also be used as a resonator, in the case of the umakhweyane, a middle-braced calabash bow. • Illustration — Percussionists playing Calabash with both fists and fingers
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Calabash • Background — percussion • Classification — percussion • Hornbostel Sachs — 111.3
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1- idiophoneTerminology
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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