the Family of the Kora

the family of the Kora

Kora Bridge with pickup system and mixer

The Electric Kora

a prototype based on the 24-string Gravikord by Bob Grawi

I applied several modifications and adaptations to make a Kora out of it

strange feeling to play the Kora on steel strings using guitar effects ...

interested in the Gravikord ?
inquire at: Gravikord@aol.com
visit: http://members.aol.com/gravikord/index.html

magnetic pickup system and mixer by Marcus Diess, Wavesound

need a special pickup for any instrument ?
inquire at: wavesound@magnet.at

Simbingo

7-string bow-harp in pentatonic tuning, one plane of strings, played by the Diola people in Senegambia who call it also Furakaf

in Mali it's played by the Bamana who call it Simbi, the tuning for Jaliya music is heptatonic

similar instruments are:

Bolon / Bolonbata
with 3-4 strings, very percussive sound, played mainly in Guinée, used as bass in orchestras

Donso Ngoni / Kamale Ngoni (Doussngouni)

6 strings in two planes with pentatonic tuning: C-D-F-G-B-c
right hand: C-F-B, left hand: D-G-c
very popular in the Wassoulou music from South Mali
the dampening technique used to stop the sound immediately after plucking the string and the syncopated pattern give the music a swinging drive
those are all originally hunter's harps of the Mande peoples and their neighbors

Econtin
(Olivier Sambou, Cap Skirring)

3-string bow-harp/lute combination instrument, played by the Diola people in the Casamance

it's sort of a missing link between harps like Kora and lutes like Ngoni: 1 or 2 strings can be shortened as on lute or guitar, the other is played open like on a harp

To be continued, in sha' allah !