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An Email Compilation from the List Members on
How to Tune A Balafon

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-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Charry <charrye@hamlet.uncg.edu>
Date: Friday, July 10, 1998 12:35 PM
Subject: Re: Balafon tuning

Tuning on balafons is done by shaving wood off the underside: taking it off the ends does one thing, taking it off the center does the opposite (I always forget which does which).
Eric Charry

-----Original Message-----
From: Albert Prak <aprak@xs4all.nl>
Date: Friday, July 10, 1998 11:20 AM
Subject: Re: Balafon tuning

Tom wrote:
         The difference between the figures you quote (by the way where do you get them? I would like to follow up on this.) might be simply be due to the difference between the tuning of actual balafons and a theoretical average established by a researcher or a regional difference between Malinke and Mandinka tuning. I just speculating here; Eric Charry could give you
a more definitive answer.

Tom, i got those figures from
http://www.lille.telmat-net.fr/arcades/autumn/tuning/ETHNIC/AFRICAN.HTM

These numbers however might result from analysis from one example, so they
probably do not reflect a general rule. As a guideline I'll rely on Eric's
and your suggestion of a heptatonic equidistantial tuning. But: the length
of the staves seems to vary linear (over almost 3 octaves), while the
thickness (at the ends) varies very little. This does not match with an
equidistant scale, unless tuning is mainly done by thinning the staves in
the middle. Any hints?

Albert

-----Original Message-----
From: Adamrugo@aol.com <Adamrugo@aol.com>
Date: Friday, July 10, 1998 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: Balafon tuning

Hi,  Albert,

the length of the staves seems to vary linear (over almost 3 octaves), while the
thickness (at the ends) varies very little. This does not match with an equidistant scale, unless tuning is mainly done by thinning the staves in the middle. Any hints?

Yes,  the tuning of the keys is accomplished by thinning the center
(underside) to lower the pitch and by thinning the ends (underside) to raise
the pitch.  The linear change in stave length has to do with setting the keys
on the frame so that they rest on their nodal points (about 20% in from the
ends).  So the keys are cut to fit on the frame,  which has a linear taper,
then they are tuned to pitch by shaving off wood from either the center or
ends.

From my very limited experience and research,  there seems to be quite a bit
of variance in intervalic tunings from bala to bala.  Some of that may be
attributable to where the bala was made -- like with kora tunings,  I'm
guessing that musicians in different regions of Mande squeeze intervals to fit
their local aesthetic sense.  I believe Lynn Jessup comments on this in her
book, The Mandinka Balafon.  She says that -- conceptually -- the Mandinka
bala scale is equidistant heptatonic,  but actual players' instruments in
Africa are not exactly equi-heptatonic and also vary from instrument to
instrument. 

I think there is a strong element of personal taste in how a player perceives the intervals.  I also know that I have seen balafons for sale here in the U.S. that have not been as carefully made as,  say,  the bala of a true djeli (like Lansana Kouyate).  My little 16 key model (from Dakar) needs a little work to true up some of the octaves (esp. between the second degree in each octave),  but some others I have seen were totally wacky and would take A LOT of work to bring close to an acceptable Mande scale.

Hope this helps.
All the best,
Adam.

-----Original Message-----
From: Saberalla@aol.com <Saberalla@aol.com>
Date: Friday, July 10, 1998 11:17 PM
Subject: Re: balafon tuning

listproc@eartha.mills.edu is a list devoted to the subject of worldwide
instrument tunings. The following is an description of the listserv:
*  This mailing list is intended for exchanging ideas relevant to           *
*  alternate tunings: just intonation; paratactical tunings; experimental   *
*  musical instrument design; non-standard equal temperaments; MIDI tuning  *
*  system exclusive specs; concert postings; gamelan tunings and other      *
*  non-western tunings; historical tunings; the experimental tunings of     *
*  Harry Partch, Lou Harrison, Martin Bartlett, James Tenney, and so on;    *
*  software reports; recordings; books; research sources, etc. etc. etc.    *
*                                                                           *
*  To send mail to everyone on the list, send to tuning@mills.edu           *
*                                                                           *
*  To get help about the ListProcessor (subscribing, unsubscribing, getting *
*  archive files, etc.) send mail to listproc@mills.edu with no             *
*  subject and the first line blank reading only "HELP" (no quotes, either).*
*                                                                           *
*  There is an associated ftp site (separate from the archives) at:         *
*  ftp://ella.mills.edu/pub/ccm/tuning                                      *
*                                                                           *
*  Happy retuning! 
If you need your balafon tuned and you live in or near the NYC, Abu Sylla a balfonist can do that.

Olushola

Greetings and Salutations ALL,

I recently bought a balaphon and a search of the web produced likkle in the
way of instructional materials. Since this instrument in a different setting
is called "marimba" I cranked up Copernic 99 again and searched this
keyword. I found this video set and wondered if anyone had seen it and if so
what might be their review of it. I thirst for information regarding these
instruments and their use.

This Olde Marimba Part One: "How to Build Your Own Marimba"

This Olde Marimba Part Two:"Resonator Tubes and Inlays"

These videotape guides to marimba construction lead the beginning instrument
builder through all the steps in the construction of a soprano marimba based
on the style developed at the Kwanongoma College of Zimbabwe, Africa. In
Part One, the student builder is guided through the process of selecting
wood at the lumberyard, determining the dimensions of the keys, tuning the
undercuts, and construction of the frame.

Approximate running time, Part One: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Part Two details the steps in building the buzzy resonator tubes that are
characteristic of this instrument, and shows the builder how to make inlays
with the beauty of ivory at a fraction of the cost, using an ivory
substitute.

In addition to the instructions, these two videotapes include four musical
segments: Boka Marimba playing two versions of "Laurelhurst" and segments of
"Kapotso" and "Chipendani."

Approximate running time, Part Two: 44 minutes

Price:

Part One -- $35.00 (including postage within the United States.)

Part Two -- $25.00 (including postage within the United States.)

Two tape set -- $50.00 (including postage within the United States.)

Fred King has played Zimbabwean music since 1990. He studied with Dumi
Maraire, Alport Mhlanga and other Zimbabwean masters. A marimba builder
since 1991, he owns and operates Fredtronics Custom Marimbas, a company that
has built marimbas for several professional marimba ensembles and school
groups throughout the United States. The videotapes have been used
successfully by many experienced and beginning builders to make marimbas.
Fred's approach to marimba construction and teaching the craft of marimba
building combines a rare mixture of a scientific understanding of the
principles of sound production, an appreciation of the spiritual
significance of the music, and the practical use of easily available tools.
<http://www.teleport.com/~marimba/video.htm>

At this same site I found that MyLinda King, eight-year member of Portland's
popular marimba band, BOKA MARIMBA teaches classes in her area
<http://www.teleport.com/~marimba/marimles.htm> and has undescribed
instructional materials, as well. I inquired by email and may pass that
information along to ya'll hoping that you might find it of interest.

A link from this site led to Dandemutande (A resource for Zimbabwean music &
culture, 1122 East Pike Street, # 1163, Seattle, WA 98122, USA,
phone: 1 (206) 834-3497, email: <email@dandemutande.com> web site:
<http://www.dandemutande.com>) that has a listserv for announcements and
discussion of the music. A fully moderated distribution list. To join simply
send an email with subject heading "subscribe" to
<subscribe@dandemutande.com>. To post to the list send an email with subject
heading "distribute" before your Subject heading to
<distribute@dandemutande.com> and "unsubscribe" message to
<unsubscribe@dandemutande.com> to leave it. They have a resource guide
<http://www.dandemutande.com/resource.htm> and an article on wood selection
for marimba construction, they also have books and instructional materials
on construction and design <http://www.dandemutande.com/mag_gol.htm>.

I then tried moderator Janet Planet's African Encyclopedia
<http://www.africanmusic.org/> with likkle success, tho I had not explored
her site before it is _wae_kule_ with an awesome amount of linked
information in the encyclopedia plus a kule links page
<http://www.africanmusic.org/links.html>.

I compiled a annotated list of verified links from the rest of my results
from Copernic 99 software...

1. Acoustics of Marimba (Greg
Merrill)<http://www.smu.edu/~ttunks/projects/merrill/MarimbaH.html> and a
loosely related and interesting link...
1.1 Acoustical Society of America 133rd Meeting Lay Language Papers
<http://www.acoustics.org/133rd/lay_lang.html>
2. Greg Latta's Marimba Page for beginners
<http://antoine.fsu.umd.edu/phys/latta/personal/marimba/marimba.html>
3. Laurence Kaptain, Professor of Percussion, Conservatory of Music,
University of Missouri, at Kansas City has a virtual museum of Mexican
marimba <http://cctr.umkc.edu/user/lkaptain/>
4. Power Marimbas in Grahamstown, South Africa, makes and sells marimbas and
laminated drums. <http://home.intekom.com/marimbas/>
5. Gene and Peggy Bard's home page with instructions on how to build a
marimba. <http://home.sprynet.com/~gpbard/marimba.htm>
6. C. Alan Publications, a supplier of orchestral percussion ensemble
compositions and study materials
<http://www.c-alanpublications.com/percmus.htm> and in the same vein
6.1 Row-Loff Productions Concert Percussion Library
<http://www.rowloff.com/ConcertRhythm.html>
7.  Performance group: Shumba Marimba Song Sampler with soundfiles
consisting of 8-bit mono WAV files recorded at 11kHz. Each selection is
approximately 30 seconds long and .34M in size.
<http://www.efn.org/~shumba/songs.html>
8. The Marimba by Peter De Gersem a fairly basic explanation page
<http://www.esat.kuleuven.ac.be/~degersem/marimba.html>
9. Music Education Online has a search engine for music teachers by
zipcode/distance/instruction level/type of music including world/ethnic
<http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2405/>
10. A commercial site selling handmade marimbas
<http://www.kallisti-percussion.com/>
11. Vibraphone and Marimba Amplification and MIDI Systems
<http://www.kksound.com/vibe.htm> they also have miking systems for drums!
<http://www.kksound.com/drumic.htm>
12. Modern marimba orchestral site, with Real Audio files
<http://www.marimba.org/rep.html>
13. Marimba design?
<http://www.scottkim.com/inversions/gallery/marimba.html>
14. Jiti is fast and wild and since the sixties it is the rural Rock and
Roll of Zimbabwe. <http://www.shava.com/about.htm>
15. Mbira, marimba, Chimurenga, and other topics of
Zimbabwe<http://www.tiac.net/users/smurungu/sitemap1.html>

Blessed BE
IN Time
® clark@acceleration.net
Salaamalekum (Peace be unto you.)
Thanks and Praises, JAH, for the World
Alsalamdulilaay (Thanks be to JAH)
Gainesville, FL USA

For further reference:
the Djembe and Mande Music Resource and Reference Page: