The keys of a balafon are made from a dense, hard wood — usually rosewood or African teak. Each key is a different length: shorter keys make higher sounds, longer keys make lower sounds, just like on a piano keyboard or a school xylophone. The keys are tied onto a wooden frame with leather or string.
The gourds hanging beneath the keys are the secret to the balafon's special sound. Each gourd is carefully chosen so that its inside volume matches the key above it. When the key vibrates, the air inside the gourd vibrates too, amplifying the sound and giving it a warm, buzzing resonance unlike any other instrument.
The balafon is an important instrument in the Mandé and Bobo cultural traditions of Burkina Faso. Skilled balafon players — called jeli or griot musicians in other parts of West Africa — often hold an honoured place in the community. They play at celebrations, ceremonies, markets and festivals, providing music that brings people together.
Learning the balafon takes years of practice. A skilled player can create rapid, rippling melodic patterns with both hands moving in different directions at the same time. Some balafon pieces are passed down through families, with children learning the same songs their grandparents played.