Each wooden key of a balafon is carved to a specific length and thickness to produce exactly the right note. The longer and thicker the key, the lower the sound; the shorter and thinner, the higher. Balafon makers spend years learning how to tune each key perfectly by shaving tiny amounts of wood until the note is exactly right.
The gourds underneath each key act as resonators. They have a small hole covered with a thin piece of membrane – traditionally made from a spider's egg sac – which gives the balafon its characteristic buzzing, humming quality. When the membrane vibrates, it adds a warmth to the note that a plain xylophone does not have.
The balafon has been played in this region for at least 700 years. Ancient griots – traditional West African storytellers and musicians – used the balafon to accompany epic stories, dances and ceremonies. Today it is still played at festivals, celebrations and cultural gatherings across Gabon and neighbouring countries.
Learning to play the balafon takes dedication: players use both hands independently to strike different keys simultaneously, just like a pianist. Fast runs of notes up and down the keyboard – and complex polyrhythms played with both hands – make a skilled balafon performance truly dazzling to hear.