Grade 6- String Instruments

String Instruments

Are musical instruments that have strings.

Produce sound by

1. Plucking

2. Strumming

3. Bowing

4. Rubbing the strings
   

Categories of String Instruments

1. Bows

Examples of Bows in Kenyan Communities

1. Abakuria- Entono

2. Mijikenda- Uta

3. Kamba- Uta wa Wanthi

Types of musical bow

Ground bow- eg. Nderemo by kikuyu

Mouth bow- eg obokano by kuria

Hunters bow- eg entono by kuria

2. Harps

3. Lyres

Examples of Lyres in Kenyan Communities

1. Obokano- Abagusii

2. Nyatiti- Luo

4. Zithers

Examples of Zithers in Kenyan Communities

Makhana- Abaluhya

There different types of string instruments found among the Kenya communities. Each instrument has specific community of origin.

STRING INSTRUMENTS	COMMUNITY OF ORIGIN
Shiriri or ishiriri or silili	Abaluhya
Litungu	Abaluhya
Limoyi	Abaluhya
Ongengo	Abagusii
Obokano	Abagusii
Nderemo	Agikuyu
Wandindi	Agikuyu
Entono	Abakuria
Ekegogo	Abakuria
Iritungu	Abakuria
Orutu	Luo
Uta	Mijikenda
Uta wa wathi	Akamba
Mbeve	Akamba
Adeudeu	Iteso
Mwazigizi or zeze	Taita
Kimengeng	Kalegin
Pukan	Pokot
Chepkongo/ Chemonge	Kipsigis
Nyatiti	Luo

FIDDLE

Fiddles are string instruments that have one or two strings

FIDDLE	COMMUNITY
Orutu	Luo
Mbeve	Akamba
Ekegogo	Abakuria
Mwazigizi or zeze	Taita
Ageregeret	Iteso
Ishiriri	Abaluhya
Wandindi	Kikuyu
Kimeng’eng’	Kalenjin
Ong’eng,o or Otete	Abagusii

String instruments can have one, two or more number of strings. A string instrument with one or two strings is called fiddle.

PARTS OF A FIDDLE AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

 PLAYING IN AN INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE

An ensemble is a group of people who performs instrumental or vocal music together instruments being played together.

An instrumental ensemble consists of a group of instruments being played together

An instrument can be percussion instruments, winds instruments or string instruments