Vibroacoustic Descriptors of Central Africa Harps

Abstract

Central Africa harps are string instruments, often anthropomorphic, whose soundbox is built from a hollowed out tree trunk. They contain a set of strings (usually between 5 and 11) which are bound to wooden tuning pegs on the neck and attached to a tailpiece placed under the soundboard. The constitutive material of each instrumentmaking element may vary according to ethnic groups and material availability which induces acoustic differences. The present study deals with the definition of relevant vibroacoustic descriptors in order to assess the specificities of a Central Africa harp. Experimental data, collected on specimens from several ethnic groups, allow to test frequency domain descriptors already discussed in the literature for other musical instruments.