Create Your Own...
African Thumb Piano
Before you make your own African thumb piano, take a moment to read through this Introduction to the African Thumb Piano then answer the questions in the quiz below. (answers are at the bottom of this page)
Thumb Piano Quiz
1) Thumb pianos can be found all over Africa and have many different names.
True False 2) You only use your thumbs to play the thumb piano. True False 3) Thumb pianos are string instruments. True False 4) Recycled materials can be used to create a thumb piano. True False 5) The thumb piano is only used for entertainment. True False |
Check your answers at the bottom of this page...how did you do?
Make Your Own Thumb Piano!
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Watch the video to the left to learn how to make your own thumb piano! Materials Needed: * a variety of bobby pins * tape * a container (or several) to mount the pins on (I used an empty yogurt cup and the lid to a metal tin, but use whatever you have on hand - try different things!) |
Learn about the Mbira (thumb piano from Zimbabwe)
Hope Masike is a musician from Zimbabwe who is working to make the mbira (Zimbabwean thumb piano) relevant for today's listeners. She performs mbira with popular musical groups in Zimbabwe but the two videos below really showcase the thumb piano in all its beauty.
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For more information about Hope Masike and other mbira musicians in Zimbabwe, check out The Magical Mbira, a segment from CNN's "Inside Africa". [video geared more toward older students/adults]
Answers to Thumb Piano Quiz:
1) True
2) False - you use other fingers to play the thumb piano too
3) False - thumb pianos are percussion instruments
4) True
5) False - traditionally, thumb pianos were used for religious ceremonies
1) True
2) False - you use other fingers to play the thumb piano too
3) False - thumb pianos are percussion instruments
4) True
5) False - traditionally, thumb pianos were used for religious ceremonies