How the bubon makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the bubon belongs to the friction drums: a membrane is made to vibrate by rubbing a stick, cord or the hand – like the Brazilian cuíca.
More broadly it is one of the membranophones (drums), where sound comes from a vibrating stretched membrane.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
The bubon (Ukrainian: бубон) is a Ukrainian percussive folk instrument, of the tambourine family. The bubon consists of a wooden ring with a diameter of up to 50 centimetres (20 in) which has a skin (often from a dog) tightened over one or sometimes both sides. Occasionally, and increasingly in more modern times (late 20th century) holes are made in the wooden sides into which metal (brass) rings are placed which rattle when the bubon is struck with the hand or a stick. The first mentions of the bubon date back to the 11th century. It was also a popular instrument among the Ukrainian Cossacks.
Other friction drums
Frequently asked questions
What does a bubon sound like?
As one of the friction drums, its sound comes from the way a membrane is made to vibrate by rubbing a stick, cord or the hand.
What type of instrument is the bubon?
It is classified as friction drums (Hornbostel–Sachs 232.311).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q17067314 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Bubon – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Andrii Levchenko – CC BY-SA 4.0