How the lali makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the lali belongs to the struck idiophones: the body is struck directly – bells, gongs, xylophones and cymbals.
More broadly it is one of the idiophones, where the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.
Players shape its sound through technique and materials; the resonating body filters the raw vibration, boosting some harmonics and damping others.
From Wikipedia
A Lali is an idiophonic Fijian drum of the wooden slit drum type similar to the Tahitian Pate of Tahiti and Samoa found throughout Polynesia. A smaller form of the Lali drum (Lali ni meke) is used in music. Lali drums are now used to call the people of an area together, such as church services; the Lali is also used to entertain guests at many hotel resorts. The Lali drum is made out of wood and played with hands but, is most commonly played with sticks (i uaua) which are made out of softer wood so as not to damage the Lali. Historically, a larger and smaller stick were used together when playing the Lali.
Lali drums were traditionally made from resonant timbers such as Ta vola (Terminalia catappa) and Dilo (Calophyllum inophyllum) or in the case of sacred drums for spirit houses, Vesi (Calophyllum inophyllum). Portable war drums (Lali ni Valou) had two or three resonating chambers and sent complicated signals over the battlefield.
Other struck idiophones
Frequently asked questions
What does a lali sound like?
As one of the struck idiophones, its sound comes from the way the body is struck directly.
What type of instrument is the lali?
It is classified as struck idiophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 111.244).
Where does the lali come from?
The lali originates from Fiji.
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q3429366 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Lali (drum) – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by GRIPS – CC BY-SA 4.0