The sabar is by far the most common instrument in Senegal. You can hear it at every family gathering, Catholic church meeting, political rally, Baay-Fall Islamic meeting, and marketplace. Many Senegalese told me that if there aren't sabars at an occasion, nobody will go. The sabar has become the backbone of almost every Senegalese music group. Contemporary Senegalese popular and semi-traditional music is generally designated as "mballax," named for a family of traditional sabar dance rhythms ubiquitous in Senegalese music. A group of sabars is an essential ingredient in all such music.
* The nder, the lead sabar, is longer and higher-pitched than the others.
* The mbėng-mbėng is the mid-range accompaniment sabar. Like the nder, it can produce several different pitches and tones using different methods.
* The gorong talmbat is a bass sabar and (unlike the mbėng-mbėng and the nder) has a closed end and rests on the ground, somewhat like a non-directional subwoofer.
* The lamb looks almost identical to the talmbat but is lower by an interval of about a third and has short tuning strings. Unlike the nder and mbėng-mbėng, both bass drums produce only one pitch.
* The xiin is shorter and stouter in shape and is a favorite drum of adherents of the Baay-Fall sect.
* The gorong babas is a lead sabar with a sound similar to the nder but has the same shape as the lamb and is a very recent addition to the sabar family. Today's premier sabar player, Doudou Ndiaye Rose, invented the gorong babas as a replacement for the longer nder, which he found awkward to carry around during concerts.
Antique Percussion Instruments
Percussion Instruments of Asia
Percussion Instruments of Africa