Name: ________________________________________Grade & Section: _________________

Subject: MAPEH 10 Teacher: ______________________________ Score: ______________

Lesson : Quarter 2 Week 6 LAS 6

Activity Title : African Musical Instruments from the Environment
Learning Target : Explores ways of creating sounds on a variety of sources suitable to chosen
vocal and instrumental selections
Reference(s) : Horizons Music and Arts Appreciation for Young Filipinos – Learners Material,
pages 37-62, MELC MU10AP-IIa-7
LAS Writer : Diayanara Rose S. Cacho

African Musical Instruments from the Environment

Africans make musical instruments from the materials in the environment, like forest areas
from where they make large wooden drums. Drums may also be made of: clay, cetal, tortoise shells
and gourds. Modern Africans make use of recycled waste materials such as: strips of roofing metal,
empty oil drums; and tin cans. At present, new materials that are more easily accessible, such as
soda cans and bottles, are becoming increasingly important for the construction of percussion
instruments.

On the other hand, Xylophones are made of lumber or bamboo, while flutes can be
constructed wherever reeds or bamboo grow; animal horns are also used as trumpets while animal
hides, lizard skins, and snake skins can function as decorations as well as provide the membranes for
drum heads.

For the strings of harps, fiddles, and lutes –laces made of hides and skins are used. Bamboo
was used to form the tongues of thumb pianos, the frames of stringed instruments, and stamping
tubes.

Ancient Africans even made musical instruments from human skulls decorated with human
hair while singers use their body movements to accompany their singing.

DIRECTION: (1) Write your answer on the blank provided.

1. Describe how African musical instruments are sourced from the environment. Give examples.
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DIRECTION: (2) Take a photo of improvised musical instrument you’ve made and print it on a 1 long
bond paper. Please include the materials you used and (the process) how you made it.
2. Make improvised African or Latin American instruments using dried vegetables, animal hide, wood,
strips of roofing metal, tin cans, bamboo, etc.
EXAMPLE OF IMPROVISED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
Source: Angel, Maddie. “27 Homemade Musical
Instruments to Make With Your Kids (Using Recycled
Materials).” Zinginstruments.com. Accessed December
27, 2020. https://zinginstruments.com/homemade-
musical-instruments/