Harp-Lute, soron

Although the kora and the soron, the impressive harp-lutes played in the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea and southern Mali, have plucked strings, they differ greatly in structure from the harp proper. These instruments are composed of a large hemispherical sound-box of gourd, crossed by a long and straight cylindrical neck, the lower end of which extends beyond the base and serves as the string-holder.
All the strings, which are made of ox tendon (21 in the kora, 19 in the soron), are fastened round the wooden neck with plaited leather rings that can be slid up and down for tuning. A large notched bridge, standing upright in the center of the sound-table, raises the strings and maintains them in two parallel rows.

Themes > Arts > Music > Musical Instruments > Musical Instruments of Africa > Harp-Lute, soron
(139K AIFF format sound file)	Although the kora and the soron, the impressive harp-lutes played in the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea and southern Mali, have plucked strings, they differ greatly in structure from the harp proper. These instruments are composed of a large hemispherical sound-box of gourd, crossed by a long and straight cylindrical neck, the lower end of which extends beyond the base and serves as the string-holder. All the strings, which are made of ox tendon (21 in the kora, 19 in the soron), are fastened round the wooden neck with plaited leather rings that can be slid up and down for tuning. A large notched bridge, standing upright in the center of the sound-table, raises the strings and maintains them in two parallel rows.
The player holds the instrument opposite himself, so as to be able to pluck the strings between the bridge and the neck with the thumb and forefinger. The soron harp-lute is the instrument used by professional musicians, the Griots; like the kora, it is played either in solo performance or to accompany songs of praise. Here, a reputed Guinian musician from Kankan improvises brilliant variations on a traditional Malinkiè theme on his soron.