What is a Sansula?

The Sansula is a variation of the mbira or kalimba, an African thumb piano that is one of the world’s oldest instruments. A sansula is essentially a kalimba suspended on a drum head. Peter Hokema designed the instrument on the frame drum so the kalimba may be amplified without the use of a separate gourd, or deze, as traditionally used in Zimbabwe with an mbira. His wonderful approach to this instrument allows me to add lush “wah wah” effects by manipulating air, closing and opening the space under the sansula. While traditionally played just as a thumb piano, I also like to play the drum membrane and wood block percussively to achieve a bass drum and snare effect while letting beautiful overtones ring out. I also use magnets on the tines to change the notes of the instrument while I play. This allows me to manipulate the tuning of my sansula on the fly and provides greater versatility to the fixed scale that the kalimba traditionally offers.

I exclusively use Hokema Sansulas and I’m a featured artist for the company. I am honored to add my take on the versatility of the sansula to the rich traditions of members of the lamellophone (thumb piano) family. My solo album incorporates sansula techniques along with electric bass guitar - combining one of the world’s oldest instruments with one of the youngest! I stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before me and the elders that have given me the opportunity to express myself musically through these vehicles, I am in debited to them.

If you’re interested in trying one out yourself, you can purchase one here.