The Sansula is an indispensable instrument for anyone interested in sound healing, sound meditation or any form of meditative music.
In this article we explore what a Sansula is, how to play it and why it is different from a kalimba.
The history of the Sansula instrument
The Sansula is a variation on the mbira, sansa or kalimba, a South African thumb piano that is one of the world’s oldest instruments. Essentially, the Sansula is a kalimba suspended from a drum head, designed by Peter Hokema.
Kalimbas are reed instruments plucked with the thumb or fingers, where the vibration of the metal tongue (tooth) is amplified in various ways (for example, on a sound box, a hollow body such as a gourd, or simply a piece of solid wood). In Africa you can find them in many unique shapes and designs.
In the Sansula, the vibration of the metal tongue (tooth) is first ‘stored’ in a block of wood, which then transmits the vibrations to a sound membrane. This way the sound resonates longer than other comparable instruments. Supported by the tuning – octaves are next to each other – a beautiful, soft, overtone-rich sound is easily created.
A major difference between the Sansula and the Kalimba is that the Sansula is designed on a frame drum, so the instrument can be amplified without the use of a separate gourd, or, as traditionally used in Zimbabwe, with an mbira. When Peter invented the Sansula, it had 3 important properties:
- it was a 9-note kalimba with 4 of the tines curved upward in a second row
- the kalimba was mounted on the membrane of a small frame drum
- it was tuned to an Ake-Bono-esque A minor scale
The name sansula is derived from the name “sanza”, one of the many names for traditional African thumb pianos. The “-ula” part of the name is a diminutive, so “sansula” means “little sanza”.
Why did we choose to display the Sansula in our sound therapy store?
For those interested in purchasing their own Sansula, we have some excellent news! We just got the Hokema Sansula Renaissance in A minor tuning in our Sound Therapy Shop!
Hear what our Online Training Division Manager, Gretchen Bickert, has to say about why we chose to carry this beautiful instrument in our Nearby Sound Therapy Store Britain And UNITED STATES.
“The Sansula is one of those must-haves, go to instruments! Its size makes it super handy to take anywhere. He always accompanies me on sound baths and has become a frequent flyer with many airlines, while also being a great partner on a walk. I love this instrument and its versatility, and I highly recommend it.”
How do you play a Sansula?
The Hokema Sansula Renaissance is a joy to play!
It’s perhaps the most beautiful sounding kalimba, and with 9 notes you can easily start playing right away… the challenge is to get sonic diversity through alternate tunings.
The Sansula can be a very valuable tool for exploration. However, the best way to understand and get a feel for the magic of this instrument is to watch some Sansula videos!
In the video below Tony Nec demonstrates how to play the Sansula in note A.
It has a truly beautiful and melodious tone, is easy to play and can be used in your clients’ energy fields for 1-2-1 sound healing sessions and in group sound baths. It’s also great for self-care!
Some of the great features of the Sansula are:
- features a robust and durable remo (USA) synthetic drum head, making it moisture resistant and therefore retaining rich tones even in humid conditions
- it creates an impressive ‘wah-wah’ effect that can be produced by holding the instrument against the body
- It is light and small, making it the perfect travel companion
- the vibrations of the 9 teeth are easily felt in the hands
- can be used by both children and adults
- It is made of high-quality cherry wood for the Kalimba block and beech wood for the frame
Final thoughts
The Sansula has a very broad appeal, starting with people new to the instrument and sound healing practitioners – they can all have fun with the Sansula!
Give the Sansula a try and start incorporating its melodious and healing sounds into your sessions.
Would you like to purchase your own Sansula?
Buy from an American store here
Buy from a UK store here
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