When traveling in Madagascar, no one can escape the original vibes that the island offers. Throughout the country, people dance and sing to the sound of the kabosy, a typical instrument of Madagascar. Halfway between the guitar and the mandolin, the kabosy has frets that do not cover the whole width of the neck, which allows to play chords with a simple slash. Guitarists will understand! The shape, the material and even the name of the kabosy, and especially the tuning can vary from one region to another.
In 1920, the first kabosy was made by Malagasy people in the central part of Madagascar. At that time, the strings were not made of iron but of "tadim-pitana", a rope for fishing.
What is a real traditional kabosy?
Although there are many types of kabosy today, the most traditional one is made with a diatonic tuning, which means that the key on which all the notes are played is discontinuous. As a result of recent research, there is also the chromatic kabosy with all its bars being full without interruption, just like the keys of a guitar.
At the beginning, the kabosy was only played in the center of Madagascar; but as time went by, it spread southwards to give birth to the kabosy of Fianarantsoa and the kabosy of Antsirabe. One thing that distinguishes the southern kabosy from the central kabosy is that it does not have the small broken fingerboard in the middle.
The Kabosy is an instrument for all types of music.
The kabosy does not have a specific rhythm but can be played at any time. In general, the difference between the traditional kabosy and the guitar lies in the fact that the touch is not chromatic like that of the guitar, but is broken or diatonic. A traditional kabosy does not contain dice notes. However, for chords created according to later research, with a chromatic key, dice notes have been added.
Many artists and kabosy players look forward to new technology to reduce the effort they need to make while playing. Malagasy artists do not merely play a unique and groovy style of music, they share knowledge and sensitivity with the whole world.
Sources: Madagascar Treasure Island, The World, Guild of American Luthiers
An initiative by
Funding provided by
AmCham sponsors
Disclaimer:
This website was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.
