The Udu : A Nigerian Instrumental Traditional Instrument

So what on earth is an Udu? The word Udu is a Nigerian word meaning pottery. An Udu drum is an ancient instrument of Nigerian origin, which was first introduced to the "western" world by an upstate NY resident, Frank Giorgini. While I was taking art classes in high school, I was introduced to Frank Giorgini and our art class was given the opportunity to actually make these interesting drums. With this experience, I was able to gain an appreciation for these simple percussion pieces, and gain new insights into the world of the Udu.

Some Udu Background

As you can see from the photo, an Udu drum consists of a spherical bottom section and a long cylindrical portion located on the upper part. Although the tube on the top can be designed in a variety of different ways, the basic construction is always the same to ensure a sound that only this type of instrument can produce. Udu drums create an assortment of deep tones when played, by striking any part of the drum especially the openings with the hand and fingers. Depending on the size of the completed drum and even the decorative stylings this instrument always has an individual tonal quality to it. As a general rule, the bigger you make the spherical base, the lower the played tone will be. The sounds produced are most similar to natural sounds, and in my opinion-bubbling water. Musical artists of modern times, like Sting, have used these drums in their performances. If you've ever heard "Desert Rose," by Sting, you can hear the Udu drum in the beginning portion most clearly. (If you are familiar with this song, now you don't have to wonder what type of instrument can produce this unique sound.)

How are they made?

Since I have first hand experience with this process, I'll give you the run down of how these are actually constructed. You can make them with red or grey clay, but the authenticity of these drums is in using all basic materials. The spherical shape is made first with a wooden paddle for shaping, rather than more modern devises used in pottery classes. The cylindrical portion is done secondly and includes a careful process of linking the two pieces together to ensure that they do not disconnect when fired. As with all pottery, you need to construct these drums without air bubbles to prevent their final demise in a kiln. Only, these aren't going to be placed into any kiln. Why, you ask? Because that isn't authentic enough. The Nigerians fire their pottery in a simple firing pit. The final stages of the Udu drum is decoration and than firing. Obviously you don't want to try this yourself, but Mr. Georgini is informed enough about how to do this safely and let us high school students see how the drum was set. The great part about firing them in a pit, rather than in a kiln, is that the final look of the drum is unpredictable. The flames can cause differing variations in the texture and appearance of the Udu, making it undoubtedly a unique instrument.

Currently, the Udu drum can be purchased from select music stores or online stores. Frank Giorgini has developed variations of the original, with dual chambers and different shapes. Although they aren't exactly handmade anymore, you can probably still locate Frank Georgini's website and see what he's been up to as of late.