Ghanaian Gyil Scale Tuning - Woma pentatonic scale

My experience teaching enriches and enhances my musical pursuits. As a pianist first and mallet player second, I come from two traditions of training, jazz and classical; technique and improvisation.

My experience studying music and Ghanaian Xylophone, aka Gyil, in Ghana enhanced my studies by removing me from a familiar instrument, music and culture tradition, tonality, and scale. My Gyil has 14 wooden bars woven together by string, twine, and goat skin; amplified by gourds tuned to each prepared tuned bar.

Although some Gyils are tuned to a western pentatonic scale, most Gyils are tuned to the village master xylophonist's instrument. My gyil is tuned to master xylophonist Bernard Woma's scale. I like to call it the Woma pentatonic scale.

Here is the original tuning of the Woma pentatonic scale, as notes per bar from treble to bass:

• C# +40 cents
• B +20 cents
• A -23 cents
• F# +35-40 cents
• E +15 cents
• D 0 cents
• C -35 cents
• A +20-23 cents
• G -15/20 cents
• E +50 cents (or F -50 cents)
• D# -2 cents
• B +25 cents
• A -2 cents
• G -40 cents (almost Gb)

The music is a collaboration with myself on Gyil (with the Woma Scale) and Terry Dame (of Electric Gamelan Junkyard) on her hand-tuned hand-built Gb pentatonic Clayrimba:

Snow Falling on the Leviathan - Brittany Anjou by BrooklynMusic

Brittany Anjou teaches Piano, Vibraphone and Gyil with Brooklyn Music Lessons.