Many groups also use the sansa and xylophones. Numerous types of drums are also used. Various wind instruments are made out of tusks, horns, conch shells, wood or gourds. Styles of vocal music vary from area to area. This is due partly to the different languages spoken in different areas.
Most African languages are tonal languages which are reflected in the singing.
Traditional African music does not have a written tradition. This makes it difficult to notate the music using the Western staff. The pitches and subtle differences in intonation do not translate easily. The Western scale patterns that relate most closely to African music are tetratonic, pentatonic, hexatonic or heptatonic arrangements. Melodic patterns are affected by intonation patterns of the language.