The mother's songs often imitate drum rhythms by singing using nonsense syllables. At a certain age, children learn by rote to imitate complex rhythms and find their ability level. By the time a child reaches adolescence, he may have learned to play on toy instruments by imitation, or to play minor instruments in adult ensembles. Idiophones Idiophones are the most abundant instruments to be found anywhere in Africa. Idiophones may be played as rhythm instruments or may be used as melodic instruments depending upon the type of idiophone.
Rattles are principally rhythm instruments and are shaken to create sound.
Friction idiophones, such as pieces of notched bamboo, are played by scraping another stick across the bamboo. Other idiophones such as bracelets of metal or a notched stick being passed through a dried fruit shell also exist and are used to create rhythmic sound. These sticks and tubes are held in the player's hand and performed by being held at an angle and striking the ground or a slab of stone at an angle. On occasion three tubes are played at the same time each of which is playing a different rhythm. All of the above idiophones are rhythm instruments and play no melodic function.