The interactive diagram below shows the bridge of a kora as viewed from above, i.e. when the instrument is held in the playing position. Click on each note to hear it played. This is the tuning known as ‘sila ba’ which is similar to a western major scale*.
The pitches are shown using western music notation (starting on F in this example
but any other pitch can be used) and tonic soh-
For help on choosing which fishing line to use for each string click here
The lowest note is the one nearest you on the left hand side. The notes then rise
in pitch as indicated by following the red arrows. Note that the second third and
forth notes of the scale (rah, me, fah -
* The differences are in the exact intervals between the notes of the scale which many people would have trouble noticing
