A
slit drum is a hollow
percussion instrument. In spite of the name, it is not a true
drum but an
idiophone, usually carved or constructed from bamboo or wood into a box with one or more slits in the top. Most slit drums have one slit, though two and three slits (cut into the shape of an "H") occur. If the resultant tongues are different width or thicknesses, the drum will produce two different
pitches. It is used throughout
Africa,
Southeast Asia, and
Oceania. In Africa such drums, strategically situated for optimal acoustic transmission (e.g., along a river or valley), have been used for long-distance communication.