The cabasa is an African percussive instrument known for its rasping, rhythmic effect.
The Afuche Cabassa: A Percussion Instrument with its Own Sound
The cabassa has a hollow cylinder, usually made of wood, that's ringed with a string of metal beads. The cylinder is fitted with a handle that's held in one hand, while the metal beads are drawn around and across the textured surface of the cylinder with the other hand to create sound, which can be tweaked and influenced by twisting the handle. The harder the beads are pressed against the textured surface, the shorter and sharper the sound becomes. The cabasa is sometimes confused with the more traditional shekere (a hollow gourd ringed with a beaded net).
