A Slit gong, sometimes also called "slit drum", is a log drum used throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. It is usually called a boungu in Africa. A whole log is hollowed out through a narrow slit running the length of the log. Slit gong players use padded sticks to produce a range of penetrating musical notes, depending on where and how the gong is struck. The gong may be carved into various pleasing or significant shapes. Slit gongs are often referred to as drums, even though this is slightly incorrect; drums are technically membranophones whereas a slit gong is an idiophone.
In most instruments, the wood on the two sides of the slit is of different thickness, resulting in tones of different pitch. They can therefore be used to imitate the tonal patterns found in tonal languages. Instruments with two slits (like the ones shown on the picture) can thus have up to four different pitches.
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