The talking drum

(This video was produced by Rockethouse for BBC Radio 4.)

[jimcowdery]

The drumming replicates speech tones and rhythmic patterns; if you know the tones and patterns you understand the meaning. It's not like Morse code at all.

[teddewan]

What a great technology. I mean it. I wish I had an audio of the spoken words the drums are representing.

[fluffy_minotaur]

what’s the name of these drums and sticks/picks? anyone who knows?

[yvonnetaylor]

Pls kindly mention the names of Ashanti different talking drums in your next video.

[yougeo]

I immediately think of two standard computers with modem links each hooked to a mechanical drum actuator for tx and a microphone on the rx side. Then just slow the tx speed down until it start working. Would be a cool project with long range slow data speed transmission potential due to low frequency transmission range. Might attract elephants as well.

[jeffreywoods]

This could be reinstated in modern warfare and no one would be able to crack the code

[SongTown]

The real talking drum is the one of the Yorubas of Western Nigeria