Boobam

A boobam is a percussion instrument of the membranophone family consisting of an array of tubes with membranes stretched on one end, the other end open. The tuning depends partly on the tension on the membrane but mostly on the length of the tube.

The tubes were originally made from lengths of giant bamboo although pipes of wood, plastic, metal, and cardboard also have been used. The membranes were originally goat- or calf-skin but most are now plastic.

The name "boobam" was coined in Mill Valley, California in 1954 and was described as "bamboo spelled sideways".

Examples may be seen in a percussion museum in Oklahoma.

Sounds are on the Web.