The traditional music of the Ndebele is characterised mainly by the widespread use of choral song accompanied by leg rattles

Rattle (percussion)

A rattle is a percussion instrument. It consists of a hollow body filled with small uniform solid objects, like sand or nuts. Rhythmical shaking of this instrument produces repetitive, rather dry timbre noises. In some kinds of music, a rattle assumes the role of the metronome, as an alternative to...

 (amahlwayi), clappers

Clapper (musical instrument)

A clapper is a basic form of percussion instrument. It consists of two long solid pieces that are clapped together producing sound. A straightforward instrument to produce and play, they exist in many forms in many different cultures around the world. Clappers can take a number of forms and be made...

 (izikeyi) and clapping of hands. Compared with choral song, solo singing and purely instrumental music are of minor importance. Like the Shona

Shona people

Shona is the name collectively given to two groups of people in the east and southwest of Zimbabwe, north eastern Botswana and southern Mozambique.-Shona Regional Classification:...

, the Ndebele also use mouthbows

Musical bow

The musical bow is a simple string musical instrument most archaic cultures as well as in many in the present day. It consisting of a string supported by a flexible stick 1.5 to 10 feet long, and strung end to end with a taut cord. Usually made out of wood...

 (umqangala) and gourd-bows (icaco), played mostly for self-amusement.

Ndebele musicians

There are many Ndebele song writers and bands and certainly they have been mainly Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...

an artists who have heavily influenced as the have been heavily influenced by the ndebele story telling ways,

• Albert Nyathi
  Albert Nyathi
  Albert Nyathi is a poet who is particularly famous for the poem and song Senzeni na?, which he composed following the assassination of Chris Hani...
  
  
• Afrida Band
• Andy Brown & The Storm
• Ilanga
• Kampi Moto & George Phiri
• Kwani Experience
• Louis Mhlanga
• Marsha Moyo
• Moses Khumalo
• Musa Manzini
• Sakhile
• Sipho Gumede
• Thabani Band
• Winston Mankunku Ngozi
• Zim Ngqawana
• Ziyaduma