The traditional music of the Ndebele is characterised mainly by the widespread use of choral song accompanied by leg rattles (amahlwayi), clappers (izikeyi) and clapping of hands. Compared with choral song, solo singing and purely instrumental music are of minor importance. Like the Shona, the Ndebele also use mouthbows (umqangala) and gourd-bows (icaco), played mostly for self-amusement.
There are many Ndebele song writers and bands and certainly they have been mainly Zimbabwean artists who have heavily influenced as the have been heavily influenced by the ndebele story telling ways,