AFRICAN MUSIC

African music is closely related to dance, words, drama and visual arts to
create the whole event.

SOUND - is and important aspect of African traditions, especially the

sounds of nature, which are often transformed into music.
ORAL TRADITION - plays a major part of African music where musicians
learn sound patterns, rather than using written notation.
GROUP PARTICIPATION - music is a social activity where everyone,
including the audience, is involved and participates. The music makers
include singers, dancers, storytellers, actors and instrumentalists.
LINK WITH LANGUAGE - African music is linked with language. Many
languages are tone languages in which a word can have several
different meanings, depending on its relative pitch. Musicians,
drummers and instrumentalists convey messages and tell stories by
imitating rhythms and with different pitch fluctuations attached to
certain words.

CHARACTERISTICS

1. RHYTHMIC COMPLEXITY is a characteristic of African Music, reflecting

the link with dance, where several instruments play different rhythmic
patterns simultaneously. This "clashing" effect is known as polyrhythm.
For example, one drummer will maintain a 2/1 meter while another
drummer will maintain a 3/4 meter. The simple patterns are usually
played by supporting parts, whereas the more complex patterns are
played by the master drummer.
in terms of dance, dancers may choose to follow any of several
rhythmic patterns
I.e Dancer 1 will follow the bell Dancer 2 the rattle pattern, Dancer 3
the drum pattern.
2. VOCAL MUSIC. Singing is an essential part of everyday life in Sub-
Saharan Africa. African singers use a wide variety of sounds where they
may whisper, hum, grunt, shout, ululate, yodel and often imitate
animal noises. The singers make use of the following techniques:
 a. Hocket Texture is the sharing of rhythmic or melodic lines
between two or more players/ voices, one part resting while the
other part plays a note or notes. An essential part of hocketing is
integration - the working together and interlocking of parts giving
the appearance of one melody (also used in Western Music).
b. Acapella - The majority of vocal music is acappella which is
unaccompanied singing
c. Call and Response - is a common form of African song which
originated in the slave trade when the African had to do
repetitive physical work, and composed songs to help pass the
time. A leader sings a phrase and this is answered by a chorus.
The response may be repetition, or it may be a completely
different response.
d. Repetitive Melody
e. Texture - In African music, it can either be Homophonic/
Polyphonic.
Homophonic Texture - Several voices will sing at different pitch levels,
and they begin and end together but their parts are rhythmically the
same. Their voices usually stand a 3rd, 4th, a 5th or an 8ve apart.

3. PENTATONIC SCALE. In African music there is no fixed scale unlike

with the European Music, but a lot of African music is based on the
scale. It is a music scale with 5 notes per 8ve. You take the 1st, 2nd,
3rd, 5th and 6th notes in the scale. For example C Major Scale will be
(C - D - E - G - A).
4. SYNCOPATION
5. TEXTURE. In African music can be either Homophonic/ Polyphonic
Homophonic Texture - Several voice parts may sing the same melody
at different pitch level, occasionally producing a series of parallel
chords.
Polyphonic Texture - different melodic lines are independent
6. OSTINATO. This is a musical pattern which is continually repeated,
either during part of a piece or throughout an entire piece. An ostinato
may be:
A repeating rhythmic pattern.
A repeating melodic pattern perhaps a tuneful fragment or even a
complete melody.
A repeating pattern of chords (harmonies)
Some combination of these patterns.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

The instruments are classified as follows:

1. IDIOPHONES include instruments which are struck or shaken.

Instruments or indefinite pitch include bells, rattles, scrapers and
shakers. Tuned instruments include the xylophone and mbira.
a. Balaphone/Xylophone/Marimba - are wooden xylophones which
are played solo, in small groups or in large orchestras. Each
Xylophone has 10-20 slats, with gourd resonators. They can
range from soprano to double bass, and the large bass
xylophones are played by more than 1 person. Spider-webs are
placed over the holes to create a buzzing sound.
b. Mbira (Sanza/kalimba/thumb piano) - is a melodic idiophones
that can produce elaborate melodies. Vocalists use the mbira the
accompany themselves. It is made up of 8-30 metal tongues
which are attached to a sound board and plucked with the
thumbs and forefingers.
2. MEMBRANOPHONES include drums and are extremely important in
African Culture. Drums are used for dancing, regulating pace of work,
sending messages, and are considered sacred and magical. In African
culture, the drums symbolise power and Royalty. The drummer usually
plays in groups of 2 to 4 but there can also be ensembles of up to 15
players. Some drums may produce a single sound, but others can
produce a variety of pitches, and create melodic music similar to
xylophones ensembles. Drums are used to play an accompaniment for
singing, dancing and even working.
a. Djembe - originated in Guinea and Mali, and has a single head
which is shaped like a globe. The overall size of the drum affects
its pitch.
b. Hourglass Drum - originated in West Africa and had an hourglass
shape. The drums heads are attached by laces which may be
squeezed to alter the pitch.
c. Talking Drums - drummers can make drums 'talk', where they
change the pitch to imitate changing pitch levels in ordinary
speech. The drum sounds carry over long distances, so they can
be used to send messages. There areanging pi