Musical Cultures Africa

Beginning in the early morning and going through the entire day, make a list of how you encounter music on a typical day. What role does music play in our culture and society? Is music a part of all aspects of life and special occasions? Are there any occasions or special events or holidays in which music has no role?

Consider music that you like. What properties make this music good? How is your music linked to your life, and how is it linked to other aspects of performance (i.e. dance, clothing, situation)? Think about the process of passing on music through oral traditions and compare it to the system of writing music down. Do you believe there’s one that’s more effective? What are the reasons for your answer?

Class of Instruments of Africa Membranophone: This class of instruments is characterized by the sound coming from a membrane (made of plastic, paper, or skin) that is stretched over the body of the instrument. When struck, the membrane sends sound waves through the body of the instrument.

Chordophone: This class of instruments is characterized by the sound coming from a chord, string or strings that are plucked or bowed. The chord is pulled to different lengths to get different tones.

Idiophone: The sounds produced by instruments in this class come from the body of the instrument itself. Idiophone means “self sounding.”

There are three types of idiophones, depending on how they are played: Struck idiophones, where the musician uses her hand or another object to strike the instrument to get sound, Shaken idiophones, where the musician shakes the instrument to get sound Tuned idiophones, where parts of the instrument are different tones on a melodic scale.

Aerophone: This class of instruments is characterized by sound coming from the breath of a musician. The player will blow into a part of the instrument and air travels through to make sound waves. The pitch of the sound can be controlled by different holes on the instrument that are covered up by the musician.

Bell Work 8-25 Name the different musical categories African instruments are put as well as explain how there sound is produced.

Electronophone: This classification is not part of the Sachs Hornbostel system, but is necessary these days. This class of instruments makes its sound only with the assistance of an electric current. These instruments have to be plugged in, and their sound comes through an amplifier.

Lamellophone: This classification is also not part of the Sachs Hornbostel system, but some scholars believe that tuned idiophones should fall into this category because they have different tuned parts that make sound in different ways, and are not totally self-contained like other idiophones.

Shekere

Questions on Video What part of Africa does the Shekere come from? What were the first drums made from? What part of your hand do you use to strike the shakra? How is a roll produced on a Skara?

Log Slit Drum

Questions on Video What is another name for the Log Drum? How many people are playing Log Drums at one time? What part of Africa does the Log Drum come from? What is the purpose of the slats in the drum ad does each one produce a different note?

Balafone

Questions on Video What is the Balaphone made from ? What are the sticks made from? What American Instrument does the BalaPhone look like?

Djundjun

Questions on Video What part of Africa is the Dundun drum from? Is the Dundun played on the beat or off the beat? What beat is the cow bell played?

Ngoma

Kora

Double Bell

Mbira

Gankogi Bell

Hosho

Chitendi

A. Zambian Boys B. Univen Choir

Diffusion in Music The spread of music throughout the world shows cultural diffusion. For example, jazz started as a blend of the music of Africa and the Caribbean.

The slave trade brought Africans to the Americas to work in the plantations. In some states in the U.S., early European settlers and slaves shared some of their musical traditions and influenced each other’s world. The banjo, now central in American folk music, is an instrument brought over to the Americas by African slaves. In other states, the music of African slaves was banned unless it accompanied an approved religious activity. Drums were banned because they were seen as especially dangerous since drum sounds were linked to language and gave slaves a way to communicate that could not be controlled or understood by slave owners.

“Hambone,” a style of body percussion, was used as a substitute for drums, To play hambone, a person uses his or her hands to hit the chest and thighs to create different slapping sounds. Vocal traditions also flourished among African people under slavery. Songs were used to soothe the heart and send messages of possible escape routes. Current music forms such as the Blues, Soul and Gospel grew out of the strong vocal traditions of early African Americans.

Music was woven into the culture, forming part of ordinary living, almost as commonplace as speech.

Purpose: a) Easing pain of work b) Worship c) Communication d) Entertainment

Diffusion Resulted in: Works songs, the Blues Gospel traditions Drums and songs used to pass secrets messages Minstrels

Four musical regions of Africa Eastern Southern Central West

Eastern Region Countries that are included are: Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Madagascar This regions music is influenced by Arabic music India, and Indonesia. Musical traditions are primarily in the mainstream of the sub-Saharan Niger- Congo speaking Peoples.

Southern Region/Central Region Countries included are: South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and Angola

African traditional music is frequently functional in nature. The Music of North Africa has for centuries followed the outline of Arab and Andalusian classical music. African traditional music is frequently functional in nature. Examples of functional songs: Work Songs Marriage Hunting Political activities

Bell work 9-2 What is a “Hambone” and how is it played?

Music to ward off evil spirits and to honor the dead. None of these are preformed out outside their social function.