African MusicAfrican Music

Map of the WorldMap of the World

Map of AfricaMap of Africa

African MusicAfrican Music

The influence of black African music is The influence of black African music is widespread, not only within communities widespread, not only within communities of African heritage but across the world, of African heritage but across the world, having been brought to the Caribbean and having been brought to the Caribbean and the Americas by the slave trade.the Americas by the slave trade.

What do you need to know about African What do you need to know about African music?music? Understand what the following are:Understand what the following are:

- Polyrhythmic texture- Polyrhythmic texture- Call and Response- Call and Response- Improvisation- Improvisation- Pentatonic Scales- Pentatonic Scales- A capella- A capella

Be able to identify African instruments, both aurally and Be able to identify African instruments, both aurally and visually.visually.

Traditional African InstrumentsTraditional African Instruments

DrumsDrumsOther percussion instrumentsOther percussion instrumentsStringsStringsOther instrumentsOther instruments

DrumsDrums

African drums come in a variety of shapes African drums come in a variety of shapes and sizes. and sizes.

The bodies are usually made from wood, The bodies are usually made from wood, gourds, and clay; drum heads are made gourds, and clay; drum heads are made from animal skins.from animal skins.

Some examples: Djembe drum, Talking Some examples: Djembe drum, Talking drum, Sakara Drum and the Doumbek drum, Sakara Drum and the Doumbek Drum.Drum.

DjembeDjembe The The djembedjembe drum has drum has

been called "the healing been called "the healing drum". drum".

It dates back to the 12th It dates back to the 12th century Mali Empire of century Mali Empire of West Africa. West Africa.

It has a very wide tonal It has a very wide tonal range setting it apart from range setting it apart from other drums.other drums.

SakaraSakaraThe The sakarasakara is a hand-held is a hand-held

drum made in Nigeria, West drum made in Nigeria, West Africa. Africa.

It comes in a family of four It comes in a family of four sizes, from tiny (sizes, from tiny (AteleAtele) to ) to large (large (Iya-AluIya-Alu). ).

It has goatskin stretched It has goatskin stretched over a rim of red clay and is over a rim of red clay and is played with a light stick. played with a light stick.

These drums are played all These drums are played all over the world in a variety of over the world in a variety of ways.ways.

Talking DrumTalking Drum

Talking drums belong to the family of hourglass shaped pressure drums.

The gan gan is the smallest, the dun dun is the largest.

They have a drum head at both ends.

Doumbek DrumDoumbek Drum

The doumbek drum comes from the middle east, originally played in Egypt, Turkey and Armenia.

The drum is played with the fingers. Dum is the bass tone played with your right hand in the middle of the drum. Tek is a high ringing sound played with your right hand. Ka is the same sound as tek, but played with your left hand.

PercussionPercussion - Gonkogui - Gonkogui

The gonkogui is a traditional double bell which is held in the hand whilst being struck with a stick.

It has one high and one low tone.

ShekereShekere

The shekere also has seeds loosely covering a hollowed gourd.

It is played by striking it on their hand, then on their leg, in various patterns.

The top of the ball can be hit to create a deeper tone.

TokeToke

The toke or banana bell is played by striking it with a metal rod whilst it is lied across the palm of the hand.

It can also be hung on the side of drums.

A pair of these bells, tuned a fourth apart, usually play together.

StringsStrings - Kora- Kora

The kora is a 21- string harp-lute, which includes both plucked and sympathetic strings.

It is used by professional musicians among the Mandika people of Gambia.

Other InstrumentsOther Instruments African wind instruments include African wind instruments include

flutes, whistles, oboes and flutes, whistles, oboes and trumpets. trumpets.

The flutes were made from The flutes were made from bamboo, reed, wood, clay, bamboo, reed, wood, clay, bones and other materials found bones and other materials found in the sub-Saharan region.in the sub-Saharan region.

Trumpets, often associated with Trumpets, often associated with royalty, were made from animal royalty, were made from animal horns or wood. horns or wood.

Clarinets, from the Savannah Clarinets, from the Savannah region of West Africa are made region of West Africa are made from guinea-corn or sorghum from guinea-corn or sorghum stems, with a reed cut from the stems, with a reed cut from the surface of the stem at one end. surface of the stem at one end. Double-reed instruments, such Double-reed instruments, such as the hasua algaita, are derived as the hasua algaita, are derived from North Africafrom North Africa.

Musical Regions of AfricaMusical Regions of Africa

North AfricaNorth Africa This includes all the countries north of the Sahara. The This includes all the countries north of the Sahara. The

main type of music here is Islamic, which uses drums main type of music here is Islamic, which uses drums such as the doumbek and string instruments such as the such as the doumbek and string instruments such as the ud. Voices often use ornaments and melismas (lots of ud. Voices often use ornaments and melismas (lots of notes to one syllable). notes to one syllable).

Tribal AfricaTribal Africa This includes the sub-Saharan countries of Africa such This includes the sub-Saharan countries of Africa such

as Senegal, Ghana, Central African Republic, Conga. as Senegal, Ghana, Central African Republic, Conga. Music here uses the djembe drum and the kora, with Music here uses the djembe drum and the kora, with much call-and-response singing. The music often has much call-and-response singing. The music often has ostinato patterns, in the rhythm or the instrumental or ostinato patterns, in the rhythm or the instrumental or vocal parts.vocal parts.

Music in African SocietyMusic in African Society

Music pervades all aspects of life.It is not only used for entertainment, but

also accompanies day-to-day activities and affairs.

It is important in religious ritual and provides a link between daily life and culture.

There are trained musicians called greots who possess special knowledge.

African DrummingAfrican Drumming

African drumming is not written down in African drumming is not written down in any form.any form.

When several instruments are combined When several instruments are combined generally various rhythms on the different generally various rhythms on the different instruments are overlaid to create a instruments are overlaid to create a polyrhythmic texturepolyrhythmic texture..

Vocal MusicVocal MusicSongs are used for all aspects of African

life.Counting songs, punishment songs and

work songs are commonly sung.A common characteristic of many songs is

that they are in call and response patterning.

Much African music is sung a capella – without instrumental accompaniment.

Pentatonic ScalesPentatonic Scales

Much African music utilises pentatonic Much African music utilises pentatonic scales – a five note scale.scales – a five note scale.