African Music

By Bethanie Chong and Ciara PickeringAfrican Music

Polyrhythms, which are individual rhythms layered on top of each other, are a prominent part of African music. Whilst in Western Music, in 4/4 time the 1st and 3rd beats are emphasized, in African music the so-called off-beats, the 2nd and 4th, are stressed.

There are no fixed scales or pitches in African music, though they seem to commonly use a pentatonic scale, in which there are no semitones.

Characteristics of African Music

North Africa - (countries north of the Sahara Desert)

The music here has been widely influenced by Islamic and Arabic culture.

Tribal Africa - (sub-Saharan countries i.e. Senegal, Ghana, Congo...etc.)

The music is primarily composed of call-and-response drumming and singing, and often has ostinato patterns (a continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm) in the rhythm, instrumental or vocal parts. It is not written down, but passed on by oral tradition.

Drummers from drum ensembles, led by someone called a 'master drummer', who gives musical cues (call) in the form of rhythmic patterns, and also plays elaborate solos. The master drummer is also responsible for signalling dancers when to change tempo or dance steps. Drum ensembles feature both polyrhythms and cross-rhythms (when two conflicting rhythms are heard together).

A timeline (a short repeated rhythm) is also used in West-African drumming. It is often played by a single or double bell, e.g. Gongkogui, to hold the piece together.

Drumming:

Most drummers play using their hands. There are three main different types of strokes:Slap - This is when you hit the side of the drum with your fingers spread outTone - This is when you hit the side of the drum with your fingers togetherBass - This is when you hit the centre of the drum with a flat palm

Drummers can dampen the sound by placing one hand on the drum skin. They may also hit the wooden part of the drum to produce a contrasting sound. Drumming Technique

African Music The influence for black African music is widespread, not just within communities with African heritage but across the world, having been brought to America and the Caribbean through the slave trade.

African drumsAfrican drums come in a different shapes and sizes. The bodies are usually made of wood, gourds, and clay; drum heads are made from animal skins. Examples: Djembe drum, Talking drum, Sakara drum and the Doumbek drum. Influence and InstrumentsDjembe drum is also called The healing drum. It comes from the Mali Empire of west africa it dates back to the 12th century. It has a wide tonal range setting it apart from other drums.

Sakara drum is a hand-held drum made in Nigeria, West africa.It is from a family of four different sizes, from tiny (Atele) to large (Lya-Alu). Goatskin is stretched over a rim of red clay and is played with a light stick. The Sakara drums are played all over the world in a variety of ways. Drums

Talking drum belongs to the family of hourglass shaped pressure drums. Gan gan is the smallest, and the Dun dun is the largest talking drum.They have a drum head on either side.

Doumbek drum comes from the middle east, it was originally played in Egypt, Turkey and Armenia. It is played with the fingers. Dum is the bass tone played with right hand in the middle of the drum. Tek is the high ringing sound played with right right hand. Ka is the same sound as Tek, but played with left hand.

Gonkogui is a traditional double bell that is held in the hand while being hit by a stick. It has one high and one low tone.

Shekere also has seeds loosely covering a hollow gourd. It is played by striking it on their hand, then on the leg, in different patterns. To create a deeper tone the top of the ball is hit.

Percussion

Toke or banana bell is played by striking it with a metal rod while it is laid across the palm of the hand. It may also be hung on the side of drums. A pair of these bells, tuned a fourth note apart, usually are played together.

Strings:Kora is a 21 string harp-lute, which includes both plucked and sympathetic strings. This is used by professional musicians among the Madika people of Gambia.

Music plays a prominent role in the family life of African people, especially those in rural communities. After their evening meal families usually sit and talk, play instruments and sing. Parents will often teach their young children how to play instruments, and the children practice on drums made from old cans or other discarded items. Music in African Culture

Music also brings the community together, and is plentiful during occasions such as a religious festival, marriage or at harvest time, where everyone celebrates by singing and dancing. Each town usually has its own distinctive version of a piece of music. There are specific songs to celebrate different occasions, e.g. birth or death.

Most African languages are tonal - the pitch of the word is just as important as the word itself, and could instil different meanings. Very skilled drummers can make the drums talk, whereby they make the drums change pitch to imitate the changing levels of pitch in ordinary speech. Drum beats can be heard over long distances, so they are used to send messages.

Physical work is also usually accompanied by songs, with rhythms that match the rhythm of work. This makes boring work more pleasant. These were carried to America by the slaves, who sang while working in the field because they were forbidden to talk.

In West Africa, a musical style called Highlife has evolved, which blends traditional African music with Western pop and rock. It features both traditional African and Western instruments, and sometimes even talking drum messages.

Example: Duke - by Kantata

Led by Ghanian guitarist George DarkoThe style is called Asiko - a fusion of highlife with international popThe song is about a young man working abroad who doesnt want to return to his home-town empty-handed

Modern African Music