GCSE Bitesize: Traditional African instruments
African musical instruments
Musical instruments in Africa are not only used for making music, they are also used to communicate to both man and spirit, translating and emitting daily experiences and events. They serve a variety of roles: some may be confined to religious or ceremonial occasions, others are used in a more secular fashion for entertainment. There may be restrictions to the age, gender or social status of the player. The instruments range in size and complexity from hand-held objects to large, elaborate devices constructed of many parts and, even today, they are mostly crafted from natural materials using age-old methods. Most widely spread and played instruments in Africa are the drum, the xylophone, the mbira, rattles and shakers. The one-string musical bow, played all over the continent but now nearly abandoned, was once responsible for all the vocal scales that are used today in African music. There are 4 main categories of instruments plus percussion: - Rhythm idiophonic instruments such as:
African Music History - History Of Percussion Instruments
History Made Interesting Knowing about African music history helps you better understand the continent itself. Because music is so deeply rooted in African culture. Apart from Africans themselves, this knowledge is usually restricted to ethnomusicologists and historians. On this page, I'll try to present it in easily understandable bits and in a way that's enjoyable for everyone. History Of Percussion Instruments Djembe Djembe drumming has gone through an enormous transformation under the influence of Western culture. Learn about the djembe tradition in its original context: The African villages. Djembe History Page Balafon The traditional xylophone of the Mande people is part of the cultural identity of this West African ethnic group. Myths and griots tell us about the origin of the balafon: The Sosso Bala with its supernatural powers! It's interesting to read, but wouldn't it be much cooler to actually experience the history of percussion instruments?
African Music, Dance, Music and Musical Instruments
Indigenous African musical and dance expressions that are maintained by oral tradition and that are stylistically distinct from the music and dance of both the Arabic cultures of North Africa and the Western settler populations of southern Africa. African music and dance, therefore, are cultivated largely by societies in sub-Saharan AfricaAll sub-Saharan traditions emphasize singing, because song is used as an avenue of communication. Because many African languages are "tone languages," in which pitch level determines meaning, the melodies and rhythms of songs generally follow the intonation contour and rhythms of the song texts. Melodies are usually organized within a scale of four, five, six, or seven tones. African traditions also greatly emphasize dance, for movement is regarded as an important mode of communication.
History of Celtic Music - Celtic Rings Ltd
Celtic music is defined as music that originates from the countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The people who live in these locations are known as Celts, which is how the music became known as Celtic music. Celtic music is best described as a type of folk music with a distinctive music and lyrics. And, today Celtic music is played and heard not only in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but also on a worldwide stage. Celtic music has been traced back to the 1600's and is still a popular musical genre today. Celtic music can be defined also as music of the Celt people and has been around for several centuries. While Celtic music has been traced back to the 1600's, it is still one of the world's most popular musical genres. Music was so important to the ancient Celts that a group evolved called the Bards. Back to Celtic Resources
Manu Dibango | Cameroonian musician
Manu Dibango, in full Emmanuel Dibango N’Djocke, (born Dec. 12, 1933, Douala, Camer.), Cameroonian saxophonist, pianist, vibraphonist, and composer whose innovative jazz fusions and wide-ranging collaborative work played a significant role in introducing European and North American audiences to the sounds of West African popular musics between the mid-20th and the early 21st century. Dibango was born into a musical Protestant Christian household to parents who represented two historically rivalrous Cameroonian ethnic groups: his mother was Duala (Douala), and his father was Yabassi. Dibango’s musical aptitude became evident at an early age through his singing at the local church, where his mother was a choir leader. In 1949, when he was 15 years old, Dibango was sent to school in France. After completing high school in Saint-Calais and Chartres, he furthered his studies in Reims and in Paris.
10 Most Popular African Musical Instruments
When it comes to musical instruments, the African continent is well-known for its vast instruments. There are very many tribes or ethnic communities in Africa. Each tribe will have its own unique instruments. Here is The List of 10 Most Popular African Musical Instruments See Also: Top 10 African Music 1. The Kora probably stands out as one of the most famous stringed instruments. 2. Also referred to as a thumb piano, the Kalimba consists of strips placed on a resonator. 3. The talking drum is probably the most known drum from Africa. 4. The Balafon resembles the xylophone or African Marimba. 5. The Shekere is one of the most famous shakers in Africa. 6. The Djembe or jembe is a type of drum found in Central and West Africa. 7. The Udu is a type of drum that has its roots in Nigeria. 8. The Marimba is a type of African Xylophone. 9. The Mbira is a thumb piano that resembles the Kalimba. 10. The Algaita is a popular wind instrument found in West Africa. Recommended Further Reading
Japanese Culture - Entertainment - Musical Instruments
In traditional Japanese music, there are three general types of instruments - percussion instruments, stringed instruments and wind instruments, mostly flutes. There is a huge range of instruments beyond the scope of this page, ranging from bells used in Buddhist ceremonies to various kinds of drums used in gagaku (Imperial court music). In the last few years, there have been a growing number of artists who have been bringing these instruments to younger audiences. Taiko group Kodo and young shamisen duo the Yoshida Brothers are two well-known examples of artists who give the old instruments new life and energy, and have been very successful abroad. Below we look at the more commonly heard instruments. Drums The always amazing Kodo drummers There are many large Japanese drums, or taiko. The hourglass-shaped tsuzumi was introduced from the Asian continent around the 7th century and the name is derived from Sanskrit. Stringed Instruments A closeup of a koto player Flutes Related content:
