Sub Saharan African Music
Concepts about Music:
Cultural Influence
1. What is music in the culture?
African music is as diverse as its cultures and peoples and has flowered many indigenous forms as well as been shaped by foreign influences. It bears a difference from other regions and cultures. The roles of music and dance are tightly woven together in Sub-Saharan Africa, and music intersects with every aspect of life, expresses life through the medium of sound. African music also helps connect people together in a variety of ways. Music is an integral part of African ethnic life, accompanying many kinds of events, including childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political views. Many cultures use song and dance to ward off evil spirits, and pay respects to good …show more content…
spirits, the dead, and ancestors. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
2. How does music tie into the belief system of the culture?
African music helps to connect people together in a variety of ways, strengthening the fabric of the community, which in turn reinforces people’s commitment to support each other and the community, toward mutual health and prosperity. Another crucial role of music in Africa is a mode of communication. Talking drums, signal drums, songs, and the sags of the historian griots each communicate different types of important information. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
3. How does music relate to the fabric of society that it serves?
Music is an integral part of African ethnic life, accompanying many kinds of events, including childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political activities. Talking drums, signal drums, songs and sages of the historian griots each communicate different types of communication. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015) Africa uses music as a way of communicating with each other.
4. Is the music for immediate consumption or written down (oral vs. written tradition)?
Most of the African music is passed down orally and isn’t written. It relies on a lot of instruments. Examples include xylophones, djembes, drums, and the mbria.
5. What is the function of the music?
In Africa, music plays an important part in the way people interact, celebrate and relay historic events. Music is a form of communication and it plays a functional role in the African society, Songs accompany marriage, birth, rites of passage, hunting, and political activities. The African drum expresses the mood of the people and evokes emotion. (Wayne 2010)
Community Response
6. Does the community value beauty in music?
Yes. Music has traditionally played an important role in African culture. It is essential in representing the strong African heritage and its importance can be seen in many aspects of the culture. Unlike many cultures today, ancient African cultures encompassed music into their everyday lives. Dance, story-telling and religious practices are all grounded on the music of the culture. Music is especially vital in African dance, so much so that in many African cultures, there are no two words in the language used to distinguish between the two. Essentially, when one uses the term music in reference to African culture, it should include the idea of dance. (Garnes 2012)
7. Is certain music considered to be good or bad?
As far as what I have read and have seen in the you tube video, there’s nothing bad about Sub-Saharan African music. They use their music for means of communication. They also use it for childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political views. Many cultures use song and dance to ward off evil spirits, and pay respects to good spirits, the dead, and ancestors. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
8. Is there a music that is valued more highly?
No, it’s all pretty much the same. Although there are many different varieties in music in Africa, there are a number of common elements to the music, especially within regions. The concept of music in Africa, especially Sub-Saharan Africa bears a difference from other regions and cultures. The role of music and dance are tightly woven together in sub-Saharan Africa, and music intersects with every aspect of life, expresses life through the medium of sound. By helping mark the important moment in life, music helps to underscore the divine and external value of human life. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
9. Who is performing, who creates music & who listens?
African musicians can be divided into three categories: The non-professional, the semi-professional, and the professional.
Most African traditional music is a participative performance. There is a perpetual give and take between the main performer and the public, and the public is fully part of the performances. Tradition and culture helped each participant to know how it should respond to a particular rhythmic. Other people in the African society, even though not fully musician, have music as one of the requirements to fulfill their social responsibility. These include people like healers, who on certain occasions are called upon to perform sacred songs. The last group of musicians are full time musicians. Often their position in the society is inherited. (New World Encyclopedia contributors …show more content…
2015)
10. What is the musician’s status in the community?
African musicians can be divided into three categories: The non-professional, the semi-professional, and the professional. Other people in the African society, even though not fully musician, have music as one of the requirements to fulfill their social responsibility. These include people like healers, who on certain occasions are called upon to perform sacred songs. The last group of musicians are the full- time musicians. Often, their position in the society is inherited. In the West African Malinke region, historian Griots are full time musicians who used to travel from village to village, singing for dignitaries and rich traders or merchants. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015) Behavior/Performance (Context of the Performance)
11.
Where is music performed?
Sub Saharan African music is performed at festivals, funerals, community structures, birth ceremonies, weddings.
12. How do the musicians dress when they perform?
In the you tube video they dress a lot of different ways. Some people have shoes on, some don’t. They are mostly wearing really colorful clothing that sticks out and catches the eye. Their outfits also have lots of different designs on them. Some of the women wear belly shirts and dresses. Some also wear head bands. It looks like they wear the same things that we do. I did not see jeans. Most of their clothing is colorful and have lots of designs.
13. On what occasions is music performed?
Music is performed on many different occasions. They play music at funerals, weddings, when they name a baby, at festivals. They also play music at religious events as well. Sometimes they sing and dance for no reason. There doesn’t always have to be a special occasion for them to play music. They also play at community structures.
14. What does the audience do during a performance?
The audience watches and then take turns
dancing.
15. Is the audience involved in music making?
Yes, the audience is involved in music making because that’s how they communicate. The music isn’t written. Everyone participates.
Musicality
15. What is the Instrumentation of the selected excerpt?
16. What is the tonality?
There are lots of different musical pieces in this you tube video but everything I listened to is major. I didn’t hear any minor pieces.
17. What is the meter of the selected excerpt?
Again, there are lots of different pieces of music and the you tube video is long. There were double and triple meters in this video.
18. Describe timbre of one of the instrumentalists or vocalist.
The lady at time 37:01, I would describe the timbre of her voice as dry and brassy.
19. Is it important that the performer follows the intentions of the composer, or does the performer have interpretative freedom?
The performers in the video do not follow anyone. They all do their own thing and just go with the flow. They jump in when they want to. They don’t have a leader.
20. Is the process of creativity spontaneous or painstakingly deliberate?
I would say that the creativity is spontaneous. They all do their own thing and don’t have anything that they follow. They just play their music, sing, and dance at their own risk. They don’t have any music that they are reading or looking at. They play their musical instruments and sing and dance by heart.
Outside Influences
22. Was/Is the society part of a country that was/is colonized?
Yes, Europe viewed the African colonies as a source of wealth and natural resources. This sparked the “scramble for Africa” in the 1880s, when European countries arbitral carved out their respective colonies. By the end, European powers laid claim to about 90% of Sub-Saharan territory. (Geopolitical Futures 2017)
23. What effect does technology have on the music?
They don’t have the technology that we do. They do use key patterns or bell patterns. It expresses a rhythm’s organizing principle, defining rhythmic structure and epitomizing the complete rhythmic matrix. They represent a condensed expression of all the movements open to musicians and dancers, (WOSlinker 2017)
24. Is there a music business?
Most countries in Africa have not historically been significant markets for international music industry. Today, that is beginning to change. Digital technology is enabling the recording industry to effectively reach mass number of consumers across Africa for the first time. Across the continent, international record companies are working to establish innovative services and invest in A&R. (ifpi 2017)
25. Should this record company pursue marketing this country’s music and why?
Yes, because they take pride in their music. It’s how they communicate. Everything they do, from funerals, to weddings, naming their children, festivals, and music. It’s who they are. They take pride in their music and you can tell that they do just by watching the video.
A. Music of India: https://youtu.be/qxVX0ZE-tlQ
B. Music of Japan: https://youtu.be/nyqimGe467s
C. Music of Sub-Saharan Africa: https://youtu.be/bH4CvCeWMw0
D. Music of Eastern Europe: https://youtu.be/YF9woKHSA_I
E. Music of Indonesia: https://youtu.be/qIq8LNbYKT8
F. Jewish Klezmer Music: https://youtu.be/0VdoHnidz70
G. Celtic Music: https://youtu.be/jrTzLMBY3-g
H. You may select any folk music outside traditional American Folk Music, Western Pop, Jazz and Classical Music. Please send a clip to Ms. Agazzi for approval.
Citations
Music of Africa, New World Encyclopedia, Nov. 2015, www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Music_of_Africa. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Wayne, . Africa Imports African Business Blog , Jan. 2010, blog.africaimports.com/wordpress/2010/01/music-and-dance-in-african-culture/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Garnes, Samiuah. The Importance of Music in the African Culture: More Than Just a Son, Apr. 2012, blogs.longwood.edu/samiuah/2012/04//the-importance-of-music-in-the-african-culturemore-than-just-a-song/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Colonial Powers in Sub-Saharan Africa, Geopolitical Futures, June 2017, https://geopoliticalfutures.com/colonial-power-in-sub-saharan-africa/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Rhythm in Sub-Saharan Africa, Wikipedia, Aug. 2017, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_in_Sub-Saharan_Africa. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Cultural Influence
1. What is music in the culture?
African music is as diverse as its cultures and peoples and has flowered many indigenous forms as well as been shaped by foreign influences. It bears a difference from other regions and cultures. The roles of music and dance are tightly woven together in Sub-Saharan Africa, and music intersects with every aspect of life, expresses life through the medium of sound. African music also helps connect people together in a variety of ways. Music is an integral part of African ethnic life, accompanying many kinds of events, including childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political views. Many cultures use song and dance to ward off evil spirits, and pay respects to good …show more content…
spirits, the dead, and ancestors. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
2. How does music tie into the belief system of the culture?
African music helps to connect people together in a variety of ways, strengthening the fabric of the community, which in turn reinforces people’s commitment to support each other and the community, toward mutual health and prosperity. Another crucial role of music in Africa is a mode of communication. Talking drums, signal drums, songs, and the sags of the historian griots each communicate different types of important information. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
3. How does music relate to the fabric of society that it serves?
Music is an integral part of African ethnic life, accompanying many kinds of events, including childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political activities. Talking drums, signal drums, songs and sages of the historian griots each communicate different types of communication. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015) Africa uses music as a way of communicating with each other.
4. Is the music for immediate consumption or written down (oral vs. written tradition)?
Most of the African music is passed down orally and isn’t written. It relies on a lot of instruments. Examples include xylophones, djembes, drums, and the mbria.
5. What is the function of the music?
In Africa, music plays an important part in the way people interact, celebrate and relay historic events. Music is a form of communication and it plays a functional role in the African society, Songs accompany marriage, birth, rites of passage, hunting, and political activities. The African drum expresses the mood of the people and evokes emotion. (Wayne 2010)
Community Response
6. Does the community value beauty in music?
Yes. Music has traditionally played an important role in African culture. It is essential in representing the strong African heritage and its importance can be seen in many aspects of the culture. Unlike many cultures today, ancient African cultures encompassed music into their everyday lives. Dance, story-telling and religious practices are all grounded on the music of the culture. Music is especially vital in African dance, so much so that in many African cultures, there are no two words in the language used to distinguish between the two. Essentially, when one uses the term music in reference to African culture, it should include the idea of dance. (Garnes 2012)
7. Is certain music considered to be good or bad?
As far as what I have read and have seen in the you tube video, there’s nothing bad about Sub-Saharan African music. They use their music for means of communication. They also use it for childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political views. Many cultures use song and dance to ward off evil spirits, and pay respects to good spirits, the dead, and ancestors. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
8. Is there a music that is valued more highly?
No, it’s all pretty much the same. Although there are many different varieties in music in Africa, there are a number of common elements to the music, especially within regions. The concept of music in Africa, especially Sub-Saharan Africa bears a difference from other regions and cultures. The role of music and dance are tightly woven together in sub-Saharan Africa, and music intersects with every aspect of life, expresses life through the medium of sound. By helping mark the important moment in life, music helps to underscore the divine and external value of human life. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015)
9. Who is performing, who creates music & who listens?
African musicians can be divided into three categories: The non-professional, the semi-professional, and the professional.
Most African traditional music is a participative performance. There is a perpetual give and take between the main performer and the public, and the public is fully part of the performances. Tradition and culture helped each participant to know how it should respond to a particular rhythmic. Other people in the African society, even though not fully musician, have music as one of the requirements to fulfill their social responsibility. These include people like healers, who on certain occasions are called upon to perform sacred songs. The last group of musicians are full time musicians. Often their position in the society is inherited. (New World Encyclopedia contributors …show more content…
2015)
10. What is the musician’s status in the community?
African musicians can be divided into three categories: The non-professional, the semi-professional, and the professional. Other people in the African society, even though not fully musician, have music as one of the requirements to fulfill their social responsibility. These include people like healers, who on certain occasions are called upon to perform sacred songs. The last group of musicians are the full- time musicians. Often, their position in the society is inherited. In the West African Malinke region, historian Griots are full time musicians who used to travel from village to village, singing for dignitaries and rich traders or merchants. (New World Encyclopedia contributors 2015) Behavior/Performance (Context of the Performance)
11.
Where is music performed?
Sub Saharan African music is performed at festivals, funerals, community structures, birth ceremonies, weddings.
12. How do the musicians dress when they perform?
In the you tube video they dress a lot of different ways. Some people have shoes on, some don’t. They are mostly wearing really colorful clothing that sticks out and catches the eye. Their outfits also have lots of different designs on them. Some of the women wear belly shirts and dresses. Some also wear head bands. It looks like they wear the same things that we do. I did not see jeans. Most of their clothing is colorful and have lots of designs.
13. On what occasions is music performed?
Music is performed on many different occasions. They play music at funerals, weddings, when they name a baby, at festivals. They also play music at religious events as well. Sometimes they sing and dance for no reason. There doesn’t always have to be a special occasion for them to play music. They also play at community structures.
14. What does the audience do during a performance?
The audience watches and then take turns
dancing.
15. Is the audience involved in music making?
Yes, the audience is involved in music making because that’s how they communicate. The music isn’t written. Everyone participates.
Musicality
15. What is the Instrumentation of the selected excerpt?
16. What is the tonality?
There are lots of different musical pieces in this you tube video but everything I listened to is major. I didn’t hear any minor pieces.
17. What is the meter of the selected excerpt?
Again, there are lots of different pieces of music and the you tube video is long. There were double and triple meters in this video.
18. Describe timbre of one of the instrumentalists or vocalist.
The lady at time 37:01, I would describe the timbre of her voice as dry and brassy.
19. Is it important that the performer follows the intentions of the composer, or does the performer have interpretative freedom?
The performers in the video do not follow anyone. They all do their own thing and just go with the flow. They jump in when they want to. They don’t have a leader.
20. Is the process of creativity spontaneous or painstakingly deliberate?
I would say that the creativity is spontaneous. They all do their own thing and don’t have anything that they follow. They just play their music, sing, and dance at their own risk. They don’t have any music that they are reading or looking at. They play their musical instruments and sing and dance by heart.
Outside Influences
22. Was/Is the society part of a country that was/is colonized?
Yes, Europe viewed the African colonies as a source of wealth and natural resources. This sparked the “scramble for Africa” in the 1880s, when European countries arbitral carved out their respective colonies. By the end, European powers laid claim to about 90% of Sub-Saharan territory. (Geopolitical Futures 2017)
23. What effect does technology have on the music?
They don’t have the technology that we do. They do use key patterns or bell patterns. It expresses a rhythm’s organizing principle, defining rhythmic structure and epitomizing the complete rhythmic matrix. They represent a condensed expression of all the movements open to musicians and dancers, (WOSlinker 2017)
24. Is there a music business?
Most countries in Africa have not historically been significant markets for international music industry. Today, that is beginning to change. Digital technology is enabling the recording industry to effectively reach mass number of consumers across Africa for the first time. Across the continent, international record companies are working to establish innovative services and invest in A&R. (ifpi 2017)
25. Should this record company pursue marketing this country’s music and why?
Yes, because they take pride in their music. It’s how they communicate. Everything they do, from funerals, to weddings, naming their children, festivals, and music. It’s who they are. They take pride in their music and you can tell that they do just by watching the video.
A. Music of India: https://youtu.be/qxVX0ZE-tlQ
B. Music of Japan: https://youtu.be/nyqimGe467s
C. Music of Sub-Saharan Africa: https://youtu.be/bH4CvCeWMw0
D. Music of Eastern Europe: https://youtu.be/YF9woKHSA_I
E. Music of Indonesia: https://youtu.be/qIq8LNbYKT8
F. Jewish Klezmer Music: https://youtu.be/0VdoHnidz70
G. Celtic Music: https://youtu.be/jrTzLMBY3-g
H. You may select any folk music outside traditional American Folk Music, Western Pop, Jazz and Classical Music. Please send a clip to Ms. Agazzi for approval.
Citations
Music of Africa, New World Encyclopedia, Nov. 2015, www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Music_of_Africa. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Wayne, . Africa Imports African Business Blog , Jan. 2010, blog.africaimports.com/wordpress/2010/01/music-and-dance-in-african-culture/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Garnes, Samiuah. The Importance of Music in the African Culture: More Than Just a Son, Apr. 2012, blogs.longwood.edu/samiuah/2012/04//the-importance-of-music-in-the-african-culturemore-than-just-a-song/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Colonial Powers in Sub-Saharan Africa, Geopolitical Futures, June 2017, https://geopoliticalfutures.com/colonial-power-in-sub-saharan-africa/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.
Rhythm in Sub-Saharan Africa, Wikipedia, Aug. 2017, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_in_Sub-Saharan_Africa. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.