African Instruments Flashcards
Where and how was African music brought around the world
African music brought to the Caribbean and Americas by the Slave trade
Explain performances of African music
Long and involves participation of audience
What are the different kind of work songs used for
Childbirth
Marriage
Hunting
Political activities
What do African drums look like
Variety of shapes and sizes, bodies made of wood, gourd and clay
What is a gourd
Dried, hallowed out shell of a fruit
What are drum heads made from
Animal skin
What does the majority of African music rely on
Playing of drums
What are drums characterized by
Intense rythmic playing
What type of music does not rely on drums so much
Township music
What music is prelavent in South Africa
Township music
What are the uses of drums
Not limited to entertainment and dance , served purpose to local community , by helping in execution of daily things
Explain the djembe drum
12th century
Wide tonal range , distinguishes it from other drums
Played with the hand
Explain talking drums
Have a drum on both ends
Changes pitch to imitate speech
Explain the Sakara drum
Hand held drum
Made in Nigeria and west Africa
Comes in family of 4 sizes (tiny atele to large lya-alu)
Sound is produced by hitting stretched goatskin with light stick
Explain the yenca percussion instrument
Rattle
Gourd containing seeds that make sound
Size of seeds change to produce different sounds
Explain the percussion instrument , shekere
Comes in variety of shapes and sizes
Hollowed out gourd
Struck on hand , leg in various patterns
Top of ball creates deeper tone
Explain the stringed instrument , udikwe
Original harp made from materials oxhorn, gourd, reed, timber and strings
Explain the stringed instrument ugubhu (zulu) uhadi(xosa)
Made from wood and gourd materials
Single string made from thin gauge metal wire
Late Zulu princess Constance Mogogo, mother of Mangosuthu buthelezi (founder and leader of Inkata freedom party)
Explain the kora
West African stringed instrument (21 strings)
Both plucked and sympathetic strings
Built from large calabash cut in half , covered in cow skin to make a resonator , notched bridge like guitar
Thumb and index finger of both hands to pluck
Proffesionals in Gambia
What are sympathetic strings
Strings that are not played but produces sound due to vibrations from other strings
What type of African wind instruments are there
Flutes, whistles, Oboes and trumpets
What are African flutes made of
Bamboo, reed , wood, clay and other
Who is sazi dlamini
An ethnomusicologist , jazz musician , guitarist, composer, conducts African music workshops
What is the mbira
Traditional instrument of Shona people of Zimbabwe
Wooden board , metal keys
History dates back more than 1000 years
What is a isiginci
Home made tin guitars by young boys
Used by informal mission schools , pennywhistles, voice also used
What does the popular kwela style of 1950s owes its roots to
Widespread practice of tin-guitar making playing
What is the marimba
Wooden bars with various lengths
Struck by plastic / wooden/ rubber mallats
Provide melody and rythem
What is a marimba player
Vocalist playing on their own , with flute or drum
What is the pentatonic scale used in Marimbas
C Eb F G Bb
How is the influence of black African music widespread?
It’s not only in communities of African heritage , but across the world
