African

• What is a very important part of traditional music across sub-Saharan Africa?

  Drums
• How does contemporary African music differ from traditional music?

  It often uses electronic instruments and styles like hip hop and dance
• What types of music influences are present in African music?

  Influences from the Mediterranean and Middle East
• What events are drums used for in African culture?

  Births, deaths, weddings, and funerals
• What role do drummers play in sub-Saharan countries like Gambia and Togo?

  They act as a link between different villages
• How is the tradition of African drum music passed on?

  Through oral tradition
• What are the main types of African drums mentioned?

  1. Djembe
  2. Dunduns
  3. Donno
  4. Kagan, Kidi, and Sogo
• What is the shape and playing method of the Djembe drum?

  It has a single head and is shaped like a goblet, played with hands
• What affects the pitch of the Djembe drum?

  The overall size of the drum
• What are the three types of Dunduns?


  Kenkeni, Sangban, and Dindunba
• How are Dunduns played?


  They are cylindrical drums played with sticks
• What is unique about the Donno drum?


  It can change pitch while being played
• What are Kagan, Kidi, and Sogo drums typically played with?


  Wooden sticks
• How can drums be used to communicate between villages?


  They can be heard from many kilometers away
• How do skilled drummers use talking drums?


  They change pitch to imitate speech and send messages
• What do drummers believe about using local materials for their instruments?


  It helps the instrument "speak" the local language
• What is a common feature of African music regarding languages?


  There are thousands of different languages and dialects
• What are the different playing techniques in African drumming?


  1. Hitting the drum with a stick
  2. Playing with hands (slap, tap, bam)
  3. Dampening the sound
  4. Changing pitch by tightening the skin
  5. Striking wood for a rattling sound
• Who leads the drum ensembles in African music?

  The master drummer
• What is the role of the master drummer in a performance?


  He sets the tempo and style for the other players
• What is the call and response system in African drumming?


  It involves a master drummer playing a rhythmic signal followed by responses from other players
• How does the master drummer control the performance?


  He controls the build-up and release of tension, tempo, pitch, and dynamics
• What is an integral part of African music performances?


  Audience response, such as shouting and clapping
• What are the characteristics of African music rhythms?


  • Based on rhythmic cycles
  • Overlapping cycles create polyrhythms
  • Use of notes that don't fit the scale
  • Associations with events, people, and animals
• What is the scale commonly used in African melodies and bass lines?

  Pentatonic (5 notes)
• What is a balafon?


  A wooden xylophone
• What do the dried gourds under the keys of a balafon do?


  They act as resonators to create a warm, mellow sound
• What is the kora?


  A 21-string instrument played by plucking
• Why is the thumb piano popular?


  It is a pocket-sized percussion instrument
• How did Western instruments influence African music?


  Western instruments like guitars and saxophones became popular in Africa
• What are the characteristics of rhythms in African music?

  • Based on rhythmic cycles of varying lengths
  • Accents placed on particular beats
  • Overlapping cycles create polyrhythms
  • Individual players introduce variation
  • Strong beat with gradual emphasis decrease
• What is the role of polyrhythms in Western music in the 20th century?


  They were used to enrich music