VOCAL FORMS AND MUSICAL

INSTRUMENTS OF AFRICAN
MUSIC
 VOCAL FORMS OF AFRICAN MUSIC
MARACATU
-FIRST SURFACED IN THE AFRICAN STATE, OF PERNAMBUCO.
-THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG RHYTHMS OF AFRICAN
PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS WITH PORTUGUESE MELODIES.
-MARACATU GROUPS ARE CALLED NACOES(NATIONS) .
-WHO PARADED WITH A DRUMMING ENSEMBLE NUMBERING UP TO 100
 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS USED IN MARACATU

• ALFAIA- A LARGE WOODEN DRUM THAT IS ROPE TURNED.

• TAROL- SHALLOW SNARE DRUM.
• CAIXA-DE-GUERRA- WHICH IS A WAR-LIKE SNARE.
• GONGUE- A METAL COWBELL WHICH PRODUCE A CLANGING SOUND.
• AGBE- A GOURD SHAKER COVERED BY HEADS.
• GANZA AND MINIERO- METAL CYLINDRICAL SHAKER FILLED WITH METAL SHOT OR SMALL
DRIED SEEDS
 BLUES

- IS A MUSICAL FORM OF 19TH CENTURY THAT HAD DEEP ROOTS IN

AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.
- THESE COMMUNITIES WERE LOCATED IN SO-CALLED “DEEP SOUTH” OF
U.S.
- THE NOTES OF THE BLUES CREATE AN EXPRESSIVE AND SOULFUL SOUND.
- BLUES CAN COMMUNICATE VARIOUS EMOTION MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN
OTHER MUSICAL FORMS.
- THE FEELINGS THAT ARE EVOKED ARE MISFORTUNE,LOST
LOVE,FRUSTATION OR LONELINESS.
RAY CHARLES, JAMES BROWN, CAB CALLOWAY, ARETHA
FRANKLIN, JOHN LEE HOOKER AS WELL AS B.B. KING AND
MANY MORE WERE THE NOTED PERFORMERS OF THE
BLUES.
EXAMPLES OF BLUES GENRE:
• EARLY MORNING’
• A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME
• BILLIE’S BLUE
 SOUL

-THIS IS THE MOST POPULAR MUSIC GENRE OF THE 1950’S AND 1960’S.
-ORIGINATES IN THE UNITED STATES AND COMBINED ELEMENTS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
GOSPEL MUSIC,RHYTHM AND BLUES AND OFTEN JAZZ.
-CATCHY RHYTHMS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY HAND CLAPS AND EXTEMPORAREOUS BODY
MOVEMENT.
- CALL AND RESPONSE.
• MANY INNOVATORS RECORDED SOME 1950’S MUSIC THAT BEEN CONTRIBUTED TO THE
EMERGENCE OF SOUL MUSIC.
• SOME OF THIS ARE JAMES BROWN KNOW AS THE “ GODFATHER OF SOUL” AND SAM
COOKE AND JACKIE WILSON WHICH ACKNOWLEDGED AS “SOUL FOREFATHERS.”
• SOUL MUSIC CONTINUED TO BE POPULAR INTO THE 1970’S.
• 1970’S HIT(SOUL)- AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH,BEN,ALL I COULD DO WAS
CRY,SOUL TO SOUL,AND BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW.
 SPIRITUAL

-THE TERM SPIRITUAL IS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A DEEPLY RELIGIOUS PERSON.

-MUSICAL FORM-NEGRO SPIRITUAL SUNG BY AFRICAN SLAVES IN AMERICA WHO BECAME
ENSLAVED BY ITS WHITE COMMUNITIES.
-THIS MUSICAL FORM BECAME THEIR OUTLET TO EXPRESS THEIR LONELINESS AND ANGER.
-THE TEXTS ARE MAINLY RELIGIOUS AND SOMETIMES TAKE FROM BIBLICAL PSALMS.
EXAMPLES OF SPIRITUAL MUSIC:
WE ARE THE CLIMBING JACOB’S LADDER, ROCK MY SOUL, WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING
IN, AND PEACE BE STILL.
 CALL AND RESPONSE

-CALL AND RESPONSE METHOD IS A SUCCESSION OF TWO DISTINCT MUSICAL PHRASES.

-SECOND PHRASE ACTS AS A DIRECT COMMENTARY ON OR RESPONSE TO THE FIRST.
-QUESTION AND ANSWER SEQUENCE IN HUMAN COMMUNICATION.
EXAMPLES OF CALL AND RESPONSE :
MANNISH BOY—ONE OF THE SIGNATURE SONGS BY MUDDY WATERS.
SCHOOL DAY-RING,RING GOES THE BELL BY CHUCK BERRY.
CALL ME MAYBE BY CARYL RAE JEPSEN.
 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF AFRICA

• AFRICAN MUSIC INCORPORATES ALL THE MAJOR INSTRUMENTAL GENRES

OF WESTERN MUSIC, INCLUDING STRINGS, WINDS, AND PERCUSSION,
ALONG WITH A TREMENDOUS VARIETY OF SPECIFIC AFRICAN MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS FOR SOLO OR ENSEMBLE PLAYING.
 CLASSIFICATIOB OF TRADITIONAL AFRICAN
INSTRUMENTS
• A. IDIOPHONES
-THESE ARE PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE EITHER STRUCK WITH A MALLET OR
AGAINST ANOTHER.
1. BALAFON- WEST AFRICAN XYLOPHONE.PITCHED PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS WITH BARS
MADE WITH LOGS OR BAMBOO.
2. RATTLES- ARE VESSELS MADE OF SEASHELLS,TIN,BASKETRY,ANIMAL
HOOFS,HORN,WOOD,METAL,COCOONS,PALM KERNELZ,OR TORTOISE SHELLS.THEY
CREATE SOUNDS WHEN HIT TOGETHER.
3. AGOGO- SINGLE BELL OR MULTIPLE BELLS THAT HAD ITS ORIGINS IN TRADITIONAL
YORUBA MUSIC AS WELL KNOWN AS IN THE SAMBA BATERIA(PERCUSSION)ENSEMBLES.
• AGOGO MAYBE CALLED “THE OLDEST SAMBA” .IT HAS HIGHEST SPITCH AMONG THE
BATERIA INSTRUMENTS.
4. ATINGTING KON- ARE SLIT GONGS USED AS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VILLAGES.
• TRADITIONALLY, TBEY WERE CARVED OUT OF WOOD TO RESEMBLE ANCESTORS AND HAD
A SLIT OPENING AT THE BOTTOM.
• GONG “LANGUAGES” COMPOSED OF A SERIES OF BEATS AND PAUSES,MADE IT POSSIBLE
TO SEND HIGHLY SPECIFIC MESSAGE5.
5. SLIT DRUM- HOLLOW PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT.ALTHOUGH REFERRED TO AS A DRUM, IT IS
MORE OF AN IDIOPHONE.
6. DJEMBE(ZHEM-BAY)- THE WESTER. AFRICAN DJEMBE IS ONE OF THE BEST KNOW AFRICAN
DRUMS.
*THE BIGGER THE DRUM, THE LOWER THE TONE OR SPITCH.
*THE MORE TENSION IN TGE DRUM HEAD, THE HIGHER THE TONE PRODUCED.
7.SHEKERE- TYPE OF GOURD AND SHELL MEGAPHONE FROM WEST AFRICA, CONSISTING OF
A DRIED GOURD WITH BEADS WOVEN INTO A NET COVERING THE GOURD.
-THE AGBE IS ANOTHER DRIED GOURD WITH COWRIE SHELLS OR BEADS USUALLY STRUNG
WITH WHITE COTTON THREAD.
-THE AXATSE IS A SMALL GOURD,HELD BY THE NECK AND PLACED BETWEEN HAND AND LEG.
8.RASP- A RASP, OR SCRAPER, IS A HAND PERCUSSION I STRUMENT WHOSE SOUND IS
PRODUCED BY SCRAPING THE NOTCHES ON A PIECE OF WOOD WITH A STICK, CREATING A
SERIES OF RATTLING EFFECTS.
• B. MEMBRANOPHONES
- INSTRUMENTS,USUALLY DRUMS, WHICH HAVE VIBRATING ANIMAL MEMBRANES THAT ARE
PLAYED WITH STICKS,HANDS OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
- THEY ARE IN DIFFERENT SHAPES.
- *CONICAL *HOUR-GLASS
- *CYLINDRICAL *GLOBULAR
- *BARREL *KETTLE

- EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT LOCALITIES:

ENTENGA(GANDA),DUNDUN(YORUBA),ATUMPAN(AKAN) AND NGOMA(SHONA).
1.BODY PERCUSSION
- AFRICAN USUALLY USED THEIR BODY AS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
- ASIDE FROM USING THEIR VOICES- SINCE MANY OF THEM ARE SUPERB SINGERS- THEY
ALSO CLAP THEIR HANDS, SLAP THEIR THIGHS, POUND THEIR UPPER ARMS OR CHESTS, OR
SHUFFLE AND STOMP THEIR FEET.
- THIS BIDY PERCUSSION CREATES ACTION OR MOVEMENT THAT COMBINES DANCE AND
MUSIC.
- THEY WEAR RATTLES OR BELLS ON THEIR WRIST, ANKLES, ARMS, AND WAIST THAT
ENHANCES THE TOTAL EFFECT.
2. TALKING DRUM

- RITY. TO SEND MESSAGES AND ANNOUNCE BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGE, SPORTING

EVENTS, DANCES, INITIATION OR WAR.
- SOMETIMES, IT CONTAINS GOSSIP OR JOKE.
- EXAMPLE OF THIS IS LUNA
- IT’S ALSO BELIEVED THIS LUNA CAN CARRY DIRECT MESSAGES TO THE SPIRITS AFTER THE
DEATH OF A LOVED ONE..
- THIS DRUM IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PLAY RESULTING ON ITS WANING POPULARITY.
C. LAMELLAPHONE

-ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AFRICAN PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS.

-IT’S A SET OF PLUCKED TONGUES OR KEYS MOUNTED ON A SOUND BOARD.
-DIFFERENT NAMES ACCORDING TO THE REGIONS SUCH AS MBIRA, KARIMBA, KISAANJ,
AND LIKEMBE.
MBIRA ( THUMB PIANO OR FINGER XYLOPHONE )

-USED THROUGH OUT THE CONTINENT OF ZIMBABWE.

-IT MAY HAVE ADDED RESONATOR LIKE A CALABASH ( GOURD ) TO INCREASE ITS VOLUME.
-ITS USED FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES AND ETC.
HOW TO PLAY:
-IT IS PLAYED BY HOLDING THE INSTRUMENT WHILE PLUCKING THE TINES WITH THE THUMBS,
PRODUCING A SOFT PLUCKED SOUND.
D. CHORDOPHONES

-ARE INSTRUMENTS THAT PRODUCED SOUND FROM VIBRATING STRING

1. MUSICAL BOW
-ANCESTOR OF ALL STRING INSTRUMENTS THAT IS OLDEST AND ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY-USED
STRING INSTRUMENTS.
PRINCIPLE TYPES
• MOUTH BOW
• RESONATOR BOW
• EARTH BOW
• MOUTH BOW
-CONSIST OF A STRING ATTACHED TO EACH END OF A CURVED STICK, SIMILAR TO A BOW
AND ARROW.
HOW TO PLAY
- THE STRING IS HELD IN THE MOUTH AND THE STRING IS.EITHER PLUCKED OR STRUCK WITH ANOTHER
STICK, PRODUCING A PERCUSSIVE YET DELICATE SOUND.
• RESONATOR BOW.
-IS A FORM OF THE MOUTH BOW WITH A CALABASH RESONATOR ATTACHED AT ITS MID-POINT.
-OTHER NAME BASED ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF AFRICA
IN RWANDA-MUNAHI
IN DAHONEY-TIEPORE
IN MADAGASCAR-JEJOLAVA
• EARTH BOW ALSO CALLED GROUND BOW OR PIT HARP
-CONSIST OF FLEXIBLE POLE WHICH IS PLANTED IN THE GROUND.
-A STRING ATTACHED AT ONE END OF THE POLE , WHILE THE OTHER END OF THE STRING
IS
ATTACHED TO A STONE.
-THIS BOW OFTEN ISED IN CEREMONIES INVOLVING MAGIC.
HOW TO PLAY:
-THE PLAYER HOLDS THE INSTRUMENT ON THE GROUND BY PLACING ONE LEG ACROSS
THE
LOG BETWEEN THE GOURD AND THE WOODEN STRIP.
2. LUTE

- ORIGINATE FROM THE ARABIC STATES.

- -IT SHAPED IS LIKE THE MODERN GUITAR AND PLAYED IN SIMILAR FASHION.
- IT HAS RESONATING BODY, A NECK, AND ONE OR MORE STRINGWHICH STRECH ACROSS
THE LENGTH OF ITS BODY AND NECK.
- THE PLAYER TUNES BY TIGHTENING AND LOOSENING THE PEGS AT THE TOP OF THE LUTES
NECK.
3. KORA

-MOST SOPHISTICATED HARP, WHILE ALSO HAVING FEATURES SIMILAR TO A LUTE.

-ITS BODY IS MADE FROM GOURD OR CALABASH.
-A SUPPORT OF THE BRIDGE IS SET ACROSS THE OPENING AND COVERED WITH A SKIN THAT
IS HELD IN A PLACE WITG STUDS.
-THE KORA IS HELD UPRIGHT AND PLAYED WITH FINGERS.
4. ZITHER

- STRINGED INSTRUMENTS WITH VARYING SIZES AND SHAPES WHOSE STRINGS ARE
STRETCHED
ALONG ITS BODY.
• TYPES OF AFRICAN ZITHER
- RAFT OR INANGA ZITHER FROM BURUNDI
-TUBULAR OR VALIHA ZITHER FROM MALAGASI
-HARP OR MVET ZITHER FROM CAMEERON.
5. ZEZE

-IS A FIDDLE FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PLAYED WITH BOW, A SMALL

WOODEN STICK OR PLUCKED WITH THE FINGERS.
-IT HAS ONE TO TWO STRINGS , MADE OF STEEL OR BICYCLE BRAKE WIRE.
-IT ALSO KNOW BY THE NAMES TZETZE OR DZENDZE IZEZE, AND ENDINGIDI; AND
IN MADAGASCAR IT IS CALLED LOKANGA VOATAVO.
E. AEROPHONES
-ARE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS THAT PRODUCE SOUND PRIMARILYBY TRAPPING OR ENCLOSING A
BODY OR COLUMN OF AIR AND CAUSING IT TO VIBRATE.

1. FLUTE
-ARE WIDELY USED THROUGHOUT AFRICA.
-THAY ARE USUALLY FASHIONED FROM A SINGLE TUBE CLOSE AT ONE END AND BLOWN,WHILE
BEING HELD EITHER VERTICALLY OR SIDE BLOWN.
-ATENTEBE IS A BAMBOO FLUTE FROM GHANA THAT IS PLAYED VERTICALLY.
-FULANI IS THE TRADITION FLUTE OF THE FULANI PEOPLE THAT IS ALSO KNOWN AS FULA OR
TAMBIN
WHICH IS THE TRADITIONAL FULANI FLUTE OF THE FOUTA DJALON HIGHLAND OF GUINEA.
2.HORNS
-HORNS AND TRUMPETS ARE FOUND ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN AFRICA ,AND ARE COMMONLY
MADE FROM ELEPHANT TUSKS AND ANIMAL HORNS.
• KUDO HORNS
-ONE TYPE OF HORN MADE FROM THE HORN OF THE KUDO ANTELOPE.
-IT RELEASES A MELLOW AND WARM SOUND THAT ADDS A UNIQUE AFRICAN ACCENT TO
THE MUSIC.
-TODAY, KUDO HORNS IS ALSO USED IN FOOTBALL MATCHES, WHERE FANS BLOW ON TO
CHEER FOR THEIR FAVOURITE TEAMS.
3.REED PIPES