S E C O N D A R Y / K E Y S T A G E 3 M U S I C – S A H A R A N S O U N D S

Africa is vast continent with many different regions and nations, each with its own traditions and identity. Much African Music is
In African music, REPETITION is used to organise the music. Often a repeating
pattern (OSTINATO) is used as a basis for IMPROVISATION.
Whereas “Western Music” is often played with the same rhythm throughout the
piece, African music is often played with a number of rhythms at the same time,
often based on rhythmic cycles of varying lengths. The MASTER DRUMMER can
ACCENT certain beats within a rhythm cycle and different rhythmic cycles with
different accents can be played together; this creates POLYPHONY (many
individual parts interweaving) and POLYRHYTHMS (the simultaneous sounding
of two or more individual rhythms – sometimes in different metres)
In West Africa, drum ensembles have 3-5 players each with a distinctive method
of striking their drum and playing interlocking patterns, this creates a THICK
musical TEXTURE. Sometimes two or more rhythms might not “fit well
together” – the tension created is called a CROSS-RHYTHM. SYNCOPATION is
often used where emphasis is given on notes or beats that are normally called
“weak” or “off” beats.
Other percussion instruments such as clappers, maracas, scrapers, gongs and
xylophones (called BALAFONS) produce their sound by vibration and are known
as IDIOPHONES.
Stringed instruments (CHORDOPHONES) such as bows, lyres, zithers, harps and
the KORA are popular as well as some woodwind instruments (AEROPHONES)
such as whistles, flutes, reed pipes, trumpets and horns.
TRADITIONAL and has been handed down from father to son – THE ORAL TRADITION – where music is passed on verbally and being ‘learned’
rather than written down. African Music is rarely performed as a “classical concert”, rather, everyone joins in by singing, dancing, playing an
instrument or clapping. African music unites people regardless of ability and is a part of everyday life. Music is important to Africans
especially at Social Gatherings as well as being a way of communicating emotions and feelings. African music is often combined with other art
forms such as movement, dance, mime, speech, story-telling and costumes such as masks or body painting. Music is used on a number of
occasions such as birthdays, weddings, funerals and harvest. Performances of African music are normally long and can last for several hours.
Shouting and cheering from the audience are an integral part of the performance.
African music has been a major influence on the development of popular music contributing rhythms, structures, melodic features and the use
of improvisation to such styles as blues and jazz, brought over to America by slaves.
Many Africans believe that music serves as a link to the spirit world, therefore,
singing is a vital part of everyday life and heard at religious ceremonies, rituals
and celebrations. The basic form of African Vocal Music is CHORAL SINGING
known as CALL AND RESPONSE where one singer (SOLOIST) or small group of
singers sings a line and the whole group (CHORUS) makes a reply (often a fixed
REFRAIN) – like a “musical conversation” – in alternation with the “lead singer”.
The soloist often IMPROVISES. African singers often “shout words” (VOCABLES)
and male and female singers enjoy using their highest VOCAL REGISTER known
as FALSETTO. African singing can be accompanied by instruments (see below)
but can also be unaccompanied (A CAPPELLA). Most African melodies are based
on a “limited number of pitches” - four, five, six or seven note SCALES and are
normally short and simple, often expanded by REPETITION and
IMPROVISATION. Harmony is often created by singing in thirds, fourths or
fifths. UNISON and PARALLEL OCTAVE harmony and textures are also common.
The best known examples of African Choral Singing come from the group
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO.

African instruments are often made from plants and animal products such as hide and bone. African musicians are very fond of PERCUSSION instruments
and use a wide variety of drums (called MEMBRANOPHONES) Drums are traditionally used as an accompaniment to singing, dancing, working and
communicating between villages. Drummers are typically the most respected members of their community.
The most famous is the TALKING DRUM, called so because the PITCH can be altered by tightning or loosening a cord around the body of the drum and the
changes have been likened to the sound of the human voice. Talking Drums are usually played with sticks.
The DJEMBE is a skin-covered had drum shaped like a large goblet made out of single tree trunk hollowed out. The skin is made from goatskin and rope is
used to tighten the skin to tune the drum to the appropriate PITCH. The DJEMBE is played with the hands and can produce three different TONES – the
BASS TONE (hitting the centre of the main drum skin with a flat hand), the SLAP TONE (hitting the edge of the drum with fingers slightly open) and the
TONE (hitting the edge of the drum with fingers held together). Drummers often DAMPEN the sound by resting one hand or stick on the skin while playing
with the other. Sometimes they strike the wooden part of the drum to create a different sound or change the pitch by tightening or loosening the skin.
Different types of drums mean different things and are often used as a form of communication. A MASTER DRUMMER often leads giving signals to the
rest of the group to change rhythms or sections of the piece and can also control the TEMPO. He often IMPROVISES highly complicated rhythms and can
indicate the ending of a piece of music.
Other drums include the DUNDUN, DONNO and KAGAN and the KIDI

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S E C O N D A R Y / K E Y S T A G E 3 M U S I C – S A H A R A N S O U N D S

Describe where and how traditional African Music is played, performed and heard?
What are the main musical features of African Music?

What other art forms often accompany African Music?

What is Polyphony/Polyphonic Texture?

How is African Music learned?

What is a Polyrhythm/Polyrhythmic Texture?

How has African Music influenced Popular Music?

What is an Accented beat?

What is a Cross-Rhythm? Why is singing important to Africans and where is vocal music performed and heard?

What is Syncopation?

Describe the musical features of African Choral Singing

What are Idiophones? (give some examples) What are Chordophones? (give some examples)

What are Aerophones? (give some examples)

Name the African musical instruments in the box below and state whether they are an Idiophone, What are Vocables?
Chordophone or Aerophone.

How do African singers “harmonise” with each other?

Name a popular African Choral Singing group.

What are Membranophones? Name the different types of African Drum in the box to the right.

Describe the role of African Drummers.

Describe the Talking Drum in terms of how it’s played and sound production

Describe the Djembe in terms of how it’s played and sound production

Describe the role of the Master Drummer.

Name some other types of African Drums

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S E C O N D A R Y / K E Y S T A G E 3 M U S I C – S A H A R A N S O U N D S

Keyword Meaning Understood Signatures

(tick) (staff, student, parent)

A Cappella
Accent
Additive Rhythm
Aerophones
Balafon
Bass Sound
Call and Response
Choral Singing
Chordophones
Chorus (group)
Cross-Rhythm
Cyclic Rhythm
Dampen(ing)
Djembe
Falsetto

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S E C O N D A R Y / K E Y S T A G E 3 M U S I C – S A H A R A N S O U N D S

Keyword Meaning Understood Signatures

(tick) (staff, student, parent)
Harmony
Idiophone

Improvisation

Kora
Ladysmith Black
Mambazo
Master Drummer
Membranophones
Ostinato
Parallel Octaves
Percussion
Pitch
Polyphony/Polyphonic
Texture
Polyrhythm/Polyrhythmic
Texture
Pulse
Refrain

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S E C O N D A R Y / K E Y S T A G E 3 M U S I C – S A H A R A N S O U N D S

Keyword Meaning Understood Signatures

(tick) (staff, student, parent)
Repetition
Rhythm
Slap Sound
Soloist
Syncopation
Talking Drum
Tempo
Texture
The Oral Tradition
Timbre/Tone
Tone Sound (on
drum)
Unison
Vocables
Vocal Register

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