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AFRICAN MUSIC (MAIN TYPES OF DRUM (1) The djembe is played in Guinea and…
AFRICAN MUSIC
MAIN TYPES OF DRUM
1) The djembe is played in Guinea and Mali in West Africa. It is a single head and is shaped a bit like a goblet. It's played with the hands. The overall size of the drum affects its pitch - smaller drums are higher-pitched
2) The dundun is also played in Guinea and Mali. Dunduns are cylindrical drums played with sticks. There's a drum skin at each end, so they are played horizontally. There are three types: the kenkeni (a high-pitched drum that keeps the pulse going), the sangban (a mid-pitched drum) and the dundunba ( a large, low-pitched drum0)
3) The donno from Ghana is also known as the hourglass or talking drum. The player holds it under one arm, and with the other arm hits the drumhead with a thin curved stick. The strings round the sides attach to the drumhead. The player can squeeze and release the strings as they play to change the pitch of the drum
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TALKING DRUMS
2) There are literally thousands of different languages and dialects in Africa. Each drummer imitates his own language to send messages. Drummers like to play on instruments made with local materials. Some believe that this helps the instrument "speak" the local language
3) The variety of local languages and materials mean you get to vary different instruments and different playing styles from area to area
1) Skilled drummers can make the drums "talk". They change the pitch to imitate changing pitch levels of ordinary speech. The drum sounds carry over long distances, so they can be used to send messages
PLAYING TECHNIQUES
There's a big variety of playing techniques - as well as hitting the drum with a stick, a lot of African drummers also play using their hands
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Striking the wood instead of the skin gives a different sound, and drummers can change the pitch by tightening the skin
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RHYTHMS
African music is based of rhythmic circles for varying lengths, with accents on particular beats.
Rhythmic circles with accents in different places are often played at the same time - this creates poly-rhythm and cross-rhythm and adds tension to the music
Notes that don't fall on a strong beat can be emphasised, giving a syncopated effect
Although the music is based on repeated cycles, individual players introduce small variations. These gradually develop the basic patterns of performance
MASTER DRUMMER
A lot of African drummers play in ensembles. In most drum ensembles, there is a master drummer
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The master drummer also controls the build-up and release of tension , and leads the other players in changes of dynamics, tempo, pitch and rhythm. These changes are what keep the audience hooked
THE ROLE OF DRUMS
1) Drums are probably the most widely played instrument in Africa. In African tribal society, drums get a lot of respect - they're though of as one of the best instruments
2) Drums are used to play accompaniment for singing, dancing and even working
3) Drums are also used to call people together for important community events like weddings and funerals - a bit like Church bells in Europe. There are different drumbeats for different events, so people from neighbouring villages can tell what is going on just by listening out to the drum beats
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