The elements of music in African drumming
Melody
Although a melody is not always heard in traditional African music, some ensembles do include some melodic devices and instruments. For example:
- sometimes a melody often with a narrow range is added, played on a An African type of idiophone - an instrument that vibrates to create a sound - like a xylophone. or kalimba
- simple vocal melodies can be included
Rhythm and metre
Many of the rhythms can be complex, but remember the following points if asked to discuss traditional African rhythms:
- there is a strong sense of pulse throughout supported by the The repeating ostinato heard in African music, which acts as a pulse to hold the piece together. or played on the dundun
- the played rhythms are repetitive
- Conflicting rhythms being played at the same time. are frequently played in African drumming - the figure is an example of a polyrhythm
Although the two rhythms divide the bar of music into different segments they both are to be played over the same period of time
- the rhythms can be displaced creating a An effect created when two or more conflicting rhythms are heard at the same time. Eg one may be in simple time and another in triple time.
Structure
Traditional music is sometimes not written down, this includes many examples of African percussion music. The structure of performances possess the following features:
- there is no set structure because the master drummer signals the changes of sections
- there are frequent, short improvised solo sections, indicated by the ensemble leader
Instrumentation and timbre
The percussion instruments that are most associated with traditional African music are:
- a variety of drums including the djembe, talking drum and dundun - some of the drums can change in pitch
- beads and rattles that produce an alternative timbre to a drum
Texture and dynamics
Features of these elements include:
- polyrhythms are created by layering different rhythms together
- dynamics are changed depending on the force with which the drum is hit
- dynamics are not written down on a score - the leader signals changes in dynamics during the performance
Tonality and harmony
Consider the following points:
- tuned instruments can be added to the group of core instruments, which adds melodic or harmonic elements to the music
- drums can also create their own harmony as some drums are able to change pitch depending on how tightly they are squeezed
- simple Melody or harmony which uses pitches of the given key. or A scale of five notes often heard in African or Indonesian gamelan. harmonies can sometimes be heard when vocal melodies or balafons are added to the texture