A Quick Story About
African Music
Where Does It Come From - What Is African
Music, Really?
African music is as diverse as the
peoples that inhabit the continent. Many people think that
it is all African tribal music. They have heard African
drumming music, no doubt, in some PBS documentary, and think
it typifies the entire continent. No disrespect to West
African drumming – I absolutely adore it.
African Musical
Instruments
It is important to understand the
number of cultures and traditions that come from Africa.
African musical instruments are some of the most interesting
and varied creations in the world, and the ways that people
choose to play them are equally varied.
My Story About African
Music
I first got into African music by
accident. I was actually downloading music on the Internet,
and stumbled across an album. It was mislabeled, and I
loaded it onto my computer without knowing what it was.
What I heard just blew me away. The
rhythms were complex, the melody was interesting, and the
harmonies were gorgeous. I had never heard anything like it.
I resolved right away to get in to African music.
Since then, I have understood what an
ambitious task this is. African music runs the gambit from
the tribal drumming music of West Africa to the haunting
melodies of Egypt.
Although there are some broad trends
in African music, there are many exceptions to all of the
trends. No matter where you start, you have a long way to go
if you want to learn about the music of Africa.
African Music Comes To
America
One of the most interesting things
about African music is that it really enhances your
understanding of the music of America. It is just amazing
how much influence it has had on the development of rock 'n
roll.
When downloading African music, you
can almost hear the roots of rock in the poly rhythms of
African percussion. Looking at African musical instruments,
you can see how they influenced the development of more
modern musical instruments.
Not only have African drums had a huge
effect on the development of the drum set, but African music
instruments also lie behind such modern mainstays as the
banjo.
Understanding African Music And
Culture
In my experience, it is always fun to
understand the music, art, and stories of another culture.
Learning about African music is not only an artistic
experience, although it is that.
When you buy African traditional
music, you get a little glimpse of what it might be like to
live in another place and time. It can be a meaningful look
into another world and a totally different culture.
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