How is African music made?
African music consists of complex rhythmic patterns, often involving one rhythm played against another to create a polyrhythm. The most common polyrhythm plays three beats on top of two, like a triplet played against straight notes. African musicians aim to express life, in all its aspects, through the medium of sound.
Where does African music come from?
African music, the musical sounds and practices of all indigenous peoples of Africa, including the Berber in the Sahara and the San (Bushmen) and Khoikhoin (Hottentot) in Southern Africa. The music of European settler communities and that of Arab North Africa are not included in the present discussion.
What do you call African music?
African popular music (also styled Afropop, Afro-pop or Afro pop), like African traditional music, is vast and varied. Many genres of popular music like blues, jazz, afrobeats, salsa, zouk, and rumba derive to varying degrees on musical traditions from Africa, taken to the Americas by enslaved Africans.
What was the history of Music in Africa?
African music history From the 15th C onwards, our history of music making in Africa is mainly derived from studying representations of dances and making music with African musical instruments and scenes depicted in terracotta, stone or metal.
How can we preserve traditional music in Africa?
At Music In Africa we try to preserve traditional music in our own way. We commission experts from across the continent to compose Overview articles on traditional music. We also conduct offline activities such as the Traditional Instrument Building and Repair Workshop, and give traditional musicians as much exposure as possible.
Are there similar styles of Music in Africa?
Extremely distant areas in Africa may have similar, even identical, traits, while adjacent areas may have quite different styles.
What are the basic principles of African music?
African systems of timing are generally based on at least four fundamental concepts: There is an overall presence of a mental background pulsation, or “metronome sense,” consisting of equally spaced pulse units continuing ad infinitum and often at great speed.