Mrs. Shaffer’s Class
Mar 27, 2015
Mrs. Shaffer’s Class
Rhythm and Style
Syncopation: the accent on the weak beat
Complicated rhythmsImprovisation: Make it up as you
go
Polyrhythmic: many groups play different rhythms
Call/Response: Leader calls out and group responds
African Dance• Dance at funerals to express grief• They use body percussion to make music as
they dance• Dance on stage at concerts to show
appreciation for musicians
Musical Practices and Culture
• Stories are passed down through African music, and they usually teach a lesson
• Most African music uses improvisation• There is not written music; all of it is
learned by ear• Music is used to record historical
events.
INSTRUMENTS
• Africans use drums in music• Africans use rattles• Africans use body-percussion• They use horns that have been cut out as
instruments• They use gyils. A gyil is and instrument that is
made of wood and animal skin to hold it together.
African Music Today
Many urban Africans ride busses, drive cars, and work in offices or factories. They mix traditional African music with American music. They put American instruments with African instruments.