African Music Instruments

When it comes to the Art of Music instruments, African music boasts of a rich diverse range of instruments from the traditional fathers to the present age. Most if not all of the music instruments have been passed on from previous generations.

London, United Kingdom (prHWY.com) July 18, 2012 - When it comes to the Art of Music instruments, African music boasts of a rich diverse range of instruments from the traditional fathers to the present age. Most if not all of the music instruments have been passed on from previous generations. Almost each culture has a different musical instrument different from another.

The most celebrated African instruments are membrane drums The famous 'talking drums' of West Africa, such as the atumpan of Ghana, can imitate speech tones and are sometimes used to signal messages. Speech is also imitated by bells, gongs and wind instruments of the horn, trumpet and flute types. Harps are played mainly north of the Equator, in a broad band extending from Uganda to the western Savannah. Harp-lutes, such as the Gambian kora, are popular in West Africa. Other string instruments include fiddles in East Africa and the musical bow, fashioned like a hunting bow and played, with varying techniques and great sophistication, throughout the continent.

Wind instruments of the trumpet and horn types are played in orchestras, in hocket fashion, with each instrument supplying its one note to the melodic whole. The algaita, an oboe-type instrument of West Africa, is probably of Islamic influence. Xylophones are common, particularly in the East where the Chopi xylophone orchestras of Mozambique perform polyphonic dance suites of uncommon beauty. An instrument unique to African and African-American music is the mbira or sanza (called thumb piano in earlier writings); it consists of a set of thumb-plucked metal tongues mounted on a board, often with a gourd resonator.

The drum played either by hand or by using sticks, is an important musical instrument in African culture. They use drums as a means of communication, in fact, much of their history and culture have been passed on for generations through music. Music is a part of their daily life; it is used to convey news, to teach, to tell a story and for religious purposes.

Since the 1980's there has been a growing interest in African music from amongst American and English record buyers. Musicians such as Youssou N'Dour from Senegal and Hugh Masekela now have an international reputation. With more upcoming young energetic artistes, Africa is destined for musical superiority.

Sometimes, African music can be played with out music instruments being supplemented by human voices. Ululations, sound rhyming, and beats from the mouth, the sound of the feet, the clapping all justify the sound of the musicality.

The music has been influenced by language, the environment, a variety of cultures, politics, and population movement, all of which are intermingled. More at African Music

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Tag Words: west african music, black african music, east african music, south african music, african music videos, african music

Categories: Entertainment

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