Tradition of African Music

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Tradition

Instruments

Text Box:   Traditional Music   A lot of traditional African music is or was performed by professional musicians.  Some of it is courtly music or sacral music.  African traditional music is mostly functional in nature.  There are, for example, many different kinds of work songs, ceremonial, or religious music and courtly music performed at royal courts, but none of these are performed outside of their intended uses.  Also, music was used to communicate particular messages. http://files.calabashmusic.com/images/5486/hp_ballatounkara.jpg The majority of traditional African music was performed by just percussion instruments (talking drum, water drum, kettle drum, etc.) in which two or three drummers establish a beat and the master drummer, whom is the leader of the group, plays solos over the overlapping patterns.  However, in other cultures, the medium of voice was commonly used because in their society, pitches represented different messages or ideas.                                                 Sound of Africa

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Music to Dance

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