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African Music Transformation

Introduction

Contemporary and traditional genres of music still are prevalent in Africa. Music performed by groups based on various factors such as culture, kinship and ethnicity is considered as traditional music. Contemporary music on the other hand is music based on factors such as states within a nation and urban settings. African music has always been distinguishable due to it having a wide array of transformation and variation (Mintz et al). African music has transformed greatly with time.

Discussion

African Music Characteristics

Contemporary genres have capitalized on the rapid urbanization and with that traditional genres have also started to adjust it based on the environmental settings and consumer requirements. African music is greatly affected by the African culture and African lifestyle. There are different terminologies and concepts through which African music is defined largely.

Traditional music is an integral part of people's lifestyle. Music was greatly linked with religious ceremonies, events and kingdoms in Africa. In modern times music is utilized in funerals, religious ceremonies and cultural events. Music in Africa is considered to be greatly affected by Art. Thus music cannot be distinguished from Art in Africa. The use of xylophones is made in conjunction with drugs in various events. Musical structures such as complex rhythmic are utilized effectively in many regions of Africa. African music relies heavily on melodies which makes it quite nice to hear. The instruments used in African music includes membranophones and other instruments like rattles, bells slit-drums etc. The African music also makes use of chordophones which makes usage of harps, zithers, fiddles, lyres and musical bows (Spencer & Michael).

In today's world, the use of Electrophones in the form of keyboards and electrical guitars is being made by the African Music. The use of melody in African Music is considered to be of great importance. The African vocal music makes use of homophonic parallelism which makes use of movements between the third, fourth and fifth intervals. Famous African vocal styles such as iscathamiya rely primarily on homophonic texture which is present in its parentheses. There is a mixed opinion on the use of Harmony in African Music, with some researchers agreeing while others rejecting this notion. African vocal music relies on mimicking of animals in the form of birds etc. African music relies heavily on two factors which includes the improvisation and the repetition.

Features of Ethnomusicology

Ethnomusicology is conceptualized as the study of music outside the Western classical tradition (repertoire encompassed under the title of world music). However, this science studies the music sound as different configurations and is based on the fundamental principle that music is a social phenomenon and must be studied within the context in which it is created, interpreted and assimilated. This means that no music is out of this vision and the ethnological study of Western classical music is not only possible but desirable. However, research has tended to focus on folk music and other traditional music worldwide and in the classic styles of the ...