Musical Instruments

Besides using the voice which has been developed to use a lot of different techniques like complex melisma and yodel, many instruments are used in traditional African music.

Drums used in African traditional music include tama talking drums, bougarabou and djembe in West Africa, water drums in Central and West Africa, and the different types of ngoma drums in Central and Southern Africa. 




Membraphones are instruments that produce sound by a vibrating membrane. The most common type of membranophone, drums, are utilized as both melodic and rhythmic instruments and come in a variety of sizes.













Chordophones are instruments that produce sounds with vibrating strings, sometimes plucked, sometimes struck, sometimes with a bow. One of the simplest and the most widespread of these instruments is the musical bow. Types of the musical bow included the earth bow, the mouth bow, and the resonator bow.














Idiophones are instruments that produce sound by vibrating themselves, without the aid of a vibrating string, membrane or reed. These include the xylophone and many kinds of shaken, struck and scraped percussion instruments. Idiophones include both melodic and rhythm instruments, and the most abundant type of instrument found in Africa.


African instruments include a number of aerophones, which produce sound by vibrating columns of air. The three broad categories of African aerophones are: (1)flutes, (2) reed pipes, and (3) trumpets and horns

Music and Dance

Dance, music, and story-telling are among the ancient art forms that have flourished for many centuries in Africa. Music and dance are terms that we will use to denote musical practices of African people. Ancient African society did not separate their every day life activities from their music and other cultural experience. 


     When a big group of people get together playing hand drums and other percussion instruments in a circle is called a drum circle. These drum circles can range from a handful of people to thousands of participants. Drum circles offer equality because there's no head or tail and includes all ages. The main objective is to get together and share rhythm. Dancing can take place at these. Dancing and Music is very important to African cultures because these two acts tell stories from centuries ago, convey news that's around in the village, and teach.

I am writing this blog for a grade 12 English project. The topic I am going to be talking about is African music. Music is very important to the African cultures, many stories and religious purposes have been passed down from generation to generation through music. The drum is a big part of this, in Africa the drum is a form of communication, the drum can convey news, teach, and tell stories. The drum can be played by hand or by using sticks. The djembe drum was originally from West Africa, this type of drum is usually played by a man

To make a djembe drum the first thing that is done is to select a skin type, the options are cow, goat, and antelope, zebra and buffalo have also been used. To make the base of the drum any kind of African hardwood is used, the tree is then carved out with great care to the final shape. The skin is then placed on the base and is left out in the sun so the skin can stretch.  












Estrella, Espie. "What Makes African Music Unique." About. N.p., Oct.-Nov. 2014. Web. 03 Oct. 2014.