What are the 5 elements of African music?
African music most closely adheres to Western tetratonic (four-note), pentatonic (five-note), hexatonic (six-note), and heptatonic (seven-note) scales. Harmonization of the melody is accomplished by singing in parallel thirds, fourths, or fifths (see Traditional sub-Saharan African harmony).
What are the music elements of African music?
Musical components
- Form. The most frequently used form in African musical traditions consists of the use of ostinato, or repeated short musical phrases with the accompaniment of melodic-rhythmic patterns.
- Rhythmic Structure.
- Texture.
- Text/lyrics.
- Polyphony.
- Repetition.
- Call and response.
- Hocketing.
What rhythms are used in African music?

The rhythm is generally the most important, and West African songs are polyrhythmic featuring two or more conflicting rhythms. The most common form of polyrhythm in West Africa is the cross-rhythm made from repeating hemiolas, or patterns of three beats played over two beats in the same space.
What are the 3 African music instruments?
Most widely spread and played instruments in Africa are the drum, the xylophone, the mbira, rattles and shakers. The one-string musical bow, played all over the continent but now nearly abandoned, was once responsible for all the vocal scales that are used today in African music.
What are the 8 types of African music?
Genres of African popular music include:
- African heavy metal.
- African hip hop.
- Afro house.
- Afrobeat.
- Afrobeats.
- Afro-soul.
- Amapiano.
- Apala.
How is African music linked with dancing?

Dance is a very important aspect of African music as can be seen in the close relationship between body movement and music. In the dance arena it is natural for performers and listeners to move rhythmically.
What is melody in African music?
Melody. Although a melody is not always heard in traditional African music, some ensembles do include some melodic devices and instruments. For example: sometimes a melody often with a narrow range is added, played on a balafon or kalimba. simple vocal melodies can be included.
How does African music relate to dance?
What are the 4 main categories of African musical instruments?
African musical instruments are classified into four groups namely; idiophones, chordophones, aerophones and membranophones.
What is African dance music called?
14 African musical styles for you to explore
- Soukous. Soukous is a form of music that stems from rumba.
- JuJu.
- Mbalax.
- Zilin.
- Gnawa.
- Mbaqanga.
- Chimurenga.
- Majika.
What is African dancing called?
Western Africa Assiko: a partner dance which originated with the Bassa people of Cameroon. Kpanlogo: a Ghanaian dance that originated with the Ga people around the 1940s, Kpanlogo is a free-flowing highlife dance form performed to conga-like drums.
What is African music and dance?
African dance, performing art deeply woven into the social fabric of Africa and generally involving aspects of music and theatre as well as rhythmic bodily movement. See also African music and mask.
What is traditional African music and dance used for?
Traditionally they have been used for: Music and dance are an integral part of the African culture. They used to and still provide a valuable way to communicate with workers in the fields or pass messages to other villages.
What is world music and African music?
World music refers to traditional music from non-western cultures around the globe as well as traditional folk music from western countries. The music is an important part of the culture. In Africa, music is a big part of everyday life.
What kind of music do they listen to in South Africa?
As well as percussion-based music, there is a lot of singing, including shouts, yodelling and other types of sound.
What are the roots of African music?
African music The roots of African music Drummers use their hands or beat the skin of the drum with sticks to produce a sound Percussive instruments are a part of life in some African societies.