X-Nico

unusual facts about music of Africa


Additive rhythm and divisive rhythm

The most basic duple-pulse figure found in the Music of Africa and music of the African diaspora is a figure the Cubans call tresillo, a Spanish word meaning 'triplet' (three equal beats in the same time as two main beats).


Le marteau sans maƮtre

The xylorimba recalls the African balafon; the vibraphone, the Balinese gamelan; and the guitar, the Japanese koto, though "neither the style nor the actual use of these instruments has any connection with these different musical civilizations" ("Speaking, Playing, Singing" (1963) in Boulez 1986, 341).

Membranophone

Common in Native American music and the music of Africa, water drums are characterized by a unique sound caused by filling the drum with some amount of water.

Scooters Union

Their sound is described as a blend of rock, pop, Cajun, and African.


see also

Mark D. Templeton

In addition, Templeton is involved in musicological research to topics like ancient music of Africa and the Middle East, and early European music (Josquin des Prez, Palestrina).