Sonah Bundu
Surv. African American Music
Post 1
September 5, 2021
1. Describe the role of music in African and African American communities.
The role of music in African American communities serves as a gateway to togetherness. Music brings a variety of different communities together and in some cases unites them as one. For example, old popular sounds of R&B bring together a group of people who remember listening to these songs when they were growing up. Consequently, music serves as a key to bringing African American communities together.
2. Describe the way music is created, performed, and experienced in African and African American communities.
Music is created through the cohesiveness of rhythm, and melody in both African and African American communities. The way music is experienced in African communities ranges from hand clapping, feet stomping, and the movement of body parts to the sound.
3. Describe the ways in which the desired timbre in African and African American music differs that of European-derived traditions.
The timbre in African/African American music is mostly desired by them and wasn’t majorly liked by the europeans. They viewed their music as strange and weird. However, this “peculiar” sound is the way of African/African American music. They use their altering pitch instruments such as the Djembe to imitate voices of music of their singing.
4. Identify the two most common musical structures found in African and African American music. In what ways do they reflect the communal and interactive approach to making music?
The two most commonly used musical structures found in African/African American music are the call and response technique used to get the audience engaged and also the repetitive rhythm used to heighten the power of songs.
