Africa’s vast and diverse music scene is one of the fascinating aspects of African culture. The continent has been home to so many different styles, from traditional songs sung by griots to modern artists who have inspired these traditions. In this post, we explore some of the critical points about African Music – including what you need to know about traditional styles, how to play african music on guitar, and how they’ve evolved as well as a few famous contemporary artists on the scene today.
Traditional Styles of African Music
Before we dive into modern artists, it’s crucial to have a basic understanding of traditional African music. Most of this music is based around vocal melodies and percussion instruments, with little or no harmony between instruments. The rhythms are often complex and can vary from one region to another. One standard instrument in traditional African music is the talking drum, which conveys messages or even imitates sounds like animals.
Another essential traditional instrument in African music is the xylophone – these instruments are primarily found in West Africa and use wooden slats as keys that vibrate when struck. Classic songs can be monophonic (single voice), homophonic (multiple voices harmonizing), or polyphonic (multiple independent voices).
Modern Styles of African Music
Along with traditional styles, there are also modern musical genres that blend African music and western pop. Some examples of these include:
Mbalax
This style is one of the most popular in Senegal and mixes jazz and funk rhythms with sabar drumming from a traditional wrestling match. This unique hybrid sound has been exported to Africa and even Europe.
Afro-Pop
This style is a fusion of traditional African music with western pop, soul, and funk. It’s one of the most popular genres on the continent and has been embraced by artists from all over Africa.
Hiplife
This genre started in Ghana and mixed hip-hop, highlife (a popular style of west African music), and local languages.
Coupé Decalé
This is a very upbeat Senegalese dance music influenced by zouk from the French Antilles. It has become trendy in Europe, especially France.
How to Play African Music on Guitar
One of the best ways to get into African music is to start with some simple songs that you can play on guitar. You can start by learning Soukous. This song from the Congo is based around a 12-bar blues progression and uses lots of syncopated rhythms. Mbalax is an African music style from Senegal based on jazz and funk, but it’s also played with the sabar drums used in traditional wrestling matches. So you can start by learning a Mbalax rhythm on your guitar using eighth notes.
In summary, African music is a diverse and fascinating genre that you can explore on guitar. There are many different styles to choose from, and each one has its unique rhythms and instruments. So get out there and start learning some African tunes!…