Music has different purposes for various groups of people.
Different cultures use music for ceremonies, celebrations, or to tell stories.
Q Can you think of other examples where music is used for special purposes by groups in our community?
Let's find out more!
Q Can you think of some more percussion instruments?
Q What words would you use to describe their timbre?
Lets look at these in more detail!
Q
Find the words that describe each instruments timbre.
The Didjeridu (also spelt 'Didgeridoo') is made from a hollowed out branch with wax spread around one end to form a mouthpiece. To play a didjeridu, the lips are placed against the wax seal of the mouthpiece and vibrated to produce a droning sound. The didjeridu is also often tapped with a stick which produces a crisp, hollow sound. For some Aboriginal and Torres Strait tribes the didjeridu should only be played by men. It can be frowned on, or even forbidden, for women to play or touch the instrument. In the North Arnhem region of Australia the didjeridu is called a 'yidaki'.
Clapsticks are a pair of sticks that are clapped together to make a sound. The timbre they produce is a clear and crisp sound. The are often played with the didgeridoo, to keep the beat for traditional songs and dances. A pair of boomerangs are also sometimes used as clapsticks.
Seed Shaker are made from the dried seeds of plants and trees such as the boab. A rattly sound is produced when it's shook
Drums were used by some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes. They are made from hollowed out logs of eucalyptus trees. Traditionally, the drum skin was made from the skin of goannas, snakes, or kangaroos. They have a variety of sounds depending on the size of the drum. The sounds range from very light and hollow to deep and booming.
Bo (cymbals) are two circular, thin, hi-tin bronze discs that are struck together. Their sound can be described as being very metallic, crisp and piercing.
Luo (gong) vary in size and made of high-tin bronze, hammered into a round plate shape with a turned rim. They are struck with a wooden stick (mallet) with a rounded end. The sound produced is strong, clear and resonating. The mallet is sometimes covered in yarn which softens the sound of the gong.
Dagu (drum) is a medium sized drum, shaped like a barrel and has two heads covered with skins traditionally made of buffalo hide. They are often supported in a wooden stand and played with two wooden drumsticks that produces a strong, deep and rumbling sound. The drum's wooden frames are also struck which produces a clear and piercing sound. Chinese drums are often ornately decorated and red in colour, which has long time been associated with power and luck.
Chinese Dragon Drumming
(Eason Music, 2017)
(Eason Music, 2017)
(Eason Music, 2017)
(Eason Music, 2017)
(National Museum Australia, n.d.)
(National Museum Australia, n.d.)
(National Museum Australia, n.d.)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
(Lock, 2010)
Chinese Drumming (Transparent Language, 2011).
In China, traditional drumming is associated with pomp, circumstance and jubilation. It is a hallmark of prosperity and celebration, uniting people through collective rhythm and tempo.
Historically, Chinese drums have been used in celebration and in conflict. In combat, Chinese troops used drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements among massive armies without modern communication technology. In fact, during the war between Qi and Lu in 684 BC, the effect of drumming on soldier’s morale was supposedly employed to change the result of a major battle and scare their enemies into submission (ancient documents cite rolling thunder emanating from approaching armies).
Aside from adding complexity to the rhythm, other instruments (gongs and cymbals) are often used to add “volume” and “presence” to the performance.
Nowadays, drumming is used primarily for lavish festivities, including weddings, historic dates and significant national holidays.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music (Australian Government, 2015)
Music and song is a very important part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lives and customs as it expresses the connection they have with their land.
There were songs for every occasion, some of which were performed in special ceremonies. Some aspects of ceremony specifically related to depicting Dreaming stories.
Each song is part of a moment in a larger story. Songs make up a song series or a 'songline' which is a map of the country based on the travels of the Dreaming ancestors.
Traditional songs are usually specific to local areas, often referencing local geographic features particular local animal species, historical events or the social environment.
Torres Strait Islander music is predominantly vocal with percussion accompaniment. Songs are performed in two or three-part harmony which are improvised by the singers. A beat is always maintained for the singers and dancers on a large waisted drum.
Now that you know the purpose of these two countries traditional music:
Q Does it have an impact on what images come to mind when you hear the music?
Music has different purposes for various groups of people. Different cultures use music for ceremonies, celebrations, or to tell stories.
Can you think of other examples where music is used for special purposes by groups in our community?
Q
Music
Student learning materials and activities
Timbre refers to the character or quality of a sound.Different instruments produce different sounds.
Timbre
Examples of Timbre:
A bell's sound could be described as having a light, bright, ringing timbre.
A bongo drum's timbre is bouncy and hollow.
Bright!!!
Light!!!
(OBrien & Miles, 1998)
(OBrien & Miles, 1998)
Other words you might use to describe timbre:
mellow warm resonant
rich velvety pure
clean vibrant clear
crisp harsh coarse
rough brassy shrill
heavy light piercing
grating raspy scratchy
dull rattly spooky
haunting strong booming
hollow metallic sweet
Q Can you think of any more?
Percussion Instrument:
'A musical instrument whose sound is produced by one object striking another' (Kids.Net.Au. Dictionary, 2017)
A drum is a type of percussion instrument. The sound of a drum is produced when your hand, stick or other object hits the top of the drum.
Music can be as distinctive to a culture in the same way that some foods, language or clothing can be uniquely associated to a particular country.
For example: Pizza to Italy or a Kilt to Scotland.
Throughout time, a countries music develops its own signature style and sound that is characterised by particular instruments.
Q What country do you think of when you hear a didjeridu?
(Exequy, 2011)
A percussion instrument's sound can be very characteristic of a particular countries music. eg. Djembe drum in African music
They also play a an important role when thinking about rhythm in music, as it is their job to keep the beat or maintain a regular rhythm throughout a piece of music.
They are very often referred to as the 'backbone' of an ensemble!
Percussion from around the World
Let's listen again!
Q What percussion instruments do you know in these two countries music?
(Mojazz58, 2009)
(GuildMistress, 2010)
(Ididj, n.d.)