AQA GCSE

Africa Revision sheet

Africa
Countries:
Country

Common instruments

Algeria
Mali
Senegal

Eastern sounding instruments

Rai North African folk song

Kora, Balafon, Djembe, Donno

Lots of different scales

Kora, Djembe, Donno. Lots of

drums playing at once

Ethiopia

Washint, various drums, brass

instruments

Zimbabwe
South Africa

Mbira, vocals, various drums

Fast paced, Polyphonic, Mbalax

(mix of Western music and
traditional dance)
Diverse country, mixture of
brass instruments, call and
response
Happy lyrics, major keys,
polyphonic
Mbube a capella with 2 high
male vocalists. Call and
response
Isicathamiya blended sound
to create antiphony
Can be religious music

Vocals

Style / features

Instruments
Balafon a xylophone-type instrument which is played by hitting the different sized pieces of wood
with sticks
Djembe single-headed drum which is played by hitting/slapping. Held between the legs when
played. From West Africa.
Donno talking drum drum with 2 heads and strings running between them. Strings can be
tightened or loosened to change the pitch of the note. From West Africa.
Dundun two headed drum, like a double djembe but played to the side, or in front of, the body
Mbira known as a finger piano it is made of wood and small strips of metal are laid across the top
to be plucked by the fingers.
Wishint bamboo flute from Ethiopia. Sounds like a wooden recorder, but played to the side like a
flute

AQA GCSE

Africa Revision sheet

Keywords
Polyphony many rhythms happening at the same time
Homophony one rhythm which all parts play.
Antiphony choral singing / chanting
Master Drummer a drummer who leads the drumming, changing rhythms and is responsible for
starting/stopping the piece. Uses call and response to structure music. Builds up polyphony.
Ostinato a single, repeated rhythm or melody
Call and response a short melody (call) followed by an answering phrase (response)
Imitation a phrase repeated with little variation in different parts
A cappella singing without an accompaniment

West:
East (and Central):
Wide use of drums; Polyrhythms;
Master drummer; Kora; Balafon;
Asian-sounding; can be fast-paced;
ostinato in drum pattern

Wide use of drums; call and

response; master drummer; vocals;
rhythms build up over piece of
music; Use of wind and brass
instruments (East); ostinato rhtyhms

South:
Choral music; a cappella; Mbira
popular; polyphony; call and
response; antiphony; major keys;
religious