North American

Music

“Native” American Tribes

“Native” American culture

“Native” American Music

• Vocalization and Percussion are most important in traditional Native American Music

-Voice= Solo and Unison/Call and Response and Multipart singing

-Drums= Heartbeat of the Earth -Rattles= common, used with turtle shells, armadillo shells, and other shelled animals

-Flutes= “Voice of the Earth”- made from wood, river cane, bone, or bamboo---tuned to a variation of the minor pentatonic scale (such as you would get playing the black keys on a piano)

“Native” American Music

Hand Drum Floor Drum- Drum Circle

Drum Circle/Dance

http://youtu.be/toA2Jdrj03Q http://youtu.be/oOt7rLQT4Ts

Cajun Music

Cajun Music

• Music of Louisiana, rooted in Ballads of French-speaking Acadians of Canada.

• Influenced country music and pop culture.

• Infectious beat, hard drive.• Besides voice, only use accordion and fiddle.

http://youtu.be/wlv8PUyc1HQ

ZydecoMusic

Zydeco• Zydeco is the music of

Southwest Louisiana's Black Creoles, a group of people of mixed African, Afro-Caribbean, Native American and European descent.

• This Black Creole society that began zydeco is traditionally rural, French-speaking and is somewhat intertwined with the Cajun culture.

Zydeco Instruments• Accordion• Modified Washboard• Electric Guitar• Bass• Drums• Also, fiddles, keyboards, and horns.

http://youtu.be/3jwwgenmfi4

Zydeco• Sung in both English and French• Re-workings of R&B and Blues• Uses syncopation for dance

sound• Topics from mundane to political

Bluegrass Music

• Form of American roots music

• Combination of Scottish, English, Welsh, and Irish melodies and rhythms

• Inspired by immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland, made popular by Appalachian musicians

Bluegrass Music

Typical Instruments:

• Fiddle • Banjo• Acoustic guitar• Mandolin• Dobro• Upright Bass

Bill MonroeOld School vs. New School

http://youtu.be/9NcCgsAMxhs

http://youtu.be/08e9k-c91E8

Polka• Polka music is a form of European

dance music which originated in Bohemia

• There are discernible differences between the polka styles of, say, South Texas and Cleveland. These differences mostly depend on the ethnic influences of the separate regions

Polka• For most people, polka is linked at

the hip with the accordion, and indeed, it's the force behind every polka band.

• Polka bands also, depending on their region, often include fiddles, clarinets and a rhythm section. The 2/4 rhythm of the basic polka has a very bouncy, upbeat sound - great for dancing!

Frankie Yankovic

• The “Father of Polka” Music• Made Polka famous in America in

the 1940’s

http://youtu.be/kGskVvXgiLk

Hawaiian "Slack Key” Guitar• It is said that the guitar was

introduced to native Hawaiians in the 1800s by Mexican cowboys who were on the islands to work on the extensive plantations.

• Not much is known about the development of slack key guitar from that point on, but it is clear that the guitar became a very important instrument in Hawaiian musical history.

Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

• Many people find it calm and enjoyable, with the same sweet island appeal as hula music, but without the clichéd quality.

http://youtu.be/ZexOMDBQeZ0