Other stringed instruments include native guitars and fiddles whose structure and composition vary from tribe to tribe. (Horns, pipes, etc.) Instruments with strings that may be struck, plucked, or bowed include that like the musical bow which originated to the Americas, but does not appear often in contemporary indigenous music. In addition to percussive instruments and vocals, a common sound in Native American music is instrumentation like flutes, whistles, and other instruments that produce sound from the player's breath. Other percussive instrumentation consist of rattles and shakers, and made out of things like turtle shells. Call and response patterns are common in vocal parts and ostinato may be included in the percussion part as well.ĭrums consist of types ranging from single headed, double headed, and kettle drums. Rhythmic patterns often can be found in meters of two or three and account for the vocal rhythms and syncopation in order to incorporate it into the pattern. Vocal vibrato, when it occurs, is a rapid pulsating of different pitches as a more ornamental effect. The voice can range from a tense, nasal, or relaxed sound, and consist of higher timbres specifically for male vocalists where falsetto is common. Melodies usually consist of a scale simpler than the classical eight-pitch scale of eastern culture, often finding itself in the pentatonic or tritonic scale. These similarities are even further expanded upon when music and instruments are shared between each tribe, making it easy to find certain characteristics in frequent use. Īlthough each Native American group can be characterized by their own distinct genres and styles, certain aspects of style can be found with similarities among native groups who would have been neighboring tribes. Traditional music usually begins with slow and steady beats that grow gradually faster and more emphatic, while various flourishes like drum and rattle tremolos, shouts and accented patterns add variety and signal changes in performance for singers and dancers. Percussion, especially drums and rattles, are common accompaniment to keep the rhythm steady for the singers, who generally use their native language or non-lexical vocables (nonsense syllables). Vocalization takes many forms, ranging from solo and choral song to responsorial, unison and multipart singing. Singing and percussion are the most important aspects of traditional Native American music. Problems playing these files? See media help. Phonograph cylinder recording of song by Hopi Indians in Arizona, 1906
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