Ghanian music comes from the North, South, East and West. The most popular of which generally comes from the Northern or Southern areas. Ghana music is very different in style based on on which area the music is born. Drummers and dancers often improvise at regular meetings and special events. So, while there may be sheet music for some material, other material is not created except for in the improvisations and paradigms which are part of the show.
Musical taste vary among the people of the country. It is for this reason that all genres of music are generally available for purchase at stores or through a website. Sahelian features a combination of string instruments and melodies and is popular in all areas. Whether it is the kologo lute, gongey fiddle, the many wind instruments or the vocals accompanying same, it is a style that is as appropriate for dance as meditation.
Set to a minor chromatic or pentatonic scale, notes flows almost effortlessly with these combination of instruments and voice. Praise singing is also a popular form in the area. Griot, somewhat like mild chanting or story telling is also quite popular. Most often, regardless of style, vocals are accompanied by some type of drums, bells or stringed instrument.
Northern styles are set to a minor pentatonic or chromatic scale and melisma plays an important part in melodic and vocal styles. There is a long history of northern styles also being inclusive of the griot and praise-singing traditions.
Coastal styles are often associated with social functions. These style rhythms rely on complex patterns played on bells and drums. Like many other parts of Africa, there is also a strong correlation between drum and dance. One of the most popular attractions at many festivals and shows in the United States and around the world are that of African drummers and dancers from Ghana.
Coastal tunes can also be associated with many traditional religions. One exception to this rule is material from the Seperewa harp-lute whose origins are in the stringed harps of the North and West. The most well known drums of southern Ghanian drum traditions is that of the adowa and kete drum ensembles with bells.
In 1957, Ghana won her independence. Since that time, it has developed quite a musical identity. For example, the 20th century saw the onset of pop and dance pop. Pop-dance has continued in popularity over the years even with the introduction of Highlife and Hiplife.
Highlife, or High-life is a combination of soukous, jazz, rock, ska and swing. Both of which are more dance focused than styles which were popular in the earlier days of the country. Hip-Life and Highlife can be thought of as similar to the dance, rock and jazz genres alive and well in other parts of the world.
Guitar bands and High-life pretty much kept the clubs hopping in the 1920, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s in Ghana. Then in the 1970s, electric guitar and pop-dance took over the scene. Later, German Highlife took hold and led to the pop music which remains quite popular. Burger-Highlife was a form founded by the Ghanian-Germans which is very similar to Highlife with George Darko being one of the primary musicians of the genre. Later, HipLife, a hip-hop version of Highlife found its way onto the Ghanian music scene.
Musical taste vary among the people of the country. It is for this reason that all genres of music are generally available for purchase at stores or through a website. Sahelian features a combination of string instruments and melodies and is popular in all areas. Whether it is the kologo lute, gongey fiddle, the many wind instruments or the vocals accompanying same, it is a style that is as appropriate for dance as meditation.
Set to a minor chromatic or pentatonic scale, notes flows almost effortlessly with these combination of instruments and voice. Praise singing is also a popular form in the area. Griot, somewhat like mild chanting or story telling is also quite popular. Most often, regardless of style, vocals are accompanied by some type of drums, bells or stringed instrument.
Northern styles are set to a minor pentatonic or chromatic scale and melisma plays an important part in melodic and vocal styles. There is a long history of northern styles also being inclusive of the griot and praise-singing traditions.
Coastal styles are often associated with social functions. These style rhythms rely on complex patterns played on bells and drums. Like many other parts of Africa, there is also a strong correlation between drum and dance. One of the most popular attractions at many festivals and shows in the United States and around the world are that of African drummers and dancers from Ghana.
Coastal tunes can also be associated with many traditional religions. One exception to this rule is material from the Seperewa harp-lute whose origins are in the stringed harps of the North and West. The most well known drums of southern Ghanian drum traditions is that of the adowa and kete drum ensembles with bells.
In 1957, Ghana won her independence. Since that time, it has developed quite a musical identity. For example, the 20th century saw the onset of pop and dance pop. Pop-dance has continued in popularity over the years even with the introduction of Highlife and Hiplife.
Highlife, or High-life is a combination of soukous, jazz, rock, ska and swing. Both of which are more dance focused than styles which were popular in the earlier days of the country. Hip-Life and Highlife can be thought of as similar to the dance, rock and jazz genres alive and well in other parts of the world.
Guitar bands and High-life pretty much kept the clubs hopping in the 1920, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s in Ghana. Then in the 1970s, electric guitar and pop-dance took over the scene. Later, German Highlife took hold and led to the pop music which remains quite popular. Burger-Highlife was a form founded by the Ghanian-Germans which is very similar to Highlife with George Darko being one of the primary musicians of the genre. Later, HipLife, a hip-hop version of Highlife found its way onto the Ghanian music scene.
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