3.2 Classififying western music

Arts and culture

Grade 7

Critical and creative reflection

Module 11

Classify western music

Activity 1:

To classify western music

[lo 2.6]

• What do you know about Western music instruments?

STEP 1

Divide into four groups and discuss possible answers before writing down your answers. (Have a brainstorming session)

STEP 2

Which instruments form part of a symphonic orchestra ? Write down those which you can recall with their characteristics.

STEP 3

Write down a few of the characteristics of these instruments with regard to their:

• shape;
• function;
• the way in which the sound is produced.

STEP 4

List the instruments which have the same characteristics.

STEP 5

The educator will explain the different instrument groups/families to you. LISTEN carefully!

STEP 6

Classify the instruments which you copied (also those which your educator told you about) according to the four groups (families). Is there any similarity to STEP 4?

STEP 7

Each group researches one instrument group (strings, woodwinds, brass or percussion). This information must then be shared with the rest of the class.

STEP 8

Each learner in the group must now do individual research on one of the instruments from the instrument group which they researched in their group.

Use books, magazines, software like ENCARTA and the Internet!

(Each group represents a specific family. The final product is pasted or written in your learner journal.)

Your research must cover the following aspects:

• Picture of the instrument
• Name of the instrument
• To which group it belongs (strings, etc.)
• The shape of the instrument. What it is made of? (wood, brass)
• The position of the body when playing the instrument (sitting, standing)
• Classified according to pitch (high or low)
• How the sound is produced? (air column, string, etc.)
• Description of the sound (warm, dark, low, shrill, etc.)
• Function of the instrument (melody, mainly for accompaniment)

STEP 9

Classify the instruments according to vocal parts of a choir: soprano, alto, tenor and bass

Activity 2:

To classify african instruments

[lo 2.6]

• The rest of the world is very impressed with the sounds of Africa, but what do you know about Africa and the instruments of Africa?

STEP 1

Provide the following information on the map:

a) Indicate, on the map, where you would find north , south , east and west .

b) The Sahara serves as the division between two music cultures. North of the Sahara the music is based on the style of the Middle East. The area south of the Sahara ( Sub-Sahara ) is African music!

Indicate, on the map, where you would find the Sahara desert .

c) Indicate where you would find the following 20 countries:

(Only a few countries out of each region have been selected):

(i) West Africa: Mali, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal.

(ii) Central Africa: Chad, Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi.

(iii) East Africa: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania.

(iv) Southern Africa: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

d) The instruments of Africa are predominantly determined by the geographical location of the regions of Africa. Which type of vegetation do you associate with each of the regions?