The music used in the Blackfoot tribes is focused around vocals and does not use very much instruments. However, it is considered extremely offensive to sing without drums. Only percussions such as drums, rattles, and bells are used along with the vocals in their songs. These songs also do not contain a great deal of lyrics, rather they are consisted of chanting or grunting noises. There is a reasoning behind why they do this: "Music is meant for entertainment or enjoyment, often while doing other things. If someone needed to say so many words, why didn't they just talk?"
Most of their songs are done in a group singing where the leader may begin the head motive or phrase of a song and then be repeated by other singers. They are very similar to other Plains Indians that use high-pitched beginnings, pulsations, vocal narrowness, and nasality. However, the Blackfoot bring the songs to a new level by singing much more intense and at much higher ranges.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackfoot_music
No comments:
Post a Comment