Choose ONE of the following topics (2) Musical Instruments.

Choose ONE of the following topics (2) Musical Instruments. Introduction: (a) Theoretical Framework: (i) Idiophones – the definition of this type of instruments, the three styles of their use in Africa, the characteristics of the four types of the rhythmic idiophones, and the two types of the melodic and tuned idiophones, (ii) Aerophones – the definition of this type of instruments, and the three categories of this kind found in Africa; (iii) Chordophones – the definition of this type of instruments, and the six types of this instrument found in Africa; and (vi) Membranophones – the definition of this type of instruments, their difference in shapes and size; differences in the technique of playing, and differences in their grouping; and their functions in the communities (Nketia, 1974)

(●) Wind and Air Instruments: (a) The Flutes and Trumpets: (i) General features of the African flute instruments; (ii) the three varieties of flute used in Africa, and examples of their use in some ethnic groups; (iii) how in some societies, the flute duets are seen as a symbolic representation of a couple, or representing male-female relationship; (iv) the use of flute in instrumental ensembles, and how are they distinguished from each other. (b) The Kakaki and Alghaita Instruments: (i) the characteristic features of the Kakaki and the Alghaita instruments, which of the countries can they be found, and the ethnic group that normally use them, and (ii) what the kakaki instrument possesses, and how it is used more as ensemble instrument than a solo instrument; and (iii) the social meaning of the kakaki instrument, and it is utilized exclusively as honor of dignitaries, and in particularly high-ranking officials; (iv) how musicians use the alghaita instruments, especially before beginning to play, etc., (v) how are the kakaki and the alghaita instruments combined to form an orchestra, and what do they produce. (c) The Bobal and Papo Instruments: (i) The nature and characteristic features of these two clarinet instruments, (ii) which two ethnic groups mostly use these two instruments respectively; (iii) what methods employed by musicians to produce the needed sound, (vi) the materials used to modify the timbre and volume of the instruments (Bebey, 1975:64-79)

(●) Fiddling in West Africa: (a) Historical and Socio-Cultural Features: (i) origin and development of the fiddle instrument, (ii) the regional areas and the countries in the sub-Saharan Africa where this instrument can be found, and (iii) the societies or ethnic groups in these regions who use this instrument; (b) Classification and History of the Fiddle: (i) the classification of the fiddle instrument used by the Sudanic communities, (ii) its relationship with the same type of Arabic chordophone, and how it differs from these foreign ones, and (iii) their regional differences in the different subregions – Western, Central and Eastern Sudan; (c) Distribution Patterns of the Fiddle: (i) the three clusters of concentration where the instrument can be found, that is, the sub-regional areas, (ii) factors leading to the spread of the fiddle (e.g., Fulbe’s migration, etc.,), and the process by which the instrument was dispersed and adopted by other societies, and (iii) the ethnic societies who accepted it and used it; (d) Physical Features and Construction: (i) the nature of the instrument: its shape (i.e., curved, triangular, etc.) and size (length and width), (ii) other materials attached to it (e.g., the bridge, etc.), (iii) the body resonator that distinguishes it from similar instrument, and different types of materials used to cover the resonators, (iv) the nature of the string and the bow, and (v) the tuning process, and the types of sound it produces; (e) Performance Contexts and Cultural Significance: (i) How the fiddle instrument is used in the society, that is, how it is integrated into the local institutions, (ii) examples of various ceremonies, events, and activities (both formal and informal) that the instrument is used, and (iii) how the instrument, as a result of its usage, unifies the people in those societies (DjeDje 2008:11-42)

(●) Mande Melodic Instruments: (a) The Instruments in Africa: (i) the geographical distribution of the instrument in West Africa, and their differences and similarities; (ii) historical development and the spread of this instruments across the region, and its relationship with the various ethnic groups; (iii) the three features that distinguish West Africa harps from other harps in the world. (b) The Mande Melodic Instruments: (i) the four major melodic instruments that the Mande professional musicians use, and how the Mande society categorize their instruments; (ii) why although the playing techniques of one instrument and other instrument are similar, among the Mande society the two instruments live in two different musical realms; and (iii) how the Mande musicians see their instruments as coming to them through divine intervention. (c) The Types of Maninka/Mandika Harps: (i) outlining the two harps used by the Maninka/Mandika – bolon, simbi, and how that represent three stages of West African harp cultures; (ii) the material nature and characteristic features of Bolon instrument, its playing techniques, its social function, in terms of association and usage; (iii) the material nature and characteristic features of Simbi instrument, its playing techniques, its social function, in terms of association and usage, and the group of which this instrument form part of their life; and (iv) why the two Manika harps – bolon and simbi – differ from other West African harps. (d) The Types of Jola Harps and Wasulu Donso Ngoni: (i) the material nature and characteristic features of Jula harp instrument, its playing techniques, and its social function, in terms of association and usage; (ii) the similarities Jola harp shares with Simbi harp instruments, (iii) the material nature and characteristic features of Wasulu Donso Ngoni instrument, its playing techniques, and its social function, in terms of association and usage (Charry, 1992:86-141).

(●) The Akan Traditional Drums: (a) Socio-Cultural Features of Akan Drums: (i) The distribution of the Akan drum among the community; (ii) what differentiate the drums from the other Akan instruments (harp, flute, etc.) (iii) the function of the drum instrument in the society, and their use as a cooperate or collective ensemble than as individual instrument. (b) The Two Types of Akan Drums: (i) General characteristic features of Akan drum, a membranophone instrument; (ii) The two types of Akan drums – open drum and closed drums: their definitions and differences; (iii) The physical characteristics of the open drum, its structure or forms; (iv) the features of their decorations and what each means; (vii) The physical characteristics of the closed drum, its structure or forms; (v) the features of their decorations and what each means. (c) Techniques of Drumming: (i) the four general techniques or methods employed to create sound from these drums, (ii) the three differences of patterns – rhythmic and tonal – created in all these modes of drumming, and what each of them supposed to produce; and (iii) the differences, under the rhythmic mode, between the unilineal rhythm and multi-lineal rhythm, and how these forms of rhythm are employed in drumming. (d) The Three Modes of Drumming: (i) Outlining the three modes of drumming in Akan community, and illustrating how each is used: the Signal Drumming (its characteristics, the nature of drums used , the techniques employed, their social relevance); the Speech Drumming (its characteristics, the nature of drums used , the techniques employed, their social relevance); the Dance Drumming (its characteristics, the nature of drums used , the techniques employed, their social relevance) (Nketia, 1963:4-31)

(●) Conclusion: Conclude briefly by looking at (a) how these four categories of African instruments – Idiophone, Aerophones, Chordophones, and Membranophones – form integral part of the performance traditions in the societies, (b) the social context in which these instruments are used, and how they are integrated into several institutions, (c) what some of them symbolize within their cultural settings, and the meanings that they do reveal when used in performance”

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