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Music of Sub-Saharan Africa

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As I was searching for Sub-Saharan Africa instruments, I found the mbira instrument. According to Wikipedia , the mbira is a traditional instrument created by the Shona people of Zimbabwe. The mbira is made using a wooden board with staggered metal keys attached. However, the number of keys and materials used to create these instruments vary. The mbira is played by plucking the keys with using the thumbs, and sometimes using the right or left forefingers. The mbira is also often placed inside a deze, which amplifies the sound. These instruments are typically played at religious ceremonies, weddings, and other types of social gatherings. For example, the mbira is usually played during the Bira ceremony which is an all-night ritual where the Shona people from Zimbabwe call on their ancestors for guidance. Mbira - Wikipedia As we previously discussed in class, drums and rhythm are essential aspects of African music. As I found the Agbekor drum to be interesting, I decided to search fo...
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Music of Indigenous Americans

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  As we previously discussed in class, Indigenous Americans used different instruments in their music. Instruments were usually made with materials that were easily accessible and easy to transport. As I found myself googling different indigenous instruments, I discovered the eagle-bone whistle. According to the Wikipedia webpage on eagle-bone whistles , these instruments were used by several Indigenous American tribes as a religious tool to be used during sacred ceremonies. According to Wikipedia, the eagle-bone whistle is made from the bones of the American bald eagle or the American golden eagle. On the YouTube video provided, Jemez Pueblo plays the instrument and provides multiple variations of the eagle bone whistle. As you will find in the video, these whistles are made in different sizes, whereas each size alters the sound of the instrument. I also found it interesting that these whistles are made with different amounts of holes, which also alters the sound of the instrume...
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My Musical Culture

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Hey everyone, I’m Ronasia Jones and I’m a psychology major here at Converse. I graduated from Spartanburg High School in 2020, and I am currently a sophomore. I was born in Newark, New Jersey but moved to Spartanburg when I was eight years old. As it pertains to music, I enjoy a multitude of different musical genres. However, some of my favorites are rock, pop and R&B. An example of a song that is my currently my favorite, is the song “Black Out Days” by the musical duo Phantogram. Although I do not know many songs by Phantogram, I would frequently hear snippets of this song on Tik Tok. After hearing different videos including the snippet of this song, I decided to attempt searching up the full song on YouTube. When I was able to find the full version, I was shocked to learn that it was not a new song. However, I still have been currently obsessed with the catchy lyrics and the different beats in the song “Black Out Days”. I also thought it was pretty cool that I discovered the f...
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