http://home.earthlink.net/~minermusic/iwonder.htm
This is a picture of an assortment of Latin American instruments. You can see the harp with the large sound board as well as several versions of the guitar. There is also a guitar made form an armadillo. The panpipes are large and small but overall the most awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNAa_iCHa4Q&feature=related
This is a video of a man playing a xylophone in Ghana. This is just another example of how the instrument can be made from anything. The song is simple and repetitive but very interesting. I love how he is just squatting there and playing the song of his soul.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlXi_Iq0XGc&feature=related
This is a small ensemble of Latin American instruments and musicians. Note the skill that is required by the deceivingly simple flute. Watch his fingers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEG7yWBBLkw
This is a guitar and harp. This shows how the sound board of the harp can be used for complex rhythms and tempo. So the harp serves as a drum and harp.
You found some fun goodies! The xylophone was cool and I enjoyed watching him play his own accompaniment and occasional harmony. I love Latin music so the last two videos were a treat. I agree with your comment about the virtuosity of the flute player. And I really enjoyed the harp and guitar duo. I confess to getting distracted by another video of them playing Chick Correa's "Spain". If you're interested, check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYIGpdXn29A (Some day I'm going to figure out how to embed these things!)
ReplyDeleteI watched the video of the man playing the xylophone in Ghana. There was some writing at the top of every bar. I wonder if that is the key name or some other writing. It would be pretty neat if they did put the letters to help them know which note to play if learning to read music. What else is the point to lettering? It also looked like there were some gourds tied to the bottom of it to create the shaker effect. Pretty neat!
ReplyDeleteI really liked the video of the man with the xylophone. It looks like he has the note names painted on the bars of xylophone, which is something I used to do as a child on the piano. I think that the instrument you referred to as the guitar made out of the armadillo is the charango we discussed in class.
ReplyDeleteThe first link is so helpful! It's great to see the instruments titled and listed by country with a bit of information about each. It's easy for me to get these things mixed up. I found the Ghanaian xylophone very enjoyable because of its pleasant timbre and how the man seemed relaxed while playing it. I liked the flute piece. It was engaging and exciting. It was interesting to watch the harp used a percussion instrument. My favorite part was listening to the melody of the guitar. Is that Spanish guitar?
ReplyDeleteI love the Latin American Ensemble. The quena has such a fun timbre. I love the little ornament things that are used in this style of playing. It is a really interesting technique- they use the whole finger joint to cover the holes instead of the pad of the finger.
ReplyDeleteI was hard to believe how much sound was coming from the small marimba that the man was playing while squatting. I enjoyed what he played. The website showing and labeling the instruments was helpful. It was interesting to learn that the harp is sometimes played while standing. I saw a photo of this, and the harp was turned upside down and resting on the musician's shoulder!
ReplyDeletewow! The thought of the harp becoming a drum is so cool. The sound of the guitar thingy the man was playing was soothing.
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