OCR GCSE Music Rhythms of the World (Area of Study 3) overview quiz quiz

A melody, a full block of chordal harmony, and a walking bass line

A verse, a repeated chorus, and a contrasting middle bridge

A solo caller, a group response, and a recurring sung chorus

A melody on a raga, a rhythm as a tala, and a continuous drone

A repeating rhythmic cycle of fixed beats that is played by the tabla drummer all the way throughout

A melodic framework (a scale with characteristic phrases and moods) that is improvised on

A type of double-headed hand drum used to keep the underlying pulse

A long-necked instrument that sounds a single continuous drone note

The tabla

The djembe

The dhol

The surdo

An odd, additive time signature such as 7/8 that groups beats unevenly

A goblet-shaped hand drum that plays the main repeating rhythmic pattern of the piece

A short two-bar rhythm that all the other instruments lock onto together

A melodic system of scales (often using microtones) on which performers improvise

3 + 4

2 + 2 + 3

7 even beats

1 + 6

The bouzouki

The sitar

The oud

The balafon

One single very fast rhythm that is played by the whole drumming ensemble together

The same rhythm played together on many different drums in unison

A free, floating rhythm that has no regular pulse or steady beat

Two or more different rhythms layered at the same time, each repeating

Plays the quietest, simplest supporting part in the whole ensemble

Leads the ensemble: sets and changes the tempo, signals patterns and improvises

Sings the main melody line while the other players keep the rhythm

Plays only the single continuous drone note underneath all of the layered drum patterns

A repeating riff played by the brass section over the top of the groove

A type of tall conga drum that plays the main improvised solo part

A short, repeated two-bar rhythmic pattern that the other parts lock to

A slow, gentle ballad section in the middle of the song for contrast

The conga

The darbuka

The tabla

The surdo

The agogo bell

The steel pan

The oud lute

The talking drum

Because Western harmony is far too difficult for these musicians to play or write down

Because this music uses no real instruments, only voices and clapping hands together

Because much of it builds its interest from rhythm, melody, texture and a drone rather than chords

Because every single piece of this kind of music is completely improvised on the spot every single time