Hi people, hopefully this is the right place to ask this question. I'm looking for traditional instruments that are tuned in low octaves, like bass guitar or double bass. Instruments like rubab, sarod, tar, dombra, qeychak, kamenche, al oud etc are all tuned above or around the octaves which can be played on guitar. Apart from sintir and tagelharpa, I can't seem to find a traditional (ethno, world-music) instrument which is tuned in bass range. Am I missing something, or are there really no alternatives to double bass when forming a world-music ensemble?

I'm interested in song collections from Latin America post 1500, and also how the vihuela and lute were replaced by the various "guitars" we see today in the diverse locales and traditions, from Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador, Columbia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, IE todo. I've been looking around Academia.edu, perhaps somebody can suggest current reserachers, and Universities with active programs in this regard.

Many thanks.

I am currently enrolled in an anthropology of music college course and have been assigned to do a project. The topic I decided to research and observe is Buddhist music practices in the United States. I was wondering if there are any good resources on this practice and possible research questions I could think of doing. I was thinking of something along the lines of how these practices in different areas show cultural influence in a diasporic context.

I’m a composer with a background in Indian classical music, and I’d like to do a phd where I can travel to Kerala in India and study and document the rhythmic counterpoint in the traditional percussion ensembles, write a dissertation about it, and then compose a work based on it. Are there any programs (ideally in Europe) that could accomodate this kind of practice-based research with traveling feildwork?

Hello r/ethnomusicology!

I'm fascinated by the enigmatic glyphs of Rongorongo, the undeciphered script of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). These symbols, carved into wooden tablets, have long been a mystery. Most efforts to decipher them have approached Rongorongo as a language, but I have a different idea: what if Rongorongo is an ancient form of musical notation? It is probably not a new idea, but I did a bit of a dive using ChatGPT.

I'd like to present a detailed hypothesis, based on cultural context and an analysis of the glyphs, and invite this community's expertise to explore whether these symbols encode the music, rhythm, and ceremonies of Rapa Nui.

The Hypothesis

The Rongorongo glyphs could represent an ancient ceremonial score, encoding rhythms, vocal chants, and instrumental elements used during Rapa Nui rituals. Based on visual analysis and contextual research, I propose that the glyphs can be interpreted as follows:

• Geometric Symbols: These could represent percussive beats or clapping rhythms, providing the foundational rhythm of the performance, much like a steady drum beat.
• Humanoid Figures: These could correspond to vocal chants or group singing, with variations in the figures indicating different levels of vocal emphasis, such as a chant leader or a response from a group.
• Organic Forms: These could correspond to melodic wind instruments, like the nose flute or conch shell, providing melodic transitions or embellishments between rhythmic sections.

Cultural Context

Rapa Nui culture, like other Polynesian societies, involved music and dance in nearly every aspect of social and spiritual life. Ceremonies were a core part of honouring ancestors, celebrating harvests, and performing rites of passage. The continuity of the glyphs without visible punctuation or segmentation suggests a sequential and possibly rhythmic nature, much like a musical or ceremonial notation that flows without pause.

Testing the Hypothesis

I'm reaching out to this community because I believe that this hypothesis could be explored through a collaborative effort. Here's how I envision testing it:

1. Glyph Classification and Sound Assignment: Categorize the glyphs into three main groups: geometric, humanoid, and organic. Assign a specific sound sample to each group:
   • Geometric Symbols: Assign steady drum beats or percussive elements.
   • Humanoid Figures: Assign vocal chant samples, varying the tone or volume based on the posture of the figure (e.g., raised arms indicating emphasis).
   • Organic Forms: Assign melodic wind instrument samples, like a nose flute or conch shell.
2. Create a Sound Sequence: Using digital audio tools (a DAW or Python libraries like pydub), construct an audio representation that follows the sequence of glyphs in an excerpt. The goal would be to recreate a performance by aligning the assigned sounds to the glyph patterns.
3. Evaluate Consistency with Polynesian Music: Compare the generated audio with known elements of Polynesian music and chant structures. Does the resulting sequence have a coherent, ritualistic flow that could align with what we know of Rapa Nui culture?

How You Can Help

• Digital Audio Experts: If you have experience with DAWs or digital audio manipulation, your help would be invaluable in turning the glyphs into a sound sequence.
• Ethnomusicologists: Your insight into the traditional music of Polynesia could help assess whether the patterns we create align with ceremonial structures.
• Linguists and Cultural Researchers: Any input regarding other possible interpretations of the glyphs or insights into Rapa Nui culture would greatly enrich this exploration.

Note on Collaboration

This hypothesis was developed in collaboration with ChatGPT. I have limited education in this field, but I had an idea I wanted to explore. I'm reaching out to this community because I think that with the right expertise, we could uncover an interesting new perspective on Rongorongo.

I understand that this is speculative, but I believe there's value in exploring unconventional perspectives, especially when it comes to something as enigmatic as Rongorongo. If this hypothesis resonates with anyone here, I'd love to collaborate and explore it further.

Questions and feedback are more than welcome! Let’s see if we can unravel a new layer of meaning behind these mysterious symbols together.

Thanks for your time and consideration!

Recruitment

ATTENTION: I am conducting research as part of the requirements for the Master of Music degree at Liberty University. The purpose of my research is to understand how intergroup theory impacts diffusion of educational practices within kamalen n’goni. To participate, you must be 18 years of age or older, speak either English or French, have had experience with West African music performance in kamalen n’goni, and have internet access. 

 Participants will be asked to complete an anonymous online questionnaire. If you would like to participate and meet the study criteria, please click the link provided at the end of this post. An information sheet will be provided on the first page of the survey. Please review this page, and if you agree to participate, click the “proceed to survey” button at the end. 

To take the survey, click here for English: https://eburton11.questionpro.com/t/AY9pIZ34XF  

To take the survey, click here for French: https://eburton11.questionpro.com/t/AY9pIZ37JK

Recrutement

ATTENTION: Je mène des recherches dans le cadre des exigences du Master en Musique de la Liberty University. Le but de ma recherche est de comprendre comment la théorie intergroupe impacte la diffusion des pratiques éducatives au sein des kamalen n’goni. Pour participer, vous devez être âgé de 18 ans ou plus, parler anglais ou français, avoir une expérience de la musique ouest-africaine en kamalen n'goni et avoir accès à Internet. 

Les participants sont invités à remplir un questionnaire anonyme en ligne. Si vous souhaitez participer et répondre aux critères de l'étude, veuillez cliquer sur le lien fourni à la fin de cet article. Une fiche d’information confidentielle sera fournie sur la première page du sondage. Veuillez consulter cette page et si vous acceptez de participer, cliquez sur le bouton « Procéder au sondage » à la fin. 

Pour répondre au sondage, cliquez ici pour le français : https://eburton11.questionpro.com/t/AY9pIZ37JK  

Pour répondre au sondage, cliquez ici pour l’anglais : https://eburton11.questionpro.com/t/AY9pIZ34XF

Howdy, I’m currently in the process of looking into/getting my materials together for application to grad schools for the MA/PhD track. My interests are mainly in the examination of gender/queerness and how these inform music. It’s a bit broad but I plan to narrow the scope once I’m able to begin my studies. I know the queer community doesn’t fit the traditional definition of an ethnic group but it’s a shared culture so I feel this is still the most relevant field for that kind of research.

I guess my question is whether this somewhat unorthodox interest may work against me. I’m working on my statement of purpose and while I have some other cultures I’d like to research, this is the one in which I have a vested interest and would like to mainly pursue.

Also — does anyone have any queer musicology literature recommendations?

Thank you!

Hello, I'm considering pursuing PhD studies next year and looking for suggestions for programs anywhere in the world. I'm not sure where to start.

I have had a recent interest in instruments (sort of in the realm of Organology) and anthropology. Broadly speaking, researching different instruments around the world, how they might have evolved historically throughout time and from human migration, and how cultures/communities have traditionally and today use these instruments in their music/culture. What would this program be called?

I'm fairly new to these topics, but they highly interest me currently. And I've been doing my own research and projects into them at the moment.

Do you have any suggestions for programs or where/how to look?

Btw, for reference I have a BA in Music Compostion and MA in Theatre Education.

I have some more (potentially naive) questions for my ideal programs, so thank you for understanding:

1. Are there programs that pay fully for your tuition and studies?
2. Any programs that would fund field research? (travelling abroad for extended periods of time for research, obtaining field recordings, etc)
3. Is it common that PhD students will be given a chance to teach music undergrad classes?
4. Although I would prefer to be studying in-person, I would like the option to potentially pursue the program from outside the country.

There are these two dances performed by the Kabardinka dance troupe which I am obsessed with,

"Dance of the Little Kabardian Circassians"
and the following "Legend of Shoulakh"

https://youtu.be/Mcyfzt5iJ4I?si=jAwwyvrzjJFX8ViT&t=581

The first one radiating immaculate noble/masculine energy, and the second one irradiating immaculate feminine/mystical vibes

Does anyone know where I can find the most perfected, polished, and exuberant versions of these dances, with impeccable music, costume, large-scale, ornamentation, etc.?

I imagine it would probably be recorded during the late Soviet era, or in the late 1990s/early 2000s

Literally every single piece of Circassian traditional music I found on YouTube or elsewhere uses some form of modern instrument like the accordion or drumkit, it's gotten pretty old and annoying

Not too recently ago though I found this video which forsakes all that, it was really refreshing and relaxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbIct86d8l0

But I haven't been able to find any more, so does anyone know where I can find more music of this nature?

Or does it vary based on the culture whether the players of the instruments are the ones who built them?

Just thinking about it, in comparison to modern societies where many/most musicians rarely build or even modify their own instruments. I'm also wondering what a difference in intimacy with the instruments it might lead to.

I only really have a surface understanding of ethnomusicology, but thanks for any answers anyways!

I just transferred into Cal as an Interdisciplinary Studies Field major which means that I get to build my own major. I did this in part because I did not have the prerequisites for the Music BA and because Berkeley doesn't offer an ethnomusicology major, only a graduate program. Nonetheless, I'm very excited about my major. Anyway, I have to declare my Course of Study which must involve study from at least three departments. I chose Music and Anthropology for the first two (because initially I was just going to focus on ethnomusicology) and then broadened it to include Sociology and Psychology. My question is, should I focus on all four or just on three? I ask because I have to submit a proposal that will affect the focus of my senior thesis and I'm conflicted as to whether studying a paper involving four subjects will be more comprehensive or, conversely, unfocused. Anyway, I figured it would be good to ask people with some experience with musicology as I'm still relatively new to the subject. Thanks!

I've been exploring Ryukyuan Uzagaku music, the traditional court music of the Ryukyuan kingdom.

I've actually found there are two varieties: the kind performed by Uzagaku Fukugen Ensô Kenkyûkai, which is based on the reconstruction by scholar Etsuko Higa, and uses period-accurate instruments,

and a version by Rojigaku hozonkai, which uses modern Chinese instruments, and is stylistically closer to Nagasaki Minshingaku than traditional Uzagaku.

For some reason, all of the video performances of Etsuko Higa's reconstructive work that I have found on the internet, are of extremely poor quality. They do have a wonderfully recorded album on streaming services, but it doesn't compare to seeing the pieces performed. Meanwhile, videos of the Rojigaku Hozonkai versions are a dime-a-dozen, and many are filmed at Shuri castle itself.

Which begs the question, are there any DVDs of Etsuko Higa's ensemble performing reconstructed Uzagaku? If one were to visit Okinawa, could they still attend performances of this version?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlKIgBz9WUA

I think I understand the difference, in that a maqam, in addition to being a palate of notes, has ghammaz (important points of emphasis within the melody) ... but in some sense Western scales have this too (dominant, subdominant), although it isn't made a point of as much. More importantly, how much mutual exclusivity is there? For example, take Maqam Ajam and the Western major scale: are there Western major scale melodies that could not conceivably be classifed as belonging to Maqam Ajam were they played in an Arab context, and are there Maqam Ajam melodies that do not fit into the Western major scale?

I'm a senior music major who is hoping to go on to grad school to earn my PhD in ethnomusicology. I want to be a professor.

My area of focus I'm currently thinking of is the relationships between video game companies, their fans, and the works those fans create to express the love for their favorite games and franchises. Specifically, I'm very interested in the work of video game modders (fans who make (mostly) legal edits and/or add new content to legal copies of games to distribute online for other players to download), fan games (completely new games created by fans based on the characters and worlds of major games), and ROM hacks (illegal modifications of pirated copies of games, such as adding new mechanics, or creating all new games in the engines of other games), as well as fan-made orignal songs, and arrangements, transcriptions, and covers of official songs. I want to study how the music from all of these sources are used within fan communities to enhance the experience of being a fan of these games and franchises.

I'm also interested in how these community expressions of love for the games they play are received by the companies who produce these games- some positive, others negative. The responses from some of the companies who make these games and characters can be very harsh, including takedowns, cease-and-desist letters, lawsuits, and even criminal charges.

I was wondering if anyone here knew of any respected ethnomusicology programs that would have faculty with the knowledge and skills needed to help me succeed in this area of specialization. I only speak English, so an English-language program is a must. Preferably here in America, though I might be able to relocate outside the US if need be.

Or, if you don't know any in specific, if you have any ideas of what to look for in programs like this, let me know that, too.

I've been recommended Florida State and Ohio State so far. Ohio State apparently has very good options for interdisciplinary studies. That, coupled with their game design faculty and classes, could be very useful.

Thank you!

I'm taking a class called "Music Appreciation" at my college. It's a class from a different degree program to mine, so I don't have much idea if there is a database or website where I can look up biographies or important information about composers that I need to research. Any suggestions/tips will be greatly appreciated.

Hey everyone,

Is there anybody who does sociology of music (or sociology of art in general) or is interested in it? I'm looking for someone to communicate with on these fields, maybe discuss each other's research. Maybe anyone knows relevant communities or reading groups?

Personally I do sociology of music and am currently studying aesthetic legitimation of noise music attempted by music critics.

Not a specific query, just looking to build academic and personal connections, since there are too little people interested in my field of study around me. Feel free to comment or DM!

Does a piano technically count as a type of hammered dulcimer? It's a string instrument that is played with hammers (albeit indirectly).

If it's not a hammered dulicmer, why isn't it one?

(I know organological classifications aren't super meaningful. I just pondered this a little bit ago and wanted to hear opinions.)

I'm aware the emphasis on vocals in music has much to do with islamic practice. However, there's this characteristic I hear so often across many genres and it is these remarkably wide, rich, crowd vocals. They often sound like they're popping out of my head phones, and they have this very powerful low end.

These types of vocals seem very idiosyncratic to Arab music, and we don't do it much in the west. I am curious if there's a particular explanation for this, thank you so much.

I'm struggling to find composers who specialise in traditional folk instruments and compose for production music libraries.

Does anyone have recommendations on where/how to find the right people?

Thanks

How much klezmer is there in european musical orientalism

VS

How much european musical orientalism is there in klezmer?