American Music Culture

American culture is highly complex because the United States is a country of immigrants. Along with indigenous cultures, there are numerous sub-cultures. The United States’ music culture is a result of mixed musical cultures. Also, new immigrants continue to bring their own culture into the country.
1. What two areas have preserved traditional Anglo music?
New England and the Southern Appalachians have preserved traditional Anglo music more than any other region.
2. Where is Appalachia?
Appalachia is the geographic region along the Appalachian Mountains, which extend from New England to southeastern Georgia.
3. What is a ballad?
A ballad is a song that tells a story. Although a ballad is usually performed by a solo voice, it incorporates dialogue
Listen for the leader to call out the melody and the followers who then repeat it. What other music styles had a similar leader and choir version of call and response?
The call and response vocal organization are present in Bhajan singing, the shakuhachi style, Pygmy music, jùjú music, and Akan music, as well as other sub-Saharan musical styles.
Site 4: Singing School Shape-Note Music
1. Define Singing School
Initially formed during the first half of the 18th century, singing schools was a system that taught congregations regular singing and how to read notated music.
2. Define Sacred Harp Singing
Sacred Harp singing is a musical tradition in which singers assembled to sing from The Scared Harp at an all-day singing event.
3. Define Fasola Singing
Fasola singing is a singing style that uses shape-note notation.
4. Define Fuging Tune
Fuging tune is a musical arrangement in which a single part, the “subject,” begins the song, followed by the second, third, and fourth parts who imitate the tune.
5. Explain why fasola singing might be also called all day singing with dinner on the ground.
People come together to sing from The Sacred Harp and to eat potluck meals.
6. What is the subject in a
Explain Shape Notes
Shape notes are a musical notation system that uses different shaped note heads to indicate pitch.

WATCH: http://youtu.be/YaLnG7vfVOc
1. What do you think the purpose of the hand motion is in these performances?
I believe that the hand motions are used to keep a steady pulse, similar to how a conductor articulates the beat in a performance.
2. Think about traditions like Shape-note singing that are participatory rather than consumerist. What are some of the differences between contemporary pop/rock/rap concerts and participatory singing/music making?
While everyone participates in participatory music, there is a clear division between the performers and the audience in contemporary concerts. Singers/musicians in a participatory performance are reliant on one another to keep the fluctuating pulse. Participatory music is flexible and unscripted; the participants might add quite a bit of improvisation. In a contemporary concert, the songs most likely have an established pulse, or the singers are singing along to a pre-recorded instrumental track. The contemporary performance is rehearsed, and improvisation is restricted to certain parameters.

Site 5: Bluegrass
1. What creates the characteristic “high-lonesome sound” of