Author Question: Accompanying hand-clapping adds what two dimensions to the mbira experience? What will be an ... (Read 38 times)

fbq8i · **on:** Jul 25, 2018

Accompanying hand-clapping adds what two dimensions to the mbira experience?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What are some of the musical aspects that make the mbira sound so complex?

What will be an ideal response?

nyrave · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

participation by the audience makes them part of a communal performance
the hand-clapping adds to the polyrhythmic (polymetric) quality of the music (See examples of hand-clapping phrases for mbira music in WOM Transcription 3-17, p. 127.)

Answer to Question 2

Each key of the mbira emits a cluster of overtones (see definition of overtone above), the resonator further modifies and manipulates the sounds, buzzing bottle caps (attached to the soundboard and resonator) add a rhythmic element. Tones overlap . . . the whole is far more than the sum of the parts WOM, citing Berliner, 1993.