Characteristics of traditional Aboriginal Music


Think how and why Aboriginal Music is unique.

What will you learn?

  • the musical features of traditional Aboriginal Music.

Syllabus outcomes

  • 4.7 A student demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating, analysing, discussing and recording ideas.

  • 4.8 A student demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features of a range of repertoire.

What do you already know about Aboriginal Music?

Use the KWLH chart below to write down what you know already know about Aboriginal Music. Take this time to think about:

  • what you already know

  • what you would like to know

  • what you have previously learned

  • how you might learn more.

Upload your completed KWLH chart to your school's digital learning platform for your teacher.

KWLH chart on template.docx

Listening activity

  1. Listen to the following examples of traditional Aboriginal Music.

  2. As you listen, consider the musical characteristics below and create a tally for each time you hear that characteristic in the examples. You may like to use an online counter to keep your tally.

  3. Reflect on the tally for each musical characteristic.

  4. Create a list of the top scoring musical characteristics for each Concept of Music from your tally and write them in a post on your school's digital learning platform.



Characteristics

Pitch

  • descending melody

  • chant-like singing

  • repeated vocal melody

Duration

  • repeated rhythmic patterns

  • changing rhythms

Tone colour

  • didgeridoo

  • clapping sticks

  • male voices

  • female voices

Texture

  • solo voice

  • several voices

Offline access

Download and print this document to send to students with limited access to online resources.

creativearts-music-aboriginalmusic-characteristicsofaboriginalmusic-s4 (3).docx
creativearts-music-aboriginalmusic-literacybooklet-s4 (3).docx

References