Article Abstract:
North American aboriginal music that has been recorded may be classified into two distinct groups. The first is semiprivate, ritual-associated and known to very few non-Native ethnomusicologists. Its performance depends on the situation and is communal. The second is not context-specific and is more widely known. It uses Native language or vocal sounds and reflects native experience. However, its rhythm is either country or rock on amp guitars and basses. Audio recordings of both types are now available.
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Article Abstract:
An ethnomusicologist was able to expand his understanding of the renewed interest in Northumbrian smallpipe music by learning to play the instrument. The folklorist gained a competent skill in pipe-playing and even participated in local competitions and musical events. He recognized the formal and informal elements involved in learning music and in defining the role of ethnographer as a participant and not merely an observer.
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Article Abstract:
One ethnomusicologist recounts the insightful experience he gained from learning to play the bagpipe with a Bulgarian musician. The researcher was able to transcend the difference between being a mere observer and a musician familiar with the idioms and and techniques that made the bagpipe a medium of musical expression. He learned by imitating the techniques of a Bulgarian piper and participating in group performances.
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