Native American Music

In most of the typical and traditional Native American Music the singing is performed right at the center. The Native American music is now also known as "First Nations" or "First People" music.



There are many instruments that are often considered to be integral to the music most times used as accompaniment. The Native Americans have a number of distinct instrumental traditions and legends that are closely related to their instruments.

Drums:

1) Simple skin drums: The simple skin drums are extensively used in the central area that lies to the east of the Rockies somewhere located in the Northern Plains. These drums usually consist of a singled tanned skin that is tied to four stakes. The stakes are planted in the ground or held strongly by a group of four people as one other person strikes it.

2) Frame Drum: The frame drum is made by stretching the hide of a cow, elk, horse, or deer very tightly over a frame. This hide is then sewn together, and a carrying handle is added to the frame. The frame drums measure usually about four inches in depth and as much as 30 inches in diameter. Even log drums are made with two-heads and sometimes with single-heads from sections of hollowed-out logs.

3) Water Drum: In the Native American music the water drum has a sound, which is very different from the sound of any other kind of drum. The water drum is made in several ways. This also includes the method of using an iron kettle as the body of the water drum. This iron kettle is partially filled with water, and then tanned buckskin is stretched over it. The water drums are played with a thin drumstick, which has a loop attached to the end. There are some groups of people who have also made water drums from hollow logs.

4) Square Drum: In the Native American music that is prevalent on the Pacific coast sometimes wooden boxes are used to make the drums. These drums are called the Square Drums. Some of the boxes are made from cedar. These boxes are often large enough to withstand the weight of several men seated on them and drum with their feet.



Rattles:

1) Container Rattles: The Native American music makes extensive use of rattles. The Container rattles made of gourd, turtle shell, rawhide, and horn in addition to rattles made from a few other substances as well.

2) Deer hoof rattles: Rattles are also made from deer hooves. The deer hoof rattles are made by drilling a number of holes along a stick or other material. This stick is then attached to the hooves, which rattle when shaken

Flutes:

The Native American music flutes look close to a recorder. These flutes can be made of a large number of materials some of them being including wood, clay, and bamboo. Some of the flutes have also been made from the hollowed-out bones of birds. The construction of each type of flute varies in details such as number of holes and flute length between the makers and the regions.