The Genesis of Modern Western Instruments Tracing Back to the Development of African Instruments

The Genesis of Modern Western Instruments Tracing Back to the

Development of African Instruments

The statement the genesis of modern western instruments can be traced

back to the development of African instruments basically indicates

that the origins of the music we use today come from the developments

from Africa. To look at this statement briefly one may say that it is

a very untrue statement. Even when studied briefly one will still say

that it is very untrue. But when studied in detail, the continent of

Africa was responsible for the development of the simple categories of

the aerophones, membranophones and the chordophones. Music is such an

important part of African life and always has been therefore the

people used whatever they could to make their music. Egypt, a country

on the continent of Africa then developed these instruments further as

it had the resources and was a wealthier to the rest of Africa. There

are few remains of African instruments, only very few stone ones have

been found in the tombs in Egypt. Most of the history of the

instrument is relied upon paintings and sculptures found in Egypt.

From Egypt these developed primitive instruments soon spread

throughout the rest of Africa. The advanced state of music among the

most ancient Egyptians is shown by the excellent instruments they made

and used, as many of harps and lyres were of beautiful workmanship.

Origins of drums, harps, lutes, lyres, guitars and all string

instruments originate from the simple aerophones, membranophones and

chordophones developed in Africa.

The continent of Africa is very large and contains such a large

population. To every single tribe and individual in this land mass,

music plays such an important role of the African life and history.

Even though Africa is a place where life is so intertwined with music,

the origins of music are not often said to be from there. Instead, the

development of modern instruments is given much to the European

countries. Greece particularly is named as the mother country of

music. Most famously are the Greek mythologies, an example of which is