Ethiopian music is a name that can refer to any music of Ethiopian origin, although it is most commonly used to refer to a genre, a pentatonic modal system with notably lengthy intervals between some notes.
The Ethiopian Highlands’ music has a basic modal system known as qenet, which has four main modes: tezeta, bati, ambassel, and anchihoy. Tezeta minor, bati major, and bati minor are three further modes that are variants on the above. Some songs, such as tizita, a memory song, are named after their qenet. These modes are often not tempered when played on traditional instruments (that is, the pitches may depart significantly from the Western-tempered tuning system), but they are tempered when played on Western instruments like pianos and guitars. The senasel, or sistrum, is used in liturgical music in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In addition, the clergy will use a walking stick called a mequamia to keep time. A dawal was traditionally used in rural churches to summon the devout to prayer. They’re built out of stone slabs or wood pieces. As a liturgical accompaniment, the Beta Israel utilize a small gong called a qachel, while qachel can also refer to a little bell. The Nuer, Anuak, Majangir, Surma, and other Nilotic people utilize the toom, a lamellophone. Metal leg rattles can be found all throughout the south. In Orthodox Christian liturgy, the kebero is a huge hand drum. In secular ceremonies, smaller kebero drums can be utilized.
