Yiri By Koko

Introduction

Instrumental breaks (solos)

Chorus

Call & Response

Coda

Chorus is always sung in unison

The Balafons play an octave apart and sometimes in 5ths

Drumming

Chordal song (singing)

Instrumental music

Gb Major

Hexotonic scale- Played by the Balafons

Most melodies fall from high to low

Improvisation

Singers and Balafon have a melody

Singers sing the pentatonic scales

Uses of ostinato

Polyrythms

Syncopation (off beat rhythms)

Starts in 4/4 but changes to 3 beats then 5 beats

Repetition of a few notes (ostinato or riff)

Improvisation

Polyphony

Call and response

Mostly MF (moderatly loud)

Djembe

Talking drum

Dun Dun

Balafon

Agogo bell

Singers

Idiophones (primarly produces resonant sound e.g Balafon)

Membraphones- Drums with skins

Chordalphone- String like lutes

Aerophones- Wind like flutes

Monophonic at the beggining (Balafon solo)

Heterophonic (two different versions of the same tune at the same time)

Polyphonic

Timbre is developed through the piece

Starts off with single Balafon then changes when the second is added

Drums changes it a bit more 

Then two different types of vocals (unison and call and response) produces two new timbres

Use of tremelo

Use of acciaccaturas (crushed ntoes)

Leads the group

Controls any dynamic changes like pitch and tempo

Balafons solos

Its the 4th track on Koko album

Released in 2002

Yiri means WOOD

Koko is a group of 6 

Music is performed at weddings, funerals, rituals

Yiri starts with one Balafon

When the keys are hit they produce a very short note, so tremelos are played instead.

After the intro, second Balafon enters with a lower pitc

The two then play throughout the piece

Occationally play in Heterophony

Balafon compliments vocals and boost the drum parts

Play the same rhythms

When they come in they play the same rhythm

Drums play at different pitches (using smaller and bigger drums)