Rough Grooved Surface

 

 

There are 3 parallel meters used: 3/4, 12/8 and 6/8+3/4. A common characteristic in African music is a 12/8 meter that can be related to on various levels. In Western music, meter gets divided or simplified into a basic meter and syncopation is used for rhythmic complexity. Since African music is not about scored music, different metric layers can be easily added over the top without consideration of how it relates to 12/8.

Rhythmic levels: