Learning comes from sitting down and actually singing and feeling the Native Music strike a chord in your soul. Please understand that real learning will come from speaking with an elder who is willing to teach you. On a side note, for the newby who wants to learn to sing or the non Native who just want to learn about Native Music. As I said before this blog is more for the newby. I am hoping that others will join in the blog and help those who will want to learn. These are just the basics, it gets much more specific with each band and style of song. The lead singer doesn’t stop first and then everyone else just stops when they feel like it. Most songs will contain honor beats, which have their own symbolism base upon the song and band.ĥ The song is supposed to end by all drummers in one final beat. The songs are usually sung either 4 or 6 times through.Ĥ. You can usually tell immediately by the sound of the song what it is meant for.ģ. Each song has it own feeling and purpose. While it’s easy to think of drums as simple tools to pump out a beat, there are usually several components to the standard drum set. There is a lead to each “push up” and a melodic second that follows. In any situation, solos and unique hooks can be amazing, and in the hands of the right drummer, drum solos can make a great song even better. That is up to the drum maker and the drum group and really should be left up to another post.Ģ. I have seen drums made with Buffalo hide, Moose hide, Bull/Cow hide, and even horse hide. The drum varies from drum maker to drum maker. The majority of Northern Style Pow Wow competition singing (notice I said most) takes place at a standard sitting drum. There are some common denominators that will most likely always stay the same.ġ. Northern Style Pow Wow singing is very old, and while it has evolved over the years with different bands and personalities. Not all Nations have a nice arbor and they want to Pow Wow so they do what they have to to carry on their ways. Just because you paid to get into the Pow Wow doesn’t mean that it is always commercial. I know there are probably many people who visit Native American Pow Wows all over the country and they are under the assumption that this is something new. Norther Style Pow Wow singing is not something new. So if you want to participate, please don’t belittle any other post, or mine. I wanted to place some basic information here (because I feel comfortable with that), in hopes to strike up some good healthy and friendly information sharing. So if you consider your self a vet, then by all means share with the class. This first blog is not for the seasoned vet.