ong the majority of Native Americans is pretty short and to the point. Songs consist of short, easy to remember phrases. They aren’t just for ceremonial purposes, but for everyday life as well. They are important during religious or spiritual ceremonies. During these events, however, most songs are designated a time in which they will be performed.American Indian life in the present time can be characterized as one big melting pot. Some societies try to preserve their own identity, while other groups came together in some way and brought their cultures together. A lot of what is known about their music has come from the past century when technological advancements were just beginning to take place. It was also during this period of time that there was a lot of turmoil between the whites. It was obvious that each tribe had its own musical identity, whether it dealt with style, uses of, or ideas of what music was. At that time there were thousands of groups, all speaking their own language, and each had several songs to accompany ceremonies, dances, and to divide society. Anthropologists have put them into categories according to their ways of life. When comparing Native American music to that of other cultures it is obvious that their music is a lot less complex. It consists of a single melodic line and is almost totally vocal. Almost all songs are strophic(verses change, yet accompaniment remains the same). There are also shorter songs in which a couple of lines are repeated often. Basically, all of the music sounds very similar and percussion is almost always incorporated. Only if one is extremely picky, will he or she realize the uniqueness of each tribe.There are also many musical areas among the Native Americans. The first is the Plains area, which is the most distant and distinct of western music . Nettle states, “ It’s characteristic form consists of stanzas internally arranged as follows: a shor...
