originally posted on The Spear blog : here
Ethiopian music is primarily based on a five tone scale system. This is known as a pentatonic scale (‘penta’ means five, and ‘tonic’ means note). While most of the music uses a pentatonic scale, some melodies may be based on scales with as few as two or three notes. This is common in Ethiopian folk music, as well as children’s songs. On the other hand, some music in Ethiopia may even be diatonic. Diatonic scales contain 7 notes.
The Ethiopian word for “scale” is “kiñit”. The word “kiñit” describes both the scale being used, and sometimes the tuning of the instrument. This is because some instruments have strings with no frets, so the strings need to be tuned to the scale. These instruments include the krar, begena, and masinko.
There are four main kiñits that are used in Ethiopian music. These are the Tizita, Batti, Ambassel, and Anchihoye kiñits. Some of these have different versions or other modifications.
The Ambassel scale is a pentatonic scale widely used in the Gonder and Wollo regions of Ethiopia.
The notes of the scale (in the key of C) are C, Db, F, G and Ab. The intervals in the scale are a minor second, a major third, a major second, a minor second and a major third.
The scale is used in Ethiopian music for songs with historical themes.
A scale is a related set of pitches (not necessarily exact) that can be used as a compositional unit. It differs from a tuning or temperament since the latter is a system for tuning an instrument.
The chromatic scale can be played in Pythagorean tuning, meantone temperament, or 12-tone equal temperament, or indeed many different types of irregular musical temperament.
Alemayehu Fantaye & Yohannes Afework - 01 - Ambassel (3:53)
Tigist Assefa - 02 - Ambassel (7:08)
Unknown Amhara Musician Recorded In Dessie - 03 - Ambassel (3:24)
Admassou Abate - 04 - Ambassel (7:08)
Esubalew Adugna - 05 - Ambassel (4:37)
Betsat Seyoum & Abbebe Fekade - 06 - Ambassel (5:27)
Alemayehu Fantaye & Yohannes Afework - 07 - Ambassel (4:52)
Endeshaw Kelemwork & Etenesh Wassie - 08 - Ambassel (5:15)
Alemayehu Eshete-Alèm Girma Band-Amha Eshete-Girma Béyéné - 09 - Ambassel (5:31)
Gétatchèw Mèkurya - 10 - Ambassel (5:41)
Maritu Legesse - 11 - Ambassel (7:24)
Girma Yifrashewa - 12 - Ambassel (8:51)
Etenesh Wassie - 13 - Ambassel (9:43)
Genet Masresha - 14 - Ambassel (6:10)
