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Sogo SogoThe next most visible drum among the indigenous instrumental resources of the Anlo-Ewe is called Sogo. Sogo has a dual traditional role as lead drum in some musical structures and a supporting drum in others. Sogo's carved cylindrical shape looks somewhat like Atsimevu cut into half, just below the expansion in the middle section, and closed at the bottom. It is roughly about twenty-six inches tall with a drum head of about (nine inches in diameter and an expansion in the middle section of about fifteen inches in diameter. The name Sogo was derived from a description of the shape of the drum that looks somewhat similar to the shape of a large gourd calabash commonly used in sacrificial offerings to So, an Ewe divinity associated with thunder. (lit. So - Divinity associated with thunder + go - gourd-calabash). In performance, the player sits on a short stool behind sogo with a firm relaxed body as the hands go into motion supported in position form the elbows. The actual swing of the hand is done from the wrist.
Tonality And Performance Techniques As a lead drum, the tonality and performance techniques of sogo are exactly like that of atsimevu. As a supporting drum the most common method of releasing the initial vibration of sogo is by striking the membrane with a stick technique. Support Drum Basic Pitch: "De" There are two types of stick techniques in the art of support drumming. Each of these techniques produces a distinct pitch of the support drum pitch series. The first stick technique produces a middle range pitch referred to in vocal syllables as "De" or "Ge". This is achieved by delivering a stick shot which rebounds after striking the center of the drum head, allowing the membrane to vibrate in its entirety. The syllables "De" is normally assigned to strokes delivered by the strong hand and "Ge" is assigned to strokes produced by the weak hand.
Support Drum Pitch "Ku" or "Tu" An alternate stick technique releases a partial vibration of the membrane by pressing the stick firmly on the drum head to prevent it from bouncing after the stroke is delivered. This technique produces a pitch commonly referred to in the vocal syllable as "Ku" or "Tu.." The syllables "Tu" is normally assigned to strokes delivered by the strong hand and "Ku" is assigned to strokes produced by the weak hand. In comparison with the pitches "De" and Ge, the pitches "Ku" and "Tu" are higher.
All information was kindly donated by CK Ladzekpo author of the Foundation Course for African Dance Drumming |
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