Do we have any World or International Instruments used in our songs?

[Nemo]

Hey everyone 👋

 

So I’ve been working on a paper for class about world music, and it really got me thinking about our own music culture. Specifically, I’m curious — what songs do we have that incorporate instruments or styles from around the world? I don’t just mean the usual piano, violin, drums, or flute — but songs that feel multicultural or globally inspired. Maybe something with a unique rhythm, harmony, or instrument that reflects the diversity of Jehovah’s people.

 

Have you noticed any Original Songs, Kingdom Melodies, or even Meeting Songs that stand out in that way? I feel like some of the newer compositions especially show how far our music has come — not just in sound, but in representing the unity of our global brotherhood.

 

I’d love to hear your suggestions or anything you’ve noticed! I think this could also spark some good conversations with the friends — talking about how much our music has developed and what it means to us as a people with one voice and one hope. 🎶🌍

 

Thanks in advance! Any thoughts are welcome 🤗

Edited yesterday at 03:51 AM by Nemo

[Jwanon]

You are asking for a song that contains a blend of several cultural styles within?

[LeolaRootStew]

The "Commit Your Way to Jehovah" soundtrack and particularly the song by the same name mixes African music/instruments with a traditional orchestra. You can hear the orchestra more clearly around 1:50 until it blends back in with the African instruments.

 

https://www.jw.org/en/media-items/#en/mediaitems/AudioCYWSoundtrack/pub-cywst_8_AUDIO

[Qapla]

Song #76 "How Does it Make You Feel" has a Jamaican beat

 

The Original Song "Living Peacefully in a Peaceless World" has a Country Music beat.

 

[jdcarlson]

There are several items to consider when we talk about "world music."

 

One big thing is the origin of the musical mode or scale. 

 

Most western music is built around a 12 tone scale (even though it is called an "octave" indicating 8 from its latin roots - but "octave" just talks about the white notes on a keyboard instrument).

 

Music originating in other cultures will use a different number of tones in thier scale. I remember a Chinese gentlement explaining it that some abroginal notes in their scale are "in the cracks" between the notes of a western scale.

 

I have played western style music (12 tone scale) over 70 years, and am very familiar with that.

 

But I have heard of five tone scales  -  just don't ask me give a better description.

 

On frustating thing is that we have no extant musical notation information from about 800 CE.  There are some "chants" in the Catholic church that may be older, and are still sung, but we have no copies of how the music was notated.

 

We know music existed in very ancient times, because remnants of the instruments have been found. But, how they were tuned, or how the music was notated so others could play it is as present not know.

 

That is one of the things I hope for in the New System when some of those who lived in David's time, or close to that, may come back in the resurrection, and we can ask them about their music.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim