What scale is often used in traditional music from Sub-Saharan Africa?

The pentatonic scale is often utilized in traditional music from Sub-Saharan Africa due to its simplicity and versatility. This scale consists of five notes per octave, making it conducive for creating melodies that can easily be played and sung. The pentatonic scale allows for a rich variety of musical expression while avoiding dissonance, which is particularly important in many traditional musical practices where community participation and accessibility are key.

In Sub-Saharan African music, the pentatonic scale can be heard across various genres, from folk songs to more intricate forms of dance and ceremonial music. Its prevalence is linked to cultural traditions that favor melody over harmony, allowing for improvisation and participation among performers. Additionally, instruments commonly found in Sub-Saharan music, such as the mbira or kora, are often tuned to fit the intervals of the pentatonic scale, further embedding this tonal system in the local music practices.

The other scales mentioned are less commonly associated with traditional music from this region. The chromatic scale comprises all twelve pitches within an octave and is more characteristic of Western music, the whole tone scale consists of six whole steps and lacks the tension and resolution that is integral to many musical forms, and microtonal scales involve intervals smaller than a semitone