DBNSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC — II 15 



tained a keynote, and could be expressed with reasonable accuracy 

 in musical notation. In recording several hundred songs there have 

 been a few instances in which singers have tried to improvise parts 

 of songs which they could not remember and have even "made up 

 songs as they went along." These attempts were readily discovered 

 and the records discarded, together with the efforts of those who, 

 like some members of the white race, ''could not carry a tune." Indi- 

 ans distinguish clearly between competent and incompetent singers, 

 and when the purpose of the writer's work was fuUy understood they 

 recommended only such of their number as were good singers. 



The management of the breath by a Chippewa singer is radically 

 different from that of a member of the white race. This is indicated 

 by the fact that rests occur in only 13 (4 per cent) of the songs, about 

 half of these being songs of the Mide' ceremonies, which are charac- 

 terized by forcible ejaculations. The Chippewa sing almost con- 

 tinuously for several hours at a time, each song being repeated an 

 indefinite number of times. In some instances the measure which 

 connects the song and its repetition is a complete measure and is so 

 indicated in the transcription, but in many others the song is com- 

 pleted as transcribed and the singer at once begins the repetition, 

 disregarding uniformity of measure-lengths. 



The accents are clearly given and never vary in the repetitions of 

 the song. By these accents the measure-lengths of the transcription 

 are determined. In many instances it was necessary to reduce the 

 speed of the phonograph greatly in Order to discern a metric unit or 

 any note-value on which a transcription could be based, but when 

 tliis metric unit was discovered it could easily be traced throughout 

 the song and its repetitions, and could be heard clearly when the 

 original speed of the phonograph was restored. In the writer's 

 experience the metric unit and the measure-length are practically 

 without variation in the repetitions of Chippewa songs, and the note- 

 values are changed only when words are introduced, or occasionally 

 m the closing phrases of a song, which are often without special 

 interest or importance. 



The songs are usually accompanied by the drum, though the rattle 

 is frequently used with Mkle' songs and the songs connected with the 

 use of medicine. The musical instruments of the Chippewa are 

 described in Bulletin 45 (p. 11), and will be considered also in the 

 group analyses of the songs in the present volume. 



Why do the Chippewa Sing? 



Investigation of the origin and use of Chippewa songs leads to the 

 conclusion that most of them are connectel, either directly or 

 indirectly, with the idea of reliance on supernatural help. This 

 idea rarely assumes the form of direct address, though one song 



