Field Techniques in Ethnomusicology: The Basongye (Republic of the Congo) Alan P. Merriam t is only recently that ethnomusicology has technique is oriented. While the two are I become aware of problems of its internal inseparable in the actual pursuit of a field organization and approach, as opposed to those problem, they are quite different when one is which arise in connection with the data it has considering the formulation of that problem: gathered and subjected to analysis. Thus a series of technique, then, refers to the day-by-day solution articles in the journal Ethnomusicology, running from of the problem of data-gathering, while method 1956 through 1962, emphasized the problem of encompasses both these techniques and the much definition of the term “ethnomusicology,” and wider variety of problems involved in creating the discussion, to a lesser extent of what framework for field research. ethnomusicology does and how it does it. At the I must confess, with some apology, that I am Seventh Annual Meeting of the Society for not quite clear as to whether this conference has Ethnomusicology in November and December of been called to consider field 1962, a plenary session was method or field technique. Both devoted to the purposes of in telephone conversation and ethnomusicology. And now this correspondence, the words “field conference is directed toward the method” have been stressed, but extremely important question of the content of these field technique in communications has been ethnomusicology. These are all concerned with “field pressing problems, and the fact of techniques.” I am making the their increasing discussion assumption, therefore—I hope indicates a growing maturity in correctly—that it is field the discipline symptomatic of a technique which is under healthy dissatisfaction with the discussion here, and not the lack of theoretical knowledge as broader problems of field well as of factual data. method. At the same time, since Ethnomusicology has reached it seems to me that technique the point at which it must sit cannot be discussed significantly down and examine itself if it is to without a prior consideration of fulfill the potential predicted for method, it seems necessary to it by the earliest scholars in the make at least some general discipline. remarks concerning the latter. I find it necessary to make one distinction at I feel rather strongly that ethnomusicology in the outset, and this concerns the difference the past has given too much of its attention to between field technique and field method. data-gathering without suitable consideration of “Technique” for me refers to the details of data- the framework within which data-gathering must gathering in the field; that is, such questions as the inevitably be couched. This is emphasized in the proper use of informants, the establishment of literature of the discipline which tends to be rapport, the importance of vacation periods both devoted in greatest part to the analysis of the for the investigator and for those he investigates, sounds of music without reference to their cultural and so forth. Field method, on the other hand, is matrix, to the description of music instruments as much broader in its scope, encompassing the physical forms, and very seldom indeed to what major theoretical bases through which field music is and does in human society. Merriam, Field Techniques Ethnomusicology to this point has tended strongly concepts which lie behind music behavior, and to be concerned primarily with descriptive other similar questions. materials and studies; it has emphasized the Again, there will be a considerable difference “what” of music sound rather than the broader both between the planning and the approach of question of “why” and “how.” This, of course, has the student who wishes to make a music survey of not been ethnomusicology’s exclusive a broad area, as opposed to him who wishes to preoccupation, but it has taken a primary position make an intensive depth study of music in a single in our studies. culture. Thus is precisely that we tend to stress field Or a substantial distinction will be found techniques rather than the total context out of between the methods and techniques of the which these techniques arise, for techniques are scholar who is pursuing his research for the sake of concerned with data-gathering, while method goes expanding knowledge in general, and the scholar much more deeply into the reasons which lie who is attempting to solve questions the solution to behind data-gathering and the formulations of which are to be used in a practical, applied way. problems and hypotheses which validate the kinds These three brief examples indicate that the of techniques we use. Field method, then, involves orientation of the investigator has a major effect much more than the techniques of gathering data, on the approach used in fieldwork. The for before data can be gathered—unless the study relationship among theory, conceptual framework, is entirely descriptive and devoid of other aims— method, and technique is a close one; no fieldwork the investigator must face the fundamental exists in a vacuum. This does not imply that the problems of hypothesis, field problems, research field worker can simply fall back upon his general design, and in all of these, the relevance of theory orientation and rely upon it to take care to method. automatically of his research project. To the To a considerable extent, it is the last—the contrary, any such project requires the careful relevance of theory to method—which is the most delimitation of problem, hypothesis, and research important and perhaps the least understood, for design, each of which, in turn, will be shaped by no problem can be designed in terms of basic the underlying theoretical orientation of the hypotheses without consideration of theory. student. Herskovits has expressed this with great cogency in Again I must apologize for such a lengthy noting “…the fact that the conceptual scheme of introduction to remarks upon field techniques. Yet the student deeply influences not only the it seems vital to me that we understand that field execution of a given field problem but also the way technique does not operate in a vacuum; rather, it in which it is formulated and planned” (1954: 3). is shaped, and even to an extent limited, by the A number of examples of the relevance of organization of the entire field project, which in theory to execution can be given. Is the aim of the turn is a product of the student’s own theoretical study to record and to analyze music sound, or is it orientation. This is why amateurism in any field of to understand music in the context of human study is such a difficult problem. We do not resent behavior? If the former point of view is taken, then the amateur because he is amateur; rather, it is the primary orientation of the field worker will be because he brings nothing, or very little, to what toward recording an adequate sample of music he studies. And if one approaches a field without sound in order that this may be returned to the bringing anything to it, he goes away empty- laboratory for analysis. If the latter is the aim, then handed. Ethnomusicology has done its share of the field worker becomes almost automatically an suffering over the problem, and probably for two anthropologist, for his concern is not more upon reasons. In the first place, the collection of music the recorded sample than it is upon the much appears to be a simple matter—one obtains a tape broader questions of the use and function of recorder, takes it to the field, and in effect, turns it music, the role and status of musicians, the on—presto, chango, he is an ethnomusicologist. But second, much of the work in our field appears 2 Merriam, Field Techniques to have been done almost that simply and with no depends upon the understanding of the total greater aim than to gather music sound facts. cultural context in which the music is found. In any case, let me now turn to the Basongye. Research design: The intention was to spend fifteen months in the field, though the grant I itself was for one year. The first ten months of this period were to be spent in a single village The Basongye are a group of agriculturalists concentrating upon general ethnography, but and hunters who live in the eastern Kasai Province with constant attention given to music, and to of the Republic of the Congo (formerly the Belgian gathering both broad and specific data. The Congo). They have apparently been in their three following months were to be given to th present location since the 15 century when they intensive study of music alone, based upon the were the founders of the First Baluba Empire. ethnographic information gathered by that Dispersed by the Arab slave wars in the 1880s, time. The last two months were scheduled for they regrouped themselves about 1900 into three spot-checking the data for the village against major divisions—the so-called “pure” Basongye in the situation in other neighboring villages in the east, the Bekalabwe in the South, and the Bala order to obtain an idea of the degree to which in the northwest; it is the last group which came to my information could be generalized for the form the basis for my study. Bala and, hopefully, for the Basongye as a Late in 1958, I received a grant from the whole. National Science Foundation, later augmented by Theoretical orientation: While this is obviously too funds from the Belgian American Educational complex to detail, my theoretical orientation Foundation, and, to Mrs.