Introducing Afriscore, a Web-Based Learning Systems for Scoring African Music Nuances: Musical-Engineering Approach to Culturally Informed Software Development

This study addresses the urgent need for culturally informed educational technologies by proposing a web-based learning system designed to capture the rhythmic, tonal, and performative nuances of African music. Existing music software rarely accommodates Afrocentric elements such as ululation, call and response, and polyrhythmic layering, resulting in limited pedagogical effectiveness and the marginalization of Indigenous sonic knowledge. To bridge this gap, the research introduces a “musical engineering” framework that integrates Indigenous epistemologies into scoring algorithms and interactive learning modules. Guided by user-centered design, the Semiotic Theory of Music, and Episto Musical Pedagogy Theory, the study employs prototype development, usability testing, and contextual analysis. Findings show that African compositional idioms can be effectively encoded, represented, and taught through digital platforms when cultural logic informs system architecture. The resulting platform, AfriScore, supports notation, playback, and pedagogical feedback, offering a scalable model for music education and heritage preservation. Beyond safeguarding cultural knowledge, AfriScore demonstrates how embedding Indigenous epistemologies can enhance software functionality and user engagement, providing a replicable model for global educational technology design. Future research should examine cross-regional adaptation and integration into formal curricula.

Algorithms, Epistemologies, Heritage, Rhythm, Software.

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