Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Top 10 Brazilian
Musical Instruments
!
Cavaquinho
This tiny four-stringed
Portuguese guitar provides
the melodic accompaniment
to
samba
. It is related to the
ukulele in Hawai'i.
@
Surdo
The enormous drum that
provides the pulsating beat
of
samba
.
£
Repenique
These are hand-held sharp
percussion drums, played in
unison to create the
distinctive rat-a-tat of
samba
.
Dancing to
gafieira
&
Samba Soul
This mix of Brazilian rhythms
with American soul singing was
created almost single-handedly
by Tim Maia - a Carioca who
moved to the USA and fell in
love with Motown.
*
Rap Brasileiro
$
Tamborim
A very tense, high timbre
compact drum used in
pagode
and
choro
. Unlike the
tambourine, it has no bells.
%
Pandeiro
A small, tight drum with
side-bells or
platinelas
, the
pandeiro
is used in most
Brazilian music.
In the 1980s, hip hop music
struck a chord with
favela
dwellers. These sounds were
fused with
repente
- a
rhythmical form of street poetry
that dates back to colonial times
- and Brazilian percussion to
form Rio's edgiest new sound.
(
Baile Funk
^
Timbal
A conical drum of varying
sizes that makes up part of a
samba
drum troupe.
&
Cuica
A friction drum played
with cloth, hands, and a
wooden stick with a unique
crying sound.
*
Caxixi
A distorted, bass-driven, DJ-
spun electronica with rap-vocals
and a
pagode
chorus often
accompanied by raunchy
dancing. Unlike rap, it has little
social conscience and focuses
on having a good time.
)
Vanguarda
A hand-held wicker basket
filled with seeds used in the
martial art dance
capoeira
.
(
Berimbau
A long-bowed instrument
with a single metal wire that
provides the percussive
twang in
capoeira
.
Brazil has produced some of
the world's most distinguished
jazz, experimental, and avant-
garde musicians. Their erudite,
eclectic styles - known
collectively as
vanguarda
- are
strongly influenced by African
and indigenous Brazilian music.
)
Atabaque
A long, conical drum used
in
candomblé
(a mix of Catholic
and African beliefs) rituals. It
can also be a rhythmic
accompaniment to
capoeira
.
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