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Samba Instruments
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Surdo |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:38 |
 In Portuguese the word 'Surdo' means 'deaf'!
There are three sizes of surdo commonly used in a bateria:
The primeiro ('first') surdo or surdo marcaná is the largest and lowest in pitch of the surdos. The first surdo plays on the SECOND, stronger beat (the upbeat) of a samba.
The segunda ('second') surdo or surdo resposta is smaller and tuned higher than a primeiro surdo. A second surdo plays on the first beat of the samba, (the downbeat) providing a counter beat for the first surdo.
The terceiro ('third') surdo, or surdo cortador, is the smallest and highest pitched of all three surdos. It 'cuts' between the beats of the first and second surdo, playing variations in rhythm. |
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Repinique |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:45 |
 Played with one stick and a bare hand, or with two flexible plastic sticks, the repinique is a small, double-headed drum that is tuned very high. This instrument leads the bateria, signaling breaks and internal cues, and playing improvised solos. |
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Caixa |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:43 |
 The caixa is a military-style snare drum which lends samba its distinctive 'swing'. Some Brazilian snares called 'tarols' or 'malacachetas' have the snare strands on the top of the drum, making the sound drier than a typical marching drum. |
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Tamborim |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:46 |
 A small frame-drum played with a single stick or multi-pronged plastic beater (or in more intimate pagode samba settings, with the fingers). Using a technique called 'virado', the tamborim is twisted as it is struck, producing a distinctive 'tak-a-lak-a' rhythm. |
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Ganzá & chocalho |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:47 |
 Groups of canister or 'jingle' shakers that produce a range of different sounds. These instruments contribute to the samba swing. |
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Agogô |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:57 |
 Set of two (or three) pitched cowbells played with a beater. The bells can also be squeezed together to produce a 'chick' sound. |
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Reco-reco |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:54 |
 A scraper, typically made from wire springs stretched across a metal frame. This instrument is played by running a small metal rod across the springs to produce a 'shh-shh' sound. |
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Pandeiro |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:49 |
 An iconic Brazilian instrument! The pandeiro is a frame-drum with jingles that is held in the weaker hand and played by striking with the thumb, fingertips, heel of the hand and the whole hand. The pandeiro can produce such a range of timbres and variety of sounds that it is widely considered 'the complete percussion instrument'. Today, the pandeiro is featured as part of a bateria more as a spectacle than for its sound, as they are quickly drowned out by a 500-strong percussion section! The pandeiro is widely used in pagode ('soft') samba. |
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Cuíca |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:52 |
 (pronounced 'qweeka') - the cuíca makes an unusual sound that is often described as like that of a monkey laughing. The cuíca is a friction drum that is played by rubbing a stick within the shell of the drum with a piece of wet cloth or paper. The player simultaneously presses on the head of the drum to change the pitch. |
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Cavaco/cavaquinho |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:51 |
 A small guitar with 4 steel strings, the cavaquinho is the only melodic instrument permitted within a bateria. |
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Apito |
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Monday, 03 September 2007 03:52 |
 A whistle used by the 'mestre de bateria' (bateria leader) to signal breaks during a samba. |
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Newsflash |
Learn to play percussion with the Brisbane Samba School! We are always on the lookout for more percussionists. After all, in Brazil they play this music with over 500 drummers! We currently have vacancies for: - Surdo players
- Tamborim players
- Agogo players
- Caixa (snare) players
- Repinique players
- And more...
We'll teach you how to play! |
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Our instruments