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Learn about the Cavaquinho, a string instrument from Brazil, part of the guitar family, consisting of four metal or wire strings. Free lesson at TuCuatro.
- Cuíca
- Bandolim
- Pandeiro
- Alfaia
- Ganza
- Cavaquinho
- Atabaque
- Caxixi
- Agogô
- Berimbau
Up first is the Cuíca, a type of friction drum that produces a very distinctive high-pitched sound. The body of this drum is made either of metal or synthetic material. Its head, made of animal skin, is about six to 10 inches in diameter. It has a bamboo stick attached to the center of the drum head and runs perpendicular to the drum’s interior. To...
The Brazilian Bandolimevolved from the mandolin. The Portuguese colonizers are responsible for introducing this instrument to the country. The man considered a master of this instrument was Jacob do Bandolim. The Bandolim is a small, lute-like instrument. It has a straight fretted neck, a pear-shaped body, and a flat back. Unlike traditional mandol...
Another percussion instrument on our list is the Pandeiro,a round-hand drum. Think of a tambourine. However, Pandeiro has a crisper tone due to the cupped metal jingles attached to the sidewall. There are many ways to play this instrument. You hold it in one hand and use the other to strike the head to make a sound. There are also patterns you can ...
Yet another percussion instrument is the Alfaia, a wooden drum made of animal skin loosened using ropes placed on the body of the instrument. It measures between 16 and 22 inches in diameter. The drum head is clamped to the body with the help of wooden hoops. As Alfaia is a little bulky, it has to be strapped over the shoulder. The instrument is pl...
Our next instrument is the Ganzá, also known as the Brazilian rattle. This is a cylindrically shaped hand instrument made from either a hand-woven basket or a metal canister. It’s filled with pebbles, beads, or similar items to produce a sound. The metal canisters produce a louder sound. If you’re familiar with the African calabash and Indian marac...
Up next is a string instrument called the Cavaquinho. This is a small guitar-like instrument with four wires and is considered a cousin of the ukulele. In Brazil, it is called the Cavaquinho Brasileiro (Brazilian cavaquinho). Its smaller version is called the Cavaco. The Cavaquinho is similar to a guitar in its shape and the use of metal strings. T...
Our list seems to be dominated by percussion instruments as we got the Atabaquenext. Also known as Atabaque de Corda, this is a drum-like instrument with Afro-Brazilian origins. Traditionally, the Atabaque shell is made of Jacaranda wood from Brazil, and the head is made from calfskin. Ropes intertwine around the body and connect a metal ring at th...
Our next instrument on the list is the Caxixi, a percussion instrument that’s played by shaking. The body of the instrument is made of wicker woven into the shape of a bell. The bottom is made of dried gourd, and the inside contains seeds. There is a handle at the top of the bell for ease of playing. The Caxixi is usually played alongside another B...
The Agogôis an instrument consisting of one or two bells. Arguably, this is the oldest samba instrument and is connected to the Afro-Brazilian culture. Originally, the Agogô was made from wrought iron. However, it’s now produced using metals of all shapes and sizes to create different sounds. The Agogô usually comes with two metallic bells in the s...
One of the most common traditional instruments in Brazil is the Berimbau. This is a single-stringed percussion instrument popular in the Afro-Brazilian community. The Berimbau consists of the following parts: verga, cabaça, arame, dobrão, and baqueta. Verga is the wooden bow, traditionally made of biribáwood, that grows in Brazil. The bow is four t...
There are several forms of cavaquinho used in different regions and for different styles of music. Separate varieties are named for Portugal , Braga ( braguinha ), Minho ( minhoto ), Lisbon , Madeira , Brazil , and Cape Verde ; other forms are the braguinha , ‘ cavacolele ’, cavaco, machete , and ukulele .
The Cavaco has a body shape with curves similar to a guitar and uses metal strings. But curiously, only uses four strings like a Cuatro or a Ukulele. The traditional Cavaco is built with between 17 to 19 frets, allowing for a wide range of notes and chords for playing traditional songs.
Sep 11, 2020 · There are currently two types of cavaquinhos in mainland Portugal, which correspond to many other areas: the Minho type and the Lisbon type. It is undoubtedly fundamentally in Minho that the cavaquinho appears today as a typically popular species, linked to the essential forms of music characteristic of this province.
The strings that are made for Cavaquinhos are made of very thin metal. Therefore, you should only use cavaquinho strings and not substitutes or other instrument’s strings. The typical set of strings for Cavaquinho will come as follow: 1st string (metal) lower – Note D. 2nd string (metal) – Note G. 3rd string (metal) – Note B.
People also ask
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Some of the other names that the cavaquinho is known by include cavaco, manchete, marchete, machete, machimbo, machim, braguinho or braguinha. The cavaquinho was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese explorers. Cavaquinhos are made from wood and outfitted with four wire strings.
