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Instruments
Our INSTRUMENTS Drums are divided into two main groups: the Surdos and the “Kitchen Instruments” including the Tamborim, Caixa (ca-sha), Repinique (hep-pi-nique), Agogo and Chocalho (cho-ca-lio).
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The Surdo is the Bass Drum of a Samba Group and also the largest of all drums. read more»
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The Tamborim is used to highlight the strongest part of a tune providing punctuation for the melody. read more»
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The Caixa has the fastest rhythm of all drums. read more»
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The Repinique is used as a solo instrument, providing the correct speed for the entrance of the other instruments for call and response breaks. read more»
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This Agogo is a metal bell with 2 or 4 sounds. It provides the melodic section of the Samba and adds richness to the rhythm.
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The Chocalho is a very large powerful shaker. read more»
This drum ranges in size from 16” to 24” in diameter. They are usually made of wooden or aluminium frames with plastic or animal head skins. Generally, a Samba Group will have 3 Surdo Sections – each Section with a different tuning of the Drums. So there will be a “low”, a “medium” and a “high” tuned Section. Depending on the rhythms being played, the low and mid Surdo Sections usually hold the beat, while the high Surdo provides the rhythm.
It is a 6” drum made of metal, wood or plastic; very similar to the tambourine but without any jingles. It has a plastic head and is played with a special flexible stick using short and powerful strokes for best high pitch sounds.
It is a Brazilian snare drum. It’s size ranges from 12” to 14” in diameter; usually aluminium shells with plastic heads and wire snares stretched across one head. The Caixa supports the rhythm of the Surdo with its fast, repetitive rhythms. It fills a lot of the spaces within the rhythm, with lots of ghost notes, propping up the accents.
This drum is 8” to 12” in diameter with an aluminium shell and plastic heads. Its function is to complement the Tamborim and to support the Surdo.
It is made of wood or metal with a number of steel jingles. It helps to bed down the basic pattern of the rhythms, and along with the Caixa helps sustain and ‘fill’ the rhythm.