- Types of musical ensembles
- Typical musical instruments of the Insular region
- The Tube bass or jar or bass tub.
- The Jawbone or Jawbone
- The Maraca
- The mandolin or bandolin
- The violin
- References
The musical instruments of the insular region of Colombia are a combination of typical instruments of the region and popular instruments worldwide.
The music of the Colombian insular region is a mixture of styles, due to the influence of the cultures of the inhabitants of the region.
Indigenous people, Africans, English, Spanish and Caribbean are the main contributors.
Types of musical ensembles
Each musical genre uses its own particular instruments. In the insular region of Colombia there are two basic types of musical groups that are:
Typical Set
It is made up of percussion instruments such as tube bass, jawbone and maracas, and string instruments such as violin, guitar and mandolin.
He interprets genres such as the mazurka, the waltz, the mento, among others.
Popular Set
It is made up of percussion instruments such as the drums, electronic instruments such as the electric guitar and keyboard, instruments such as the trumpet, and the saxophone complements the ensemble.
He interprets genres such as calypso, soka, reggae, among others.
Typical musical instruments of the Insular region
The Tube bass or jar or bass tub.
It is considered the most characteristic instrument of the typical rhythms of the insular region.
It consists of a zinc cylinder, with one end covered with a hole in the center through which a string passes, which is tightened with a rod. The sound is produced by vibration of the string.
It is a typical instrument from Trinidad, which arrived in the region and from that moment its sound replaced the drum in rhythms such as polka, mento, galop, top dance, among others.
The Jawbone or Jawbone
It is a musical instrument of English origin, whose name translates to jawbone. Widely used in different regions of Colombia and the rest of Latin America, but especially in the Islands of San Andrés and Providencia.
The instrument consists of a bone from the jaw of a horse, which was dried in the sun and its teeth loosen as a result.
The sound is produced by striking the wide part of the jaw with the fist, making the teeth vibrate in their cavities; or by rubbing a stick or other bone across the teeth.
The sound is characteristic of rhythms such as the mazurka, the polka, the waltz, the calypso, and the mento.
The Maraca
It is a percussion instrument of indigenous American origin. It consists of a jar or sphere filled with seed, grains, metal pieces, stones or glass, which in turn is pierced by a handle.
Shaking it produces a sound when the material inside hits the inner walls of the sphere. They are usually played in pairs, a maraca in each hand.
The mandolin or bandolin
4-string musical instrument of Italian origin.
It is made up of a resonance box that is usually domed or flat, attached to a neck, which ends in a pegbox from which four strings tighten.
The violin
Musical instrument rubbed strings, of Italian origin.
It is made up of a resonance box, attached to a neck that ends in a pegbox from which four strings tighten, which in turn must be rubbed by a bow made with a wooden bar and horsehair.
References
- Bermúdez, E. (1985). Musical instruments from Colombia. Bogotá: National University of Colombia.
- MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION COLOMBIA. (sf). INSTRUMENTS OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC. Retrieved on October 30, 2017, from www.colombiaaprende.edu.co
- Ocampo López, J. (2006). Colombian folklore, customs and traditions. Plaza y Janes Editores Colombia sa
- Pardo Rojas, M. (2009). Music and society in Colombia: Translations, legitimations and identifications. Editorial Universidad del Rosario.
- Shepherd, J., Horn, D., Laing, D., Oliver, P., & Wicke, P. (2003). Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World Part 1 Performance and Production, Volume 2. A&C Black.