Repinique
Encyclopedia
A repinique is a two-headed Brazil
ian drum
used in samba
bateria
s (percussion ensembles). It is used in the Rio de Janeiro
and São Paulo
Carnival
baterias and in the baterias of Bahia
, where it is known as repique. It is equivalent to the tom-tom
in the non-Brazilian drum kit or to the tenor drum in marching bands. It is tuned very high to produce a tone that cuts through the sound of the rest of the bateria and it is a lead and solo instrument.
Typically its body is made of metal. The heads, made of nylon, are tightened through the use of metal tuning rods. The instrument is usually smaller in diameter than the Brazilian caixa
(snare drum) but several inches longer in height and lacking a snare. It is carried using a shoulder strap attached to one of the tuning rods. In Rio-style samba it is played with one wooden stick and one hand. In Bahia it is played with two wooden sticks usually but in some cases also like the Rio-style (the bloco afro Ilê Aiyê
for example). It may also be played with two thin plastic "whippy" sticks.
The repinique was established in samba percussion in the 1950's. Then, this drum was made out of wood with natural heads made from goatskin. Also the manner of playing was different. For example, in the soundtrack to the movie Black Orpheus
one may hear the sound at that time.
Baterias commonly include a group of repinique players whose patterns set the tempo to which the rest of the bateria plays by elaborating on the basic "1-2-3-4" rhythmic structure typical of samba. The repinique is also often used by the musical director as a lead instrument, producing calls to which the rest of the bateria responds in a set fashion.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
used in samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
bateria
Bateria
The term bateria means “drum kit” in Portuguese and Spanish. In Brazil, the word is also used for a form of Brazilian samba band, the percussion band or rhythm section of a Samba School...
s (percussion ensembles). It is used in the Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
baterias and in the baterias of Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
, where it is known as repique. It is equivalent to the tom-tom
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
in the non-Brazilian drum kit or to the tenor drum in marching bands. It is tuned very high to produce a tone that cuts through the sound of the rest of the bateria and it is a lead and solo instrument.
Typically its body is made of metal. The heads, made of nylon, are tightened through the use of metal tuning rods. The instrument is usually smaller in diameter than the Brazilian caixa
Caixa
Caixa might mean:*A caixa is a Brazilian snare drum.*La Caixa is the common name of a Spanish bank.**La Caixa, Barcelona, skyscrapes of La Caixa bank.*Caixa Econômica Federal, a large state-owned development Bank in Brazil....
(snare drum) but several inches longer in height and lacking a snare. It is carried using a shoulder strap attached to one of the tuning rods. In Rio-style samba it is played with one wooden stick and one hand. In Bahia it is played with two wooden sticks usually but in some cases also like the Rio-style (the bloco afro Ilê Aiyê
Ilê Aiyê
The Afro-Brazilian group Ilê Aiyê was founded on 1974 by Antônio Carlos “Vovô” and Apolônio de Jesus in the neighborhood of Liberdade, the largest black population area of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil....
for example). It may also be played with two thin plastic "whippy" sticks.
The repinique was established in samba percussion in the 1950's. Then, this drum was made out of wood with natural heads made from goatskin. Also the manner of playing was different. For example, in the soundtrack to the movie Black Orpheus
Black Orpheus
Black Orpheus is a 1959 film made in Brazil by French director Marcel Camus. It is based on the play Orfeu da Conceição by Vinicius de Moraes, which is an adaptation of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, setting it in the modern context of a favela in Rio de Janeiro during the Carnaval...
one may hear the sound at that time.
Baterias commonly include a group of repinique players whose patterns set the tempo to which the rest of the bateria plays by elaborating on the basic "1-2-3-4" rhythmic structure typical of samba. The repinique is also often used by the musical director as a lead instrument, producing calls to which the rest of the bateria responds in a set fashion.