Tamborim
Encyclopedia
A tamborim is a small, round Brazil
ian frame drum
of Portuguese and African origin.
The frame is 6" in width and may be made of metal
, plastic
, or wood
. The head is typically made of nylon
and is normally very tightly tuned in order to ensure a high, sharp timbre and a minimum of sustain. The drum is devoid of snares or jingles.
The tamborim is used in many genres of Brazilian music. It is most commonly associated with samba
and pagode
, but is also used in chorinho, bossa nova
, and some northeastern folklore rhythms such as cucumbi.
In most musical styles, the tamborim is played with a small wooden drumstick. In samba-batucada
, it is played with a beater made of several flexible nylon
or polyacetal threads bound together. On rare occasions, it may be played with the fingers.
The tamborim is held with the weaker hand with the thumb either crossing the rim and resting on the drumhead
, or gripping the frame. The other fingers are curled under the rim, with the index typically applying and releasing pressure on the underside of the head to achieve higher or lower notes. The beater is held with the strong hand and the head is struck a little off-center.
A playing technique called virado is often used, in which the drum is flipped upside-down in the middle of the pattern, which produces one note that is slightly delayed, giving the samba its characteristic lilt. The instrument may also occasionally be struck on the rim.
Tamborim players alternate between the carreteiro, the main groove pattern, and other signature phrases which are easily distinguished above the other percussion instruments.
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 frame drum
Frame drum
A frame drum is a drum that has a drumhead width greater than its depth. Usually the single drumhead is made of rawhide or man-made materials. Shells are traditionally constructed of bent wood scarf jointed together; plywood and man-made materials are also used. Some frame drums have mechanical...
of Portuguese and African origin.
The frame is 6" in width and may be made of metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
, plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
, or wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
. The head is typically made of nylon
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...
and is normally very tightly tuned in order to ensure a high, sharp timbre and a minimum of sustain. The drum is devoid of snares or jingles.
The tamborim is used in many genres of Brazilian music. It is most commonly associated with 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...
and pagode
Pagode
Pagode is a Brazilian style of music which originated in Salvador, Bahia , and quickly went down to Rio de Janeiro region, as a subgenre of Samba. Pagode originally meant a celebration with lots of food, music, dance and party...
, but is also used in chorinho, bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
, and some northeastern folklore rhythms such as cucumbi.
In most musical styles, the tamborim is played with a small wooden drumstick. In samba-batucada
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...
, it is played with a beater made of several flexible nylon
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...
or polyacetal threads bound together. On rare occasions, it may be played with the fingers.
The tamborim is held with the weaker hand with the thumb either crossing the rim and resting on the drumhead
Drumhead
A drumhead is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum.-History:...
, or gripping the frame. The other fingers are curled under the rim, with the index typically applying and releasing pressure on the underside of the head to achieve higher or lower notes. The beater is held with the strong hand and the head is struck a little off-center.
A playing technique called virado is often used, in which the drum is flipped upside-down in the middle of the pattern, which produces one note that is slightly delayed, giving the samba its characteristic lilt. The instrument may also occasionally be struck on the rim.
Tamborim players alternate between the carreteiro, the main groove pattern, and other signature phrases which are easily distinguished above the other percussion instruments.