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Caribbean traditional instruments
The Caribbean (also known as the West Indies) is made up of many island states that speak English, Spanish or French.
Languages spoken on different islands
| English speaking islands | Spanish speaking islands | French speaking islands |
|---|---|---|
| Jamaica | Cuba | Haiti |
| The Bahamas | Puerto Rico | Martinique |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Dominican Republic | Guadeloupe |
Here are some of the more common instruments.
Cuban Percussion
| Percussion | Description |
|---|---|
| Batá. | double-headed batá drums used in ceremonies |
| Shekerés. | large gourd [Gourd: The dried and hollowed out shell of a fruit. ] rattles that are strung with beads or seeds |
| Conga drums. | large wooden, skin covered drums |
| Guataca. | cowbell played with a striker |
Puerto Rico Percussion
| Percussion | Description |
|---|---|
| Panderos. | small frame drums |
| Cuátro | small guitar-like instrument, it has five strings, two pairs and one single |
| Güiro. | gourd scraper, played with a wire fork called a pua |
| Cajón. | wooden boxes which you sit on and play by hitting with your hands |
Haiti Percussion
| Percussion | Description |
|---|---|
| Ason. | a calabash that is covered with a mesh of beads, used in Vodou ceremonies |
| Ogan. | a piece of flattened iron played with a metal striker used in Vodou ceremonies |
| Tcha-tcha. | a small rattle used in Vodou ceremonies |
Trinidad Percussion
The instruments that North Americans usually refer to as "steel drums" are called "pans" in Trinidad, the country in which they were invented.
Lead Pan or Tenor: the steel drum is divided into 30 notes, depicted by indentations in the surface. There would also be a bass, double seconds, guitars pans, cello pans and tenor bass pans.
Instruments used in religious ceremonies in Trinidad
| Percussion | Description |
|---|---|
| Dholak | double headed drum, generally played in an ensemble that also includes a harmonium |
| Dhantal | metal rod played with a striker |
| Tassa | double-headed bass drum |
| Jhanj | large pair of cymbals |
Bahamas percussion
| Percussion | Description |
|---|---|
| Goombay drums | made by attaching goatskins to metal containers, before a performance these drums must be heated to tighten their skins and heighten their tones |
| Tom-toms | small hand drums |
| Cowbells | metal bells hit with a stick |
Links
On bbc.co.uk
On the web
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