Brazilian music

Brazil is a distinct Portuguese-speaking region of Latin America. It has developed a number of traditional percussion instruments:

Brazilian instruments include the repinique, chocolo, apito, surdo, reco-reco, tamborim, ago-go, caixa de guerro

• Repinique: A small high-pitched double-headed drum used to play solo cues such as call and response.
• Chocolo: A shaker that plays notes throughout the piece/performance.
• Apito: A whistle used by the leader to signal an instruction to the group. For example: Start the piece, tamborim and agogo start a new rhythm, silent bar, solo improvisation etc.
• Surdo: A large bass drum that is hit with soft beaters. They keep a steady pulse and alternate between higher and lower pitches to keep everyone in time. They are divided into 2 groups: high and low.
• Reco-reco: A scraper, which plays the same time values as the chocolo.
• Tamborim: A small-headed drum with a single drumhead. The player can press and tighten the skin or dampen the sound while playing. Played with a drumstick and plays more complicated rhythms than the surdo or chocolo.
• Ago-go: A cowbell with 2 pitches, high and low. Held by the left hand and is hit with a drumstick. Notes can be dampened by the left hand to stop them ringing. Plays quite complicated rhythms.
• Caixa de guerro: A snare drum that is played with one hand facing upwards and the other in a loose closed hold facing downwards.

The Samba

The samba is a type of popular dance music with infectious rhythms and a number of features:

• Very syncopated [Syncopated: To alter a rhythm by accenting a weak beat. ] rhythm which gives the music an African sound
• Usually has a solo singer with alternating chorus, accompanied by percussion
• Dancing is done in a group dance, often in a circle
• In 2/4 time, with complex rhythms
• A distinct jazz influence

There are many different types of samba but the most popular is samba batucada.

Listen out for these elements in this example of Samba Batacuda.

In the second clip of One Note Samba, by the Brazilian Tropical Orchestra, listen for:

• The main melody - a single repeated note on the saxophone
• The syncopated rhythms
• The jazz influence