Cabasa
The Cabasa or Cabaça (Portuguese: bottle gourd) is a percussion instrument from Latin America . The original Afro-Brazilian form of the vessel rattle consists of the fruiting body of a bottle gourd to which a handle is attached. The surface of the calabash is covered with a network of fruit pits or pearls. The industrially manufactured Cabasa comes from the original instrument called Afuche ('pumpkin rattle'), see also Shékere . It is composed of a handle made of wood or plastic with a cylindrical head part and a surrounding profile sheet. The sheet metal is covered with tight-fitting metal pearl chains, which enable precise, fine-pearled and rustling sounds. Further names are afoxê, afuxê, cabasa, cabaza, sekere, shekere .
Cabasas are available in different materials, designs and sizes, including those that are suitable for children. There are also instructions for self-construction. In addition to its use in Latin American music , it is a common instrument in music education and music therapy .
There are two common playing techniques:
- With one, the open and slightly rounded palm is placed on the pearl necklaces and the handle is turned with jerky movements. This creates a metallic rattling noise of different lengths, depending on the shortness and speed of rotation. Variation: By slightly turning the handle and the palm or the pearl necklaces against each other, a flowing rhythm is created that can be accentuated as required.
- With the other playing technique, the Cabasa is held in the hand by the handle so that the handle is vertical and the cylindrical head part is horizontal. By shaking the cabasa back and forth, the incompletely fitting pearl necklaces hit the front and back of the cabasa. This technique creates a "rattlesnake-like" rattle.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Lexicon of musical instruments: cabasa
- ↑ Grove Music Online: Cabaca