List of Caribbean chordophones

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This is a list of chordophones used in the Caribbean music area, including the islands of the Caribbean Sea, as well as the musics of Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Belize, Garifuna music, and Bermuda.

Contents

List

InstrumentTraditionHornbostel–Sachs classificationDescription
calorineSee tambou maringouin-
banjo [1]
Belize 321.312Guitar, used in Brukdown
bass guitar [1]
Jamaica 321.322Guitar, used in popular styles like ska, reggae and rocksteady
bass guitar, electric [2]
Trinidad and Tobago 321.322Electric bass guitar, used in soca
bass guitar, electric [2]
Garifuna music 321.312Electric bass guitar, used in punta
bass guitar, electric [2]
Belize 321.312Electric bass guitar, used in Brukdown
bass, upright [3]
Cuba 321.322Used in popular son ensembles, where it replaced the more traditional marimbula and botija
cuatro [4]
Dominican Republic 321.322Stringed instrument, part of some popular merengue groups' instrumentation
cuatro [4]
Puerto Rico 321.322Five-stringed instrument
guitar [3] [5]
Cuba 321.322Guitar, used for the Zapateo dance and other rural music
guitar [4]
Dominican Republic 321.322Guitar, part of some popular merengue groups' instrumentation
guitar [6]
Haiti 321.322Guitar, used in méringue
guitar [1]
Jamaica 321.322Guitar, used in popular styles like ska, reggae and rocksteady
guitar [7]
Martinique and Guadeloupe 321.322Guitar, used in zouk
guitar [8]
Trinidad and Tobago 321.322Guitar, used in traditional calypso, introduced from Venezuela
guitar, electric [2]
Trinidad and Tobago 321.322Electric guitar, used in soca
guitar, electric [2]
Garifuna music 321.312Electric guitar, used in punta
laúd [3] [5]
Cuba 321.321Seven double-stringed mandolin, used in son and other fields
maringouin, tambou [9]
calorine
Haiti 3 Earth bow, made from a covered hole in the ground, across which a bow is laid[ dubious ]
piano [3]
Cuba 3Used in popular genres like son
piano [4]
Dominican Republic 3Part of some merengue bands
seis [5]
Cuba 321.322Six double-stringed guitar
sitar [10]
Trinidad and Tobago 3 Indo-Caribbean stringed instrument
tres [3] [5]
Cuba 321.322Three double-stringed guitar, used in son and other rural folk genres
violin [4]
Dominican Republic 321.322Stringed instrument

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Manuel, pg. 75
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Manuel, pg. 82
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Manuel, pg. 30
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Manuel, pg. 43
  5. 1 2 3 4 Courlander, Harold (April 1942). "Musical Instruments of Cuba". The Musical Quarterly. 28 (2): 227–240. doi:10.1093/mq/XXVIII.2.227.
  6. Manuel, pg. 73
  7. Berrian, pg. 44
  8. Manuel, pg. 79
  9. Courlander, Harold (July 1941). "Musical Instruments of Haiti". The Musical Quarterly. 27 (3): 371–383. doi:10.1093/mq/XXVII.3.371.
  10. Ramnarine, Tina K. (1998). "Brotherhood of the Boat: Musical Dialogues in a Caribbean Context". British Journal of Ethnomusicology. 7: 1–22. doi:10.1080/09681229808567270.

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References