What Is the Name of a Guitar Made of Armadillo Shells?
Even with advances in modern technology, some instruments are fashioned from less conventional, low-tech materials. The charango is an example. This guitar-like stringed instrument uses an armadillo shell as its body.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
The charango is a stringed instrument that may have developed from the vihuela, an ancestor of the classical guitar brought to South America by the Spanish. Other potential predecessors include the bandurria, mandolin, and the lute. Many stories surround the history of the charango, however, it widely regarded to have evolved to its current state during the early 18th century as a result of Amerindian contact with Spanish settlers in what is now known as Bolivia.
Features
-
Although the charango is traditionally constructed from a dried armadillo shell back and a wooden body and neck, contemporary versions are mostly made of wood with a rounded back to replicate the sound of the original instrument. The wooden body and neck are typically formed from a single piece of wood that has been carved into shape, in contrast to most wooden, stringed instruments. Because the charango has 10 strings as opposed to the string standard of six, it requires a relatively large headstock, often exceeding the size of the body. The charango is visually similar to a small ukulele.
-
Tuning
-
The charango's five pairs of strings are tuned in the sequence, GCEAE much like the C-tuning of the ukulele, further reinforcing the comparison of the two instruments. The tuning of the charango is different from most stringed instruments as it disregards the octave; all 10 strings are tuned within a single octave. The pairs of strings are tuned, gg cc eE (with the thicker string tuned an octave lower) aa ee. Occasionally, octaves are also used in string pairs other than the middle "e" strings. The tonal range in most chords played on the charango is very narrow due to closer sounding harmonies.
Relatives
-
Like other stringed instruments, many variations or instrumental relatives exist. One such variant is the walaycho, which is smaller in size and tuned a fourth or a fifth higher than the charango. A larger relative, the charangón, is tuned a fourth, fifth or even an octave lower, while the also larger ronroco is usually tuned an octave lower than the charango in Bolivia and a fourth lower in Argentina. Yet another charango relative is the chillador which possesses the same tuning but has a flat back and steel strings
Identification
-
Being around for so many years, the charango has adopted multiple names and identities in different Andes cultures. Accordingly, the instrument is known as the Mulita and Tatu in Argentina, the Kirkinchu, or "Quirquinchu" in Bolivia, and the Kirki in Peru. These names are also subject to variation under the different dialect and slang of their location.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit armadillo image by Jose Hernaiz from Fotolia.com
