Idiophones

Howard Mayer Brown in the grove music dictionary defines idiophones as the “general term for musical instruments that produce their sound by setting up vibrations in the substance of the instrument itself.”. These instruments produce their sound by being struck, plucked, blown, or vibrated by friction.” (Oxford Dictionary of Music, 6 ed.). In the Velez region, idiophone instruments are mainly constructed by local people using different materials, such as cane, pita, seeds, bones and others. Vélez idiophone instruments are: alfandoque, chucho, esterillas, Quiribillos, guacharaca, cucharas and carraca.

Alfandoque:

The alfandoque is a cylindrical instrument that resembles the rain stick in smaller dimensions (see Photo 10). Its length can vary between 20 to 25 cm and its diameter is 5 to 8 cm. Segundo Rivera confirms that historically the body of this instrument was made of a hollowed-out yarumo filled with and chisgas or chuchas. John M. Schechter states that the inside of the alfandoque might contain “seeds, stones, or shot pellets”. Inside the instrument, “[s]mall sticks pierce the tube diametrically to keep the seeds in place and increase their vibrations. It might have two series of slits cut parallel to the length in both the top and bottom portions of the cane”. (Schechter 2014)

Alfandoque role

The alfandoque has a secondary role in the music ensemble however its sound projection can be quite noticeable. This instrument is closed at both ends and its sound is produced by shaking it vertically or horizontally with one or two hands. The alfandoque is used to accompany the guabina, a song genre, and the danza de torbellino (whirling dance) along with tiple, requinto, flute, and bandola.

The alfandoque is also performed in other countries such as Ecuador and it is very used in the Andean regions of Colombia. Schechter mentions that In the department of Cundinamarca, this instrument receives the name of chucho, however in Velez music, chucho makes reference to another percussion instrument in Vélez that will be explained next.

Chucho

The chucho is an idiophone made of half of the trunk of a totumo or calabazo, seeds and a kerchief called rabuegallo. The seeds are placed in the totumo or calabazo which is covered by a kerchief or a piece of cloth that prevents the “escape” of the seeds or grains that are contained inside (See Photo 5). The Fundacion BAT, says that this instrument was devised using various household utensils. Although the names of the instruments can vary depending on the region, it is important to clarify that the chucho in Vélez is completely different from the alfandoque. Luz Mery Rivera relates that the chucho is an easy instrument to make and that his grandfather, Segundo Rivera, used to make them when traveling to Chiquinquira while participating in romerias (Catholic pilgrimages).

Chucho role

Similar to the alfandoque, the chucho plays a secondary role in the music ensemble. It is commonly given to the youngest members of the ensemble as its size can be customized accordingly to the age of the performer.

Quiribillos

Quiribillos are made of castilla cane cylinders of approximately 10 to 15 cm in length and pita (string). The number or cylinders can vary between 12 to 15 depending on the width of the cylinder. The cylinders are open at both ends (see light brown cylinders in Photo 6), and the strings pass through the inside of the canes forming a cylindrical shape; enough string is left at the two extremes to be able to create a knot (see white extreme parts on Photo 6). Koorn argues that this instrument is only found “where there are guabinas, namely, Santander and Boyaca” (1977, 51). He also argues that this instrument receives other names in Boyacá such as quiriviño, piribique, and triviño (1977, 51).

To play this instrument, the player takes the two extremes of the remaining strings (“pita”) with each hand and then they move their hands vertically in opposite directions or one hand remains static while the other one moves. Its sound is produced when the two ends of the pita are pulled, causing the tubes to collide with each other.

Quiribillos role

The quiribillos plays a secondary role amongst the percussion instruments. It is usually given to the youngest members of the ensemble and its sound projection varies depending on the size. As this music has a participatory character, the younger members will imitate the older members of the ensemble. It is expected that at one point the younger members can follow the subdivision of a ¾ metre present in the Torbellino. This instrument is mainly present in Colombia specially in the Andean region, including the departments of Santander, Boyacá and Cundinamarca.

Esterillas

The esterillas is like the quiribillos as it is made from the same materials (cane and strings) and it follows similar rhythmic patterns present in Vélez music. Sometimes the length of the cylinders can vary but generally it is similar to the quiribillos (between10 to 15 cm of length). One of the main differences with the quiribillos is the number of can cylinders and their organization. The esterilla can have in between 20 to 30 can cylinders, depending on their widths and they are organized horizontally forming the shape of an estera (mat). According to Blanca Rivera, the name of this instrument derives from the organization of the cane and its mat-like shape: at each end, the instrument has two semicircle handles in which the performer puts their hands to rub the canes.

The sound of this instrument is produced by the friction of the cane cyclinders. Each hand is placed in one handle and the musician moves their hands vertically up and down rubbing the canes against each ohter.

Estrellas role

Similar to the quiribillos, the esterillas can be played by younger members and has a secondary role in the percussion section. However it is important to note that the size of the handles and the length of the instrument varies according to the musician’s age.

Cucharas

The chucharas are a pair of spoons that usually made from the wood of the granadillo, cucharo or naranjo (Caceres 2012, 54; BAT 2021). The two wooden spoons are struck on their convex side to produce the sound (see cucharas video minute 0:48). The spoons are struck against the palm of the hand and the thigh of the performer. The spoons can be separated or fused. If the spoons are separated, the player holds them together with thumb and middle finger, with their index finger between the spoons to create a lever. The name of the instrument comes from its shape, as the word cucharas means “spoons” in English. The website for the private instrument collection of Alfonso Viña Calderon (held at Unibague University) says that the spoons became a representative instrument in the peasant and urban music from central Colombia as a replacement for Spanish castanets.

Cucharas role

The cucharas has a secondary role among the percussion instruments. However, if the spoons are separated, it is uncommon to give them to younger members as it is more difficult to play. The following figure presents the rhythmic pattern of the cucharas. The top line (“Pierna”) corresponds to the sounds produced when the spoons strike the thigh and the bottom line shows the rhythm produced when the spoons strike the hand not holding the spoons.

The cuchara is also used in other Colombian music genres such as pasillo, rumba and bambuco and are used in American, Canadian and Russian folk music.

Guacharaca

The guacharaca is made of castilla cane or “caña brava” and its length is approximately 40 to 50 cm. For its construction, semicircular ridges are made in one of the sides of the cane. The opposite side can be hollow or can be completely circular. In Vélez music practices, the guacharaca is circular and has vertical cuts that allow more resonance. The name of this instrument comes from a type of bird that is called guacharaca which is commonly seen in the northeastern region of Colombia.

Guacharaca role

The guacharaca is part of the secondary percussion instruments group. It can be played by the younger members of the family as its size and weight are relatively small.

The guacharaca can be found in different regions of Colombia in the performance of other music such as vallenato, cumbias and carranga. However, it may have slight regional modifications in its construction, such as a metallic “fork” for Caribbean music genres.

Carraca

Description of the instrument

The carraca is built from the lower jaw of a donkey, a cow or a horse, which is dried under the sun or smoked until the teeth are loose. The teeth are rubbed with a stick producing the sound and the lateral side is hit with the closed hand that has the stick. Its name comes from the colloquial way of naming the lower jaw on the animals.

Carraca role

The carraca plays a principal role in the percussion section as often it marks the entrance of the other instruments in the Torbellino. As this instrument is the heaviest and biggest one of the percussion instruments, the performer needs to have a good sense of rhythm and also needs to have a good connection with the rest of the group; oftentimes this player cues the moment where the other instruments need to start playing.

This instrument is also used in the San Andrés archipelago where it is called jawbone and in other countries of Latin America such as Peru, Mexico and Argentina.