Charango

Product Information

In harmonic terms, the charango is tuned to a C6 chord (C major sixth), just like a ukulele (albeit with an extra course of ‘E’ strings).

Travel to Cusco to hear the beautiful music of the Andes, and maybe you’ll even find your next lovely instrument.

Eddy Navia, from Potosí, Bolivia, has made significant strides in promoting Bolivian music in the United States, with the charango being a key element of his performances. His work has helped to expand the reach of the charango and introduce its unique sound to new audiences. Concert: As the name suggests, concert quality charangos and ronrocos are aimed at the serious musician wanting the equivalent of a Martin or Gibson acoustic guitar. The tonewoods will be selected from the best sources and the inlay work should be flawless. For example, the ronroco is a recent variation that is larger in size and with a deeper sound- a sort of baritone or bass charango. Andean Music Lastly, another method is to tune the charango to itself. To do this you need to find the lowest note on your instrument (other than the middle lower octave ‘E’ string) as the starting note.

a b c "Familia de los charangos". Archived from the original on 26 April 2006 . Retrieved 6 May 2015. In comparison with the charango, the ronroco is a relatively new instrument invented by Gonzalo Hermosa of the Bolivian folk music group, Los Kjakas (pronounced los key-ar-kas) in the 1980s. After a year of private study with Michael Stimpson (my guitar tutor from WLIHE) I went on to do my degree in music and City University, studying Classical Guitar at the Guildhall. The charango comes in different sizes, shapes, pitch, type of strings, and tuning. In more recent times, there have been numerous modern adaptions to its construction.

"+o+"

The strings are typically tuned to G, C, E, and E settings from the top of the instrument. Understanding this tuning arrangement is essential for anyone learning to play the charango, as it allows them to navigate the fretboard and produce the desired notes and chords. However, it’s important to note that while the string arrangement and tuning may appear similar to a guitar, the charango has its own unique playing techniques that set it apart. Making a Charango Other factors can also have an effect on pitch stability, including drastic changes in temperature and humidity, as well as transportation and vibration. Tonally, the ronroco could loosely be referred to as a baritone charango, much akin to the size difference between a soprano ukulele and its baritone sibling. Which Woods Are Charangos and Ronrocos Made Of? So arrangements were made and I wired across the cash to Chile. Yelkon said he would be able to complete the charango around the 10th of January which would mean I would just get it in time for Macbeth which was due to go up on the 1st of February. Gustavo Santaolalla, composer for several popular films (including Babel, 21 Grams& The Motorcycle Diaries) makes extensive use of the Charango and Ronroco in many of his compositions, and his album Ronroco (1998) highlights that instrument.

When the Spanish conquistadors came to South America, they brought the vihuela (an ancestor of the classical guitar) with them. It is not clear whether the charango is a direct descendant of a particular Spanish stringed instrument; it may have evolved from the vihuela, bandurria ( mandolin), or the lute. Ernesto Cavour, Bolivian charanguista, composer, and consulting music historian for many museums around the world, [4] has noted characteristics of the charango in various vihuelas and guitars of the 16th century, and maintains the charango is the direct descendant of the vihuela. [5] There are 20 or 21 species of armadillos (biologists cannot agree on how to classify them), and all of them live in the South American pampas and other plains areas, and as far north as the southern part of North America (very few of them are found in the jungles). In traditional Andean music, the charango holds a place of honor. Its high-pitched, vibrant tone complements the lower tones of other traditional instruments, like the panpipes and drums, creating a harmonious soundscape that resonates with the spirit of the Andean highlands. The charango’s nimble, harp-like sound is perfect for playing the lively rhythms and flowing melodies that characterize this genre, lending the music a uniquely Andean flavor. It is key instrument in Andean and Latino American musical styles and core to popular music in Peru, Bolivia and Chile Cavour Aramayo, Ernesto (2001) [1980]. El charango: su vida, costumbres y desventuras. La Paz: Producciones CIMA.

Preview

Mendoza, Z.S. (2008). Creating Our Own: Folklore, Performance, and Identity in Cuzco, Peru. Duke University Press. p. 97. ISBN 9780822341529 . Retrieved 2014-10-16. Where it was developed is also in dispute- either in Bolivia, or in the central Peruvian Andes. Regardless of its origins, it is a great instrument. Rosa, Jose; The history of music from Cuba, the Caribbean, South America and the United States; Contemporary Latin Music Educators; Southwest Ranches, Florida: 2008. p.68 The future of the charango is also closely tied to the musicians who play it. As more musicians around the world discover the charango, they will bring their unique perspectives and influences, further enriching the instrument’s musical repertoire. This could lead to the development of new playing techniques, or even the invention of new variants of the instrument.

Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘El Condor Pasa’, a traditional tune with lyrics by Paul Simon, accompanied by Los Incas. Because early artisans had limited experience working and shaping wood, they sourced the body of the instrument from the unfortunate little armadillo – an animal that was readily available and easy to trap. The armored shell (or carapace) was then attached to the soundboard/top of the instrument, providing a ready-made body or resonating chamber. Gustavo Santaolalla, DeUshuaia a la Quiaca (played on a ronroco): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzX4rIdODwM Since the strings had been loosened for transportation it took a couple of days for the tuning to settle in. What really surprised me is that for a small instrument it is extremely loud!They’re usually sold by their previous owner who can tell you the instrument history, and tips on playing it