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The 'Tambora' (from the Spanish word ''tambor'', meaning "drum") is an Afro-Caribbean musical instrument. Its origins came along with the African slaves brought by the Europeans during the colonization of America. Ethnomusicologsts also maintain that there was a wide distribution of tambora-like drums throughout the African continent, but the drum is now used more in latin music. This musical instrument was used for their traditional cultural rituals. It is used in many Latin American countries musical styles; in the Dominican musical folkloric styles and merengue, the Cumbia in Colombia , and the Venezuelan gaita.
Performers on the tambora are referred to as ''tamboreros''.

Contents

Types

Rhythms and basic tones

Types

There are three types of tambora. The oldest kind is the rope-tuned tambora with black-colored heads. This is seen more in folkloric music of the Dominican republic and Afro-Carribean slaves. The second type is a rope tuned tambora played with goatskin, or "chivo" heads, either with or without the hair left on. The third type, recently made by company Latin Percussion and other modern companies, is the bolt-tuned kind with rawhide conga heads. This kind usually has metal or wooden rims to hit as a filler for rhythms, sounding, if one strokes it correctly, something reminiscent of a wood block. This type can also be tuned to higher settings and can sound like a conga.

Rhythms and basic tones

There are three basic strokes: slap, rim/woodblock, and open tone: these three are all used in standard merengue rhythms, from the caballito (fast-paced), to the pambiche (slow, almost a cumbia), and various kinds in between.