Zabumba
Encyclopedia
A zabumba is a type of bass drum
used in Brazil
ian music. The player wears the drum while standing up and uses both hands while playing.
The zabumba generally ranges in diameter from 16 to 22 inches, and is 5 to 8 inches tall. The shell is made of wood and may utilize either skin or plastic drum heads and is usually tensioned via metal lugs and tension rods. The top head is usually muted with tape or cloth strip(s) and struck with a cloth-covered mallet (held in the right hand) to produce a low fundamental note with minimal overtones. The bottom head is tuned tighter and is struck with a thin, twig-like stick (held in the left hand) to produce a high fundamental with a sharp attack and numerous overtones.
In construction, tuning and performance technique, the zabumba is very similar to bass drums found in the eastern Mediterranean region
, such as the davul
.
The zabumba is used in the genres of forró
, Coco
, baião
, xaxado
and xote
.
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
used in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian music. The player wears the drum while standing up and uses both hands while playing.
The zabumba generally ranges in diameter from 16 to 22 inches, and is 5 to 8 inches tall. The shell is made of wood and may utilize either skin or plastic drum heads and is usually tensioned via metal lugs and tension rods. The top head is usually muted with tape or cloth strip(s) and struck with a cloth-covered mallet (held in the right hand) to produce a low fundamental note with minimal overtones. The bottom head is tuned tighter and is struck with a thin, twig-like stick (held in the left hand) to produce a high fundamental with a sharp attack and numerous overtones.
In construction, tuning and performance technique, the zabumba is very similar to bass drums found in the eastern Mediterranean region
Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have a Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers, which supports characteristic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub vegetation...
, such as the davul
Davul
The davul or tupan is a large double-headed drum that is played with sticks. It has many names depending on the country and region.-Names:Some names of davuls include:*tupan *davul...
.
The zabumba is used in the genres of forró
Forró
Forró is a kind of Northeastern Brazilian dance as well as a word used to denote the different genres of music which accompanies the dance. Both are much in evidence during the annual Festa Junina , a part of Brazilian traditional culture which celebrates some Catholic saints...
, Coco
Coco (music)
Coco is an African-influenced musical rhythm that originated in northern Brazil. "Coco" may also refer to the style of dance performed to the music, a kind of stomping....
, baião
Baião
The baião is a Northeast Brazilian rhythmic formula that became the basis of a wide range of music. Forró, côco, and embolada are clear examples...
, xaxado
Xaxado
The xaxado is a popular dance created in the Sertão of Pernambuco state, Brazil. It was often practiced by cangaceiros of the region to commemorate victory in battle; it is also practiced as a traditional dance by the local population as a whole....
and xote
Xote
Xote is a Brazilian music genre and dance for pairs or groups of four. It is the local equivalent of the German schottische. Xote is a common type of forró dancing....
.