Timbales
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Timbales () or pailas are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing. They are shallower than single-headed tom-toms and usually tuned much higher, especially for their size.Orovio, Helio 1981. ''Diccionario de la música cubana: biográfico y técnico''. Entries for ''Paila criolla''; ''Timbal criollo''. They were developed as an alternative to classical
timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...
in Cuba in the early 20th century and later spread across Latin America and the United States. Timbales are struck with wooden sticks on the heads and shells, although bare hands are sometimes used. The player (called a ''timbalero'') uses a variety of stick strokes, rim shots, and rolls to produce a wide range of percussive expression during solos and at transitional sections of music, and usually plays the shells (or auxiliary percussion such as a cowbell or cymbal) to keep time in other parts of the song. The shells and the typical pattern played on them are referred to as ''cáscara''. Common stroke patterns include abanico, baqueteo (from
danzón Danzón is the official genre and dance of Cuba.Urfé, Odilio 1965. ''El danzón''. La Habana. It is also an active musical form in USA and Puerto Rico. Written in time, the danzón is a slow, formal partner dance, requiring set footwork ...
),
mambo Mambo most often refers to: *Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...
, and chachachá. Timbales have average diameters of (''macho'' drum) and (''hembra'' drum). Originally made of calfskin, the heads are most commonly made of plastic for increased volume and durability and mounted on a steel rim. The shells are usually made of metal, although wooden shells are also available. In general, the drums are mounted on a stand and played while standing. Smaller timbales called timbalitos are often incorporated into larger drum kits.


Etymology

In Spain and in classical music contexts across the Hispanophone world, the word ''timbales'' (sing. ''timbal'') refers to
timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...
(kettledrums). The Spanish word ''tímpano'' is less commonly used. ''Timbal'', ''tímpano'' and ''timpani'' all derive from the
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''tympănum'', from the
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
''týmpanon'', meaning drum. (The Spanish word for drum, ''tambor'', although similar, actually derives from Arabic ''tabl''). In Cuba and Latin America, ''timbales'' (timpani) were adapted into ''pailas'', which is the name given to various Spanish metallic bowls and pans used as cookware (see paila). ''Paila'' derives from
Old French Old French (, , ; ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France approximately between the late 8th [2-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ...
''paele'', from Latin ''patĕlla''. However, the term ''timbales'' continued to be used to refer to ''pailas'', which is a less common term restricted to Cuba. Because of the historical overlap in the use of timpani and pailas (both called timbales) by
danzón Danzón is the official genre and dance of Cuba.Urfé, Odilio 1965. ''El danzón''. La Habana. It is also an active musical form in USA and Puerto Rico. Written in time, the danzón is a slow, formal partner dance, requiring set footwork ...
orchestras between 1900 and 1930, usage of the term in that period is ambiguous. Similar ambiguities exist in other languages. For example, in French, ''timbales'' () is also the word for timpani, thus the French refer to Cuban timbales as ''timbales latines''. In Brazil, the term ''timbal'' refers to an unrelated drum, timbau.


History


Origins and popularization

Timpani were imported into Cuba in the 19th century and used by wind orchestras known as Orquesta típica, orquestas típicas. These were the same general type of drum used in military bands and in symphonic orchestras. They were, and are, played with mallets (sticks with large, soft, round heads). Timpani were replaced by pailas, which were made from the body of a commonly used metal pan (later, cans of lard were used to make ''timbalitos''). These new ''timbales'' were originally designed to be used by street bands. Unlike classical timpani, these are always hit with straight batons (thicker than standard drumsticks, and not shaped: they are of uniform thickness along the length) that have no additional head. Timbales became an integral part of a smaller type of orchestra that superseded the ''orquestas típicas'' in the early 20th century, the charanga. Ulpiano Díaz, timbalero in some of the most popular charangas in Cuba, those directed by Tata Alfonso, Antonio Arcaño and later José Fajardo, was the first to add a cowbell and to popularize the ''abanico'' technique in the 1930s. In the 1950s, timbalero Silvano "Chori" Shueg became a sensation in the nightclubs of Havana due to his skillful improvisations on timbales and other homemade percussion instruments, while Walfredo de los Reyes and Guillermo Barreto explored new idioms with the instrument in jam sessions known as descargas; they were influenced by American jazz drummers such as
Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He wo ...
and often doubled on the drum kit. Walfredo was an important influence on his student Amadito Valdés, later a member of Buena Vista Social Club, and his own sons Walfredo Reyes Jr. and Daniel de los Reyes. In the 1970s, innovations in timbales playing mostly came from songo groups such as Orquesta Revé, directed by timbalero Elio Revé, Orquesta Ritmo Oriental, featuring Daniel Díaz on timbales, and Los Van Van, whose timbaleros, first Blas Egües and later Changuito became masters of the instrument. In the 1990s, Changuito filmed a series of instructional videos on timbales, as well as
congas The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are stave (wood), staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (drum), quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), an ...
and drums, which were released on VHS.


In the United States

Ubaldo Nieto, timbalero in
Machito Frank Grillo (born Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo; December 3, 1909 – April 15, 1984) known professionally as Machito (previously as Macho), was a Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music ...
and his Afro-Cubans, was one of the first musicians to popularize the instrument in the United States. However, it was New York-born percussionist and bandleader
Tito Puente Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – May 31, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. He was also k ...
who became the leading figure for the rest of the 20th century, often being referred to as the "king of the timbales". He often acted as a bandleader in his studio recordings, leaving the timbales spot for up-and-coming artists such as Willie Bobo and Monchito, son of bandleader Rafael Muñoz. Several other Puerto Rican timbaleros also rose to prominence during the 1950s, like Willie Rodríguez, Humberto Morales and Rafael Cortijo. The former two often played in mambo and
Latin jazz Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave (rhythm), clave, and Afro-Brazil ...
bands, while Cortijo established one of Puerto Rico's most popular groups, Cortijo y su Combo. In the 1960s, the incipient New York salsa scene saw the emergence of Kako, Manny Oquendo, Jimmy Sabater, Orestes Vilató and Nicky Marrero. Timbales were also popular in
boogaloo Boogaloo or bugalú (also: shing-a-ling, Latin boogaloo, Latin R&B) is a music genre, genre of Latin music and dance which was popular in the United States in the 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City mainly by stateside Puerto Ricans with ...
bands such as Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers, whose leader was timbalero Henry "Pucho" Brown. In the 1970s, timbales began to be used in other genres such as
Latin rock Latin Rock is a term to describe a subgenre blending traditional sounds and elements of Latin American and Hispanic Caribbean folk with rock music. However, it is widely used in the English-language media to refer any kind of rock music featurin ...
and
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
. Mexican-American percussionist Pete Escovedo, his brother Coke and his daughter Sheila all became accomplished timbaleros in rock, jazz and funk. Later on, timbales were introduced in
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
by percussionists such as Eric Bobo, the son of Willie Bobo.


Technique


Baqueteo

The basic timbales part for danzón is called the baqueteo. In the example below, the slashed noteheads indicate muted drum strokes, and the regular noteheads indicate open strokes. The danzón was the first written music to be based on the organizing principle of sub-Saharan African rhythm, known in Cuba as '' clave''.


Bell patterns

During the
mambo Mambo most often refers to: *Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...
era of the 1940s, timbaleros began to mount cowbells on their drums. The cowbells, or wood blocks, may be mounted slightly above and between the two timbales a little further from the player. The following four timbale bell patterns are based on the folkloric rumba cáscara part. They are written in 3-2 clave sequence. In the 1970s José Luis Quintana " Changuito" developed the technique of simultaneously playing timbale and bongo bell parts when he held the timbales chair in the songo band Los Van Van. The example below shows the combined bell patterns (written in a 2–3 clave sequence). Tito Puente was frequently seen in concerts, and on posters and album covers, with seven or eight timbales in one set. The timbales were occasionally expanded with drum kit pieces, such as a kick or snare drum. By the late 1970s this became the norm in the genre known as songo. Changuito and others brought rumba and funk influences into timbales playing. In contemporary timba bands, drummers, such as Calixto Oviedo, often use a timbales/drum kit hybrid.


Solos


Típico style

The original style of soloing on timbales is known as típico ('typical'). Manny Oquendo (1931–2009) played timbales solos famous for their tastefully sparse, straight forward típico phrasing. The following five measure excerpt is from a timbales solo by Oquendo on "Mambo." The clave pattern is written above for reference. Notice how the passage begins and ends by coinciding with the strokes of clave.


Rumba quinto rhythmic vocabulary

By the late 1940s and early 1950s, some timbaleros ('timbales players'), particularly
Tito Puente Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – May 31, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. He was also k ...
, began incorporating the rhythmic vocabulary of rumba quinto into their solos.


Derivative instruments


Timbalitos

Timbalitos or pailitas are small timbales with diameters of , or . The timbalitos are used to play the part of the
bongos Bongos (Spanish language, Spanish: ''bongó'') are an Afro-Cubans, Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. The pair consists of the larger ''hembra'' () and the smaller ''macho'' ...
with sticks, but are not used to play the traditional timbales part. Manteca, Papaíto, Félix Escobar "El Gallego" and Manny Oquendo were masters at playing the bongó part on timbalitos. Timbalitos are sometimes incorporated into expanded timbales set-ups, or incorporated into drum kits. The instrument was invented in Cuba in the mid 1920's as a substitute for the bongó which at the time was outlawed in La Habana by the then President of Cuba, Gerardo Machado. The groups at this time that predominantly used it were La Gloria Mantancera and La Sonora Mantancera.


Mini timbales

Mini timbales small timbales, similar to timbalitos, often used by rock drummers as part of their drum kits. For examples, drummer John Dolmayan of System of a Down is known for using two (6" and 8") mini timbales in his kit and Dave Mackintosh uses a pair of 8" diameter attack timbales 9" and 11" deep made by
Meinl Percussion Meinl Percussion is a manufacturer of percussion instruments based in Gutenstetten, Germany. The company’s cymbal production is one of the "big four" manufacturers of cymbals, along with Avedis Zildjian Company, Zildjian, Sabian Cymbals, Sabia ...
to produce a similar sound to a pair of octobans. Meinl also produce a set of mini timbales of traditional depth but 8" and 10" diameter, also suitable for drum kit usage. retrieved 29 February 2012


Marching Timbales

The Ohio University Marching 110 is the only collegiate marching band in the United States to march timbales in their percussion section. Timbales were added to the band in 1971, accompanying five snare drums, two bass drums, two tenor bass drums, and two sets of cymbals. The band does not use a normal set of multi tenor drums that most marching bands do, and instead use a combination of timbales and duo-tenor drums to fulfill the mid-ranges of the percussion section's sound. Together, the section is known as the "Middle Voices" or "Middles".


References

{{Authority control Cuban musical instruments Membranophones Unpitched percussion instruments Central American and Caribbean percussion instruments Drum kit components