MUSIC 10 / QUARTER 2

MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
LATIN AMERICA

jEducate
 Introduction
The varied cultures developed in
Latin America gave rise to different
types of wind and percussion
instruments. As some instruments
were considered holy and music was
supposed to glorify the gods, mistakes
in playing these instruments were
considered offensive and insulting to
them. Latin American musical
instruments include Aztec and Mayan
instruments, Incan instruments, as well
as Andean Instruments.
 musical instruments OF Latin America
A. Aztec and Mayan Instruments
These are instruments that were
during the Aztec Empire (c. 1345-
1521 CE) and Mayan Civilization
(1800 BC – AD 950). Aztec and
Mayan people are people who lived
in Southern Mexico and Northern
Central America Central.
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments

1. Tlapitzalli
It is categorized as wind instrument
(aerophone). Tlapitzalli is a flute variety
from the Aztec culture made of clay
with decorations of abstract designs
or images of their deities.
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments
Watch the video and see how this instrument is being played.
Video # 1 (Tlapitzalli): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyt8zxY9hIo
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments

2. Teponaztli
It is categorized as drum percussion
instrument (idiophone). It is a
Mexican slit drum hollowed out and
carved from a piece of hardwood,
often fire-hardened. with designs
representing human figures or
animals to be used for both
religious and recreational purposes.
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments
Video # 2 (Teponaztli): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7yahW58tQc
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments

3. Conch (Concha)
It is a wind instrument
(aerophone) made from a
seashell usually of a large sea
snail. It is prepared by cutting a
hole in its spine near the apex,
and then blown into as if it were a
trumpet. Conch shell trumpets
used to coordinate attacks
during Aztec war ceremonies.
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments
Video # 3 (Conch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GVRXKRrxSg
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments

4. Rasp
It is a hand percussion
instrument (idiophone) whose
sound is produced by scraping a
group of notched sticks with
another stick, creating a series of
rattling effects.
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments
Video # 4 (Rasp): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uFSwKacPe0
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments

5. Huehueti
It is categorized as membranophone.
It is a Mexican upright tubular drum used
by the Aztecs and other ancient
civilizations. It is made of wood (bald
cypress) opened at the bottom and
standing on three legs cut from the base,
with its stretched skin beaten by the hand
or a wooden mallet. Membrane is made of
deer, coyote, ocelot or jaguar skin.
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments
Video # 5 (Huehueti): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdliMkWIZoQ
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments

6. Whistles
It is categorized as wind instrument
(aerophone). Whistles can be made of
natural elements such as bone from
animals. The most common is the eagle
bone and it produces a high-pitched
notes, similar to the cry of an eagle. Aztec
whistles are also known as death whistles.
 Aztec and Mayan Instruments
Video # 6 (Whistles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sw0VCtZs-g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIAoWAtdtac
 musical instruments OF Latin America
B. Incan Instruments
These are instrument that were
being played during the civilization
of Inca between c. 1400 and 1533 CE
in Pre-Columbian America, which
was centered in what is now Peru.
The Incas built one of the largest,
most tightly controlled empires
the world has ever known.
 Incan Instruments

1. Ocarina
It is categorized as wind instrument
(aerophone). It is an ancient vessel flute
made of clay or ceramic with four to 12
finger holes and a mouthpiece that
projected from the body.
 Incan Instruments
Video # 7 (Ocarina): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nad5AJaIcBI
 Incan Instruments

2. Zampoñas (Panpipes)
The typical feature includes bamboo
tubes of different lengths tied together
either in pairs or more to create
graduated pitches of sound. These are
ancient instruments tuned to different
scalar varieties, played by blowing across
the tubetop.
 Incan Instruments
Video # 8 (Zampoña): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I65fq469P5M
 musical instruments OF Latin America
C. Andean Instruments
These are the instruments that
were being played during the
Andean Civilization (c. 3000 BCE –
1537). This civilization is considered
indigenous and not derived from
other civilizations mainly because
they came from the river valleys of
the coastal deserts of Peru.
 Andean Instruments

1. Siku
It is categorized as wind
instrument (aerophone). It is made
from bamboo tubes, but can also
be made from condor feather,
bone, and any materials. It is a
side-blown cane flute that is
played all year round.
 Andean Instruments
Video # 9 (Siku): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8pIvuGFfCU

Check out the full video

thru the link provided.
 Andean Instruments

2. Tarkas
These are vertical duct flutes with
a mouthpiece similar to that of a
recorder, used during the rainy
season.
 Andean Instruments
Video # 10 (Tarkas) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDge8KhxIHU
 Andean Instruments

3. Quenas
These are vertical cane flutes with
an end-notched made from fragile
bamboo. They are used during the
dry season.
 Andean Instruments
Video # 11 (Quenas): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz5_EJnB8yQ
 Andean Instruments

4. Charango
It is categorized as string
instrument (chordophone). Its size
is like ukulele and is a smaller
version of mandolin, imitating the
early guitar and flute brought by
the Spaniards. It can produce
bright sounds and often used to
serenade in southern Peru.
 Andean Instruments
Video # 12 (Charango): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86XBnkXk3Po
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