LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC

What is Latin American Music

► The music of Latin America refers to the music originating from latin america,
namely the romance speaking countries and territories of the america and the
caribbean south of united states.
► Latin American Music also incorporates in African music from slaves who were
transported to the americas by european settlers as well as music from indigenous
people of the america.
► Due to it’s highly snycreatic nature, Latin American music encompasses a wide
variety of styles, including influential genres such as cumbia, bachata, bossa nova,
merengue, rumba, salsa, samba, son and tango.
 Three Major Influences

INDIGENOUS LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC

► Indigenous American music was largely functional in nature.

►Used in religious worships and ceremonies

►African natures were found to be using local drums and some percussion instrument
like the panpipes
►The materials were made from trees, animal skins, fruit shells and other materials
around them.
AFRO-LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC
► African influence on Latin American music largely fits in its varied and rich
ryhtmic patterns as performed by the drums and other instruments.
EURO-LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC
► The different regions of latin america adopted various characteristics from their
european colonizers.
► Melodies of renaissance period were used in southern chile and the columbian
pacific coats.
 Characteristic of
latin american music
LANGUAGE

AFRICAN RHYTHM

SYNCOPATION

CALL AND RESPONSE

SPANISH DECIMA
 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF
LATIN AMERICA

►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.
TLAPITZA
LLI
It is a flute variety from the Aztec
culture made of clay
with decorations of abstract designs or
images of their deities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCK04GjA-jI
TEPONAZTLI
It is a Mexican slit drum hollowed out and
carved from
a piece of hardwood with designs
representing human figures or animals
to be used for both religious and
recreational purposes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7yahW58tQc
HUEHUETI
It is a Mexican upright tubular drum used by the
Aztecs and other ancient civilizations. It is made of
wood 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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22xKZaxV5HU
CONCH
It is a wind instrument 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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GVRXKRrxSg
RASP
It is a hand percussion instrument whose
sound is produced
by scraping a group of notched sticks
with another stick, creating a series of
rattling effects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uFSwKacPe0
OCARINA
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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nad5AJaIcBI
ZAMPOÑAS

(Panpipes) – These are ancient

instruments tuned to
different scalar varieties, played by
blowing across the tubetop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOIHHMnI_Ig
SIKU
It is a side-blown cane flute that
is played all year round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I65fq469P5M
QUENAS
These are vertical cane flutes with
an end-notched made from fragile
bamboo. They are used during the
dry season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz5_EJnB8yQ
TARKAS
These are vertical duct flutes with a
mouthpiece similar to that of a
recorder, used during the rainy
season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBaFe7W5SZg
POPULAR MUSICIANS IN LATIN
AMERICA

►Celia Cruz – Recognised for her charisma and

vivacity, as well as her powerful voice, the “Queen
of Salsa” inspired the world with her unique
rhythm. Across her 50-year career, the Cuban-born
songstress sealed her reputation as the most
important Latin female performer of the 20th
century, and one of the most celebrated voices in
the history of music, becoming a symbol of Latin
culture around the world.
Selena
► – Born in Texas in 1971,
Selena Quintanilla would become
Tejano music’s biggest star – thus
the nickname “La Reina del Tex-
Mex” – in addition to being
recognised by Billboard
magazine as “the most influential
Latin artist of the ‘90s”.
► Juan Gabriel – Growing up in Mexico in the
1950s, the “Divo de Juárez”had a difficult
childhood marked by abandonment, poverty and
loneliness, music being his only refuge and hope
for a better future. A career full of breakout
successes was launched, giving rise to such hits as
“Amor eterno”, “Querida”, “Hasta que te conocí”
and “Abrázame muy fuerte”, and earning Gabriel a
place among the most beloved artists in Latin
America.
THANK YOU!