What is an Charango? Get to Know This South American Instrument | Blog

Jul 21, 2022

Discover the areas of the Andes where you'll come across an enjoyable, though odd instrument for string called the Charango.

Discover more information about the charango. It will tell you the fascinating history behind it as well as the various variations are available.

What exactly is Charango? Charango?

The charango is a string instrument very popular throughout the Andean region of Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Peru, a charango is a member of the lute family which can be seen in numerous regional varieties across South America.

Charangos of about the dimensions of the ukulele originated using armadillo shells. But nowadays, it's commonplace to be made of wood. What it is lacking in terms of size, the charango more makes up for in sound and sound that's comparable in tone to a classic mandolin or guitar.

The roots of the charango can be traced back to sixteenth century. of the century as well as it was the Aymara and Quechua people. The inspiration for the instrument is believed to come from the vihuela-style guitar, which was brought into the region by Spanish colonists. The charango was widely used and has been adapted to various regions. It has variations which include the hollow-body Charango as well as the grand charango, as well as an electric charango that has an unibody.

How Many Strings Does the Charango Have?

Apart from the array of strings and courses available, the charango strings can also differ in the material. Steel, nylon, and mixed-material strings are all options and make up the distinct sounds produced by all styles of charango performed.

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Different types of Charangos

The specific differences among the different varieties of charangos could be smaller and occasionally larger, but all have distinctive characteristics that differentiate them from the other kinds. In spite of this, they are all part of the same charango family, and all have their origins within South America.

Here are five of most well-known types.

Walaycho

Charangon

Go up in size instead of down You'll receive the sluggish charangon, which is a variation with tenor which has an octave lower than the standard Charango. The idea was conceived by Mauro Nunez who is a well-known Bolivian composer and musician as well as the creator of Bolivian folk music.

Ronroco

The larger the charango gets bigger, its pitch becomes smaller. It is this way of the ronroco. It measures approximately 5 centimeters more than the charangon. The ronroco is described as a bassier or baritone Charango. It too came out of Bolivia and comes with five double strings of nylon.

Chillador

Chillador is a term used to describe two types of flat-backed Peruvian Charangos, which may include 12, or even 14 strings. Chilladors look like the instrument is compact and sounds more similar to a ukulele with a deeper tone. Strings can be made of nylon or steel and are available as a pair or a triple course. Certain chilladors offer a range of course lengths. For instance, the 12-string chillador like the 12 string chillador, which has two course with three strings.

Hatun Charango

The hatun-charango is an original Pervuian invention. The word hatun translates as "grand the charango" and refers to the wide range of this tiny yet strong string instrument. This kind of charango is quite modern, and only existed since 2001. It is different from the traditional the charango it has 7 or 8 strings each of which is set as single string courses with only two strings that are joined.

What is the difference in Charango Ukulele Charango and a Ukulele

The similarities between the charango and guitar should not be surprising considering that they are both small instruments that look and play similarly to guitars. In many way, the charango looks very similar to the Tenor of the ukulele. The truth is that the charango has a larger neck than a ukulele, generally, and has 10 or more strings to the ukulele's four. Also, there is the issue of origin. The ukulele is described as a Hawaiian instrument, but the charango is a distinct South American.

If you're searching for more small, guitar-like instruments which originate originated from South America, check out the vihuela, tiple , or cuatro.

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