The Museo Del Timple

In a little while I will be taking a short break in the Canary Islands - Lanzarote to be precise. Imagine then my delight to find that their native folk instrument shares a lot in common with the ukulele!

The Canaries are home to a traditional instrument called the Timple - (and before you get in touch to tell me I have the spelling wrong, there is also a very similar instrument called the Tiple, but in the Canaries, it is spelled with an M).  You may have read my piece on Ukulele History which explains that whilst Hawaii is most famous for the uke, it was introduced to the islands by Spanish and Portuguese settlers.  Those sailors brought with them a range of small stringed instruments including the Tiple, the Machete and this one, the Canarian Timple.  The stringed instrument had been introduced to Spain and Portugal by the invading Moors from North Africa, leading to those countries become famous for developing a range of instruments, most notably the Spanish Guitar.

On the Spanish Canaries, they developed the Timple - A very similar instrument to the ukulele but most normally made with five strings (tuned GCEAD, in other words the same as the uke but with an added high D string).  It is also easily identified by its distinctive very arched back.  Like the uke it is mainly strummed (though can be picked) and is a staple of traditional Canarian folk music.

In recent years, in the old Lanzarote capital, Teguise, (the town on the island most noted for the Timple), they opened a museum dedicated to the instrument.  You can check their website HERE (apologies if you don't follow Spanish, but you will get the gist).  What really made me smile is that the museum has a room called "Retrato de familia" in which a host of other instruments to which the Timple is connected are on display, including Cuatros, Charangos and, of course, the Ukulele!

I fully intend to visit and give my readers a full report on my return. Who knows, I may even come back with a new instrument to add to my reviews page - who knows!

And finally - what do they sound like? - well, quite beautiful as you will see by watching the video below.

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Ukulele brothers and sisters

You may have read my Ukulele History article which explains how the modern uke we know today was Introduced to Hawaii by Spanish and Portuguese settlers.

But of course, the uke is just another member of the chordophone family of plucked stringed instruments that date back to very old times, and instruments like lutes. Of course the ukulele is family member of the guitar which we all know very well, but are you aware of some other smaller stringed instruments with which the ukulele shares a family connection?



CUATRO - Venezuala and Puerto Rico

Both versions of this instrument are of a simple size to the uke. The Venezuelan Cuatro has four strings usually tuned A D F# B. It's often used in carnivals and festivals. The Puerto Rican version has ten strings in five duplicate courses (like a mandolin) tuned B E A D G. Both instruments were developments from the instruments introduced by the Portuguese. Below, Venezuelan Cuatro.







CAVAQUINHO - Portugal and Brazil

An instrument with four strings, very similar in appearance to a ukulele. It originated in Portugal and was introduced to Brazil where it is hugely popular and also known as the Cavaco, Machimbo, Machim and Machete amongst others. It comes in either steel strung or gut strung and is most commonly tuned D G B D. The Strumming of a Cavaquinho is an essential sound in Brazillian Samba. Below, traditional Brazillian Cavaquinhos.





TIMPLE - Lanzarote, Spain

The Timple (or Tiple) is found in a bewildering range of styles and string configurations all over the Spanish world in places like Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba and the Spanish Islands, but it is said to originate on the island of Lanzarote in the Canaries where it is strung with five strings, G C E A D. It is believed that it was a development of instruments brought to the islands from the nearby African continent. Generally speaking, the Timple's that are now played in Latin America have 10 or 12 strings either in two or four courses. Canarian Timple's are made by hand in the old capital Teguise where there is now a Museum dedicated to their history! Below, Canarian Timple.





CHARANGO - Peru and Bolivia

Another variation on the instruments brought to Latin America by the Spanish and Portuguese, the Charango has a distinctive bowl to the back of the body that was traditionally made from an Armadillo shell, but now usually made of shaped wood. It usually has 10 strings in five pairs tuned G C E A E. Below, Bolivian Charango.





And of course there are many more variants around the world in all corners, coming in all shapes and sizes. Next time you strum, give some thought to the history and common bond tied up in your little uke!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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