What pitch is the guitarrón?
In the Niibori orchestra, the guitarron is frequently played on a cello spike, in the style of classical guitarist Paul Galbraith, and here the pitch is usually E A D G B E, a full octave down on the classical, and the same pitch as the contra guitar.
What section of the mariachi is the guitarrón in?
bass
Mariachi Instruments The guitarron is the bass of the mariachi and is the most important part of the mariachi. This six string bass guitar is played with two strings at the same time. The guitarrón strings are A, D, G, C, E, and A. The vihuela is a creation of the Coca Indian of Southwestern Jalisco in Mexico.
How do you hold a guitarrón?
Guitarróns are often heavy, so use a strap to help you hold it up. Once the guitarrón is in place, hold the neck of the instrument in your left hand. Your left thumb should be on the back, with your fingers against the strings. With your right hand, pull and release the strings in front of the sound hole.
What does Vihuelas mean in Spanish?
1 : the early Spanish viol. 2 : the Spanish lute.
Why are mariachi guitars so big?
Because its great size gives it volume, it does not require electric amplification for performances in small venues. The guitarrón is fretless with heavy gauge strings, most commonly nylon for the high three and wound metal for the low three.
Do mariachi use accordions?
The violin, vihuela, guitar, guitarron (bass guitar) and trumpet are the instruments most frequently used by the modern mariachi band. However, there are also regional and historical variations, which include the accordion, flute, harp and French horn.
How many strings are in a guitarron tuning?
A guitarron has six strings. Guitarron strings are heavier than guitar strings and are more similar to bass strings. The most common guitarron tuning is A1-D2-G2-C3-E2-A2. How is the guitarron played?
How much does a guitarron guitarron cost?
The guitarron is traditionally from Mexico, though it was derived from a Spanish instrument. How much does a guitarron cost? Commercially-made guitarrones range in cost from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the brand, construction quality, materials use, and, in some cases, the collectibility of the instrument.
Which is heavier a guitar or a guitarron?
Guitarron strings are heavier than guitar strings and are more similar to bass strings. The most common guitarron tuning is A1-D2-G2-C3-E2-A2. How is the guitarron played? The guitarron is played by being plucked with the fingernails.
What kind of hand do you need to play a guitarron?
Guitarrón players need good left-hand strength to stop (press down the strings onto the fingerboard) the heavy strings of the instrument and a strong right hand, specifically the index, middle finger, and thumb, to pluck the thick, heavy strings (usually a metal and a nylon string).