The güiro () is a percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick or tines (see photo) along the notches to produce a zipper-like ratchet sound.

The güiro is commonly used in Cuban, Puerto Rican, and other forms of Latin American music, and plays a key role in the typical rhythm section of important genres like son, trova and salsa. Playing the güiro usually requires both long and short sounds, made by scraping up and down in long or short strokes.

The güiro, like the maracas, is often played by a singer. It is closely related to the Cuban guayo, Dominican güira, and Haitian graj which are made of metal. Other instruments similar to the güiro are the Colombian guacharaca, the Brazilian reco-reco, the Cabo Verdean ferrinho, the quijada (cow jawbone) and the frottoir (French) or fwotwa (French Creole) (washboard).

Construction and design

The güiro is a notched, hollowed-out gourd. Often, the calabash gourd is used. The güiro is made by carving parallel circular stripes along the shorter section of the elongated gourd. Today, many güiros are made of wood or fiberglass.

History

The güiro was adapted from an instrument which originated in South America. The Aztecs produced an early cousin to the güiro, called the omitzicahuastli, which was created from a small bone with serrated notches and was played in the same manner as the güiro. The Taíno people of the Caribbean have been credited with the origins of the güiro. The Taínos of Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico developed the güajey, a long gourd or animal bone with notches, an antecedent of the modern day güiro.

Alternatively, the güiro is also believed to have origins in Africa and to have been brought over to Latin American and the Caribbean by African slaves. Blench (2009) suggests a connection with the scraped idiophones of Cameroon and other regions of West and Central Africa (see list of musical instruments of Cameroon). The Berom people of central Nigeria also have scraper or guiro-like instrument called gwák or gwàshák.

Use in music

Across Latin America, the Caribbean, the güiro can be found in a variety of traditional, folk dance music and used in dance ensembles and religious festivals. In the Caribbean coast, the güiro was used in traditional, folk dance cumbia music and is still used in modern cumbia music.

<gallery>

File:Guiro cubano.jpg|Cuban güiro

File:Modern fibreglass guiro.jpeg|Modern fibreglass Cuban güiro

File:Guiro.jpg|Puerto Rican güiro or güícharo

File:Brazilian güiro, or "reco-reco".jpg|Brazilian reco-reco

File:Guiro Latin percussion.jpg|Güiro for children

File:Guiro9.png|Mexican güiro

File:GüiroMDMB.jpg|Peruvian güiro

</gallery>

See also

  • Guacharaca
  • Guayo
  • Güira
  • Music of Latin America
  • Reco-reco
  • Scratcher (instrument)
  • 'Under the Boardwalk', an American rock and roll song by The Drifters with a prominent güiro
  • 'Gimme Shelter', a song by The Rolling Stones

References

  • Picture and description of a güiro made by the Taínos
  • Video demonstrating how to play the güiro by Bobby Sanabria affiliated with Jazz at Lincoln Center