El Charango...

[Keith Erickson]

Yesterday after choir practice, one of our members approached and informed me that his son just purchased a "Charango" and he wanted to know more about it.

Well since I have an "inquiring mind", I decided to do a google search and found this page on Charango's. (http://www.music.gla.ac.uk/HTMLFolder/Research/UGResearch/Daniel/htm/charango.htm)

I found more information on another Charango page from Argentina in Español. (http://comunidad.ciudad.com.ar/ciudadanos/trazom/Folklore/Instrumentos%20Musicales/Charango/charango.htm)

Apparently the Charango is a decendant from the guitar and has it's roots in Europe. #Mostly these instruments are used in the Northern Provences of Argentina and in most of Bolivia.

The body of the Charango is made with the shell of an armadillo. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif ¡¡¡WOW!!! #That's a new one for me.

There are also some sound clips. #This kind of sounds like a Ukelele.

Even though it's not mando related, I thought that I would share.

Enjoy #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[jethrofan]

Our guitar player plays a Charango very well. He spent a lot of years as a youngster in South America, mostly Chile and Argentina. Personally, I don't like the feel and smell of the Charango. These are folk instruments, made in back street shops, which is part of the appeal, but they really are armadillo skin, and smell like old dead animals.

I prefer the sweet and musky smell of a vintage wood instrument.

[glauber]

Not all charangos are made out of armadillos; many are just wood.

[TommyK]

The thing about Charangos is that no two are alike. #They seem to be instruments that the natives made to copy either a guitar or uke. #Probably invented before S.America was industrialized, they are made from materials at hand. #My hats off to the guy who thought to use a 'dillo shell, odor not withstanding. #Many are available for sale on the net carved out of one hunk of wood. #Neck and body one piece. #It probably looks like a wooden ladel until they put on a sound board. #
Most have five double courses. #Although some may have one or two triple or single courses and some may have 4 or 6 or more courses.
Tunigs are as varied as the instruments themselves. Tuniing seems to be a village or regional standard. #The generally accepted standard tuning (whatever that means) is:
EE aa Ee CC gg
E=oct+ mid C. a= a above mid. C. – or –
Similar to a ukulele: Gceae. It just has an additional e on top and octaves for the middle course.


Maybe we could run a Charango making contest to see how creative we all are!

[glauber]

The thing about Charangos is that no two are alike. They seem to be instruments that the natives made to copy either a guitar or uke. Probably invented before S.America was industrialized, they are made from materials at hand.
Yep, this is true.