Carlinhos Brown Presents Some of his Favorite Percussion Instruments

The famous multi-instrumentalist shares the wide range of (sometimes surprising) sounds you can create with percussion

Percussion isn’t just about your hands. You can get sounds and melodies out of percussion instruments in countless ways. Percussion instruments come in a huge variety of shapes and styles. Some are scratched, others bashed, some are shaken, some are blown and some spin... Percussion is a huge and diverse family.

As well as being one of the world’s best percussionists, Carlinhos Brown (@carlinhosbrown) is one of Brazil’s most creative and innovative artists. He demonstrates some of his favorite percussion instruments and shows you some of the countless ways you can use them to produce different sounds in this video.

Don’t miss it!

Percussion instruments

Reco-reco

This indigenous scraper plays a major role in percussion music around the world. Today you can find industrialized versions made from plastic.

Güira

A scraper from the Dominican Republic. Sets the rhythm in merengue, reggaeton and bachata.

Shells and plastic bottle tops

These aerial instruments create melodic effects and are in themselves performative. They float with rhythm.

Maracas

Music’s smile. This is the percussion section that makes you smile and opens the high notes.

Rain stick

This native Brazilian instrument has also been industrialized.

Berra-boi

This instrument is spun around in the air to make the sound that gave it its name. Berra-boi translates as the bellowing of an ox!

Kalimba

This is a more melodic instrument, it’s great for improvisation. Its watery sound provides calm. Percussion isn’t just agitation and excitement, it’s serenity too.

Whistle

This instrument replicates birdsong.

Love Carlinhos Brown’s percussion? If you’d like to discover your inner percussionist with Carlinhos Brown, don’t miss his online course: Introduction to Percussion: Discover the Magic of Rhythm.

English version by @studiogaunt.

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