The cuíca is a Brazilian drum that makes sound by rubbing. It can create many different pitches by changing how tight the drum's surface is. The word "cuíca" comes from the Portuguese name for a gray four-eyed opossum (Philander opossum), which is known for making a high-pitched sound. The cuíca is often played during carnivals and in samba music. The sound it makes is high-pitched and squeaky, which is why it is sometimes called a "laughing gourd." In the General MIDI drum kit, the cuíca's sounds are found at the notes F-sharp 5 and G 5.
History
There are many types of cuíca found around the world. Its origins are not agreed upon: Some sources say it comes from enslaved Bantu people, with similar instruments like the pwita/kipuita in Angola, while others link it to Spain or Muslim traders. Structurally, it is the same as other instruments in its category, such as the Portuguese sarronca, Spanish zambomba, Catalan simbomba, and Balearic ximbomba.
Characteristics
The cuíca has a wooden or bamboo stick attached at one end inside the drum. The stick is placed in the center of the drumhead and stands upright, perpendicular to the surface. The stick is covered with rosin and rubbed with a cloth. Changing the pressure applied to the drumhead from the outside creates different pitches and timbres. The body of the cuíca is usually made of metal, gourd, or synthetic material. It has one drumhead, typically 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters) in diameter, made from animal skin. The instrument is held under one arm at chest height using a shoulder strap. To play the cuíca, a wet cloth is held in one hand and rubbed up and down along the stick. At the same time, the fingers of the other hand press down on the drumhead near the stick's attachment point. The motion of rubbing the stick produces the sound, and the pitch changes based on how much pressure is applied to the drumhead.
Usage
The cuíca is used to go along with many types of folk and popular dances. For example, it may be part of the group of musicians who play for the Dança de Santa Cruz (Dance of the Holy Cross), which happens every May in Santa Cruz, California, or for the moçambique (Mozambique) dramatic dance, bailado, in Minas Gerais. It is also used in dances and processions for the Feast of the Holy Cross, as well as in samba music and dance performances in rural São Paulo.
The cuíca plays an important role in keeping rhythm in all kinds of samba music. It is especially common in Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival groups, where whole sections of musicians play the cuíca. Because the cuíca is so often used in samba music that is played on the radio, Brazilian singers or other musicians sometimes imitate its sound with their voices if there is no cuíca player. An example of this can be heard in the beginning of Dizzy Gillespie’s version of the song "Chega de Saudade" (from the album Dizzy on the French Riviera, 1965), which was composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim. The cuíca can also be heard played by Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira on the 1999 bonus track "Feio" from Miles Davis’s album Bitches Brew. The instrument was also used in the song "Could You Be Loved" by Bob Marley and The Wailers, "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones, "Bird of Beauty" by Stevie Wonder, and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" by Paul Simon. Along with samba, the cuíca is one of the main Brazilian instruments used in jazz-rock, free jazz, and Latin jazz.