Cuíca: Brazilian musical instrument

Cuíca is a Brazilian friction musical drum that has a large pitch range which is produced by changing tension on the head of the drum. Cuíca is Portuguese for a kind of opossum which is known to make a high pitched sound and is often used in the samba music. The timbre of the drum has a high-pitched squeaky sound quality. It has been called a laughing gourd because of this sound. 

source: musicalmix.net

There are a good number of styles of cuíca that exists around the world. Its origin is doubted, different sources trace it to Bantu slaves, to Spain and to Muslim traders. It is also said that the instrument is used in Africa as a call for male lion since the sound mimics the roar of the female lioness. The musical instrument was introduced to Brazil by African slaves and it found its position in the samba music.

The cuíca has a wooden stick attached to one end inside the drum in the center of the drumhead. The stick is rosined and rubbed with a cloth to change the pressure on this stick and produce pitches and sound qualities. The body of the instrument is usually produced of metal, gourd or any other synthetic material, it has a single head which is usually about 6 to10 inches in diameter and it is made of animal skin. A thin bamboo stick is attached to the center of the drumhead and perpendicular to the drum head thereby extending into the drum’s interior. The cuíca is held under the arm at the chest height with the help of a shoulder strap and to play the instrument, the musician rubs the stick up and down with a wet cloth held in one hand and using the fingers of the other hand to press down on the skin of the drum near the place where the stick is enclosed. The rubbing motion creates the sound and the pitch is increased or reduced by changing the pressure on the head of the instrument.

The cuíca serves as an accompaniment to a variety of different folk music and urban popular music. The instrument is also used in the Holy Cross dances and processions. The cuíca plays an essential role in samba music of many kinds. It is specifically notable as a fixture of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival groups which shows the entire section of the instrument players. It is as well used commonly in radio-oriented samba music that is in the absence of the player, for example; the Brazilian singers and many other musicians will imitate the sound of the instrument with their voices.