Tamborim: Brazilian musical instrument

A tamborim is a small but round Brazilian frame drum that is of Portuguese and African origin. The frame of the instrument is about 6 inches and may be produced of metal, plastic, or even wood. The head is specifically made of nylon and it is actually very tight in order to be sure of high and sharp tone quality as well as a minimum of sustain. The drum does not have snare or jingles.

source: woodbrass.com

The tamborim is found in many categories of Brazilian music and it is most commonly linked with the samba and pagoda, but also used in chorinho, bossa niova nad some other north-eastern folklore rhythms like cucumbi. In many musical styles the musical instrument is played with a small wooden drum stick. In samba-batucada, the instrument is played with a beater that is produced of some flexible nylon and polyacetal threads bound together. Or few occasions, the musical instrument may be played with the bare fingers of the hand. Thye tamborim is held with the weaker hand with the thumb crossing the rim and the leaning on the drumhead or with the thumb gripping the frame of the instrument. The other fingers are spiraled under the rim with the index specifically applying and giving out pressure on the underside of the head to gain higher or lower notes for the player. The beater is held with strong hand and the head is then struck a bit off-center. A playing style called virado is often used, here the drum is flipped upside-down in the middle of the style and it produces one note that is a little bit delayed thereby giving the samba its real featured lilt. The instrument can also be struck on the rim occasionally. the players of this musical instrument alternate between the carreteiro, the actual groove pattern and other signature phrases which that are easily differentiated above the other percussion instrument.