Introduction

The tamborim is a simple hand-held drum, 6 inches in diameter with a synthetic skin on one side. 

It is tensioned with 6 or 8 tension rods attached around the frame of the drum.

The tamborim is a small and lightweight. In its simplest form it can be used to play patterns of percussive cracks that accentuate the samba, just like clapping the hands. Being a small and light instrument, tamborim players are also free to dance while playing, usually to simple choreographies that a go with the playing style.

This isn't all there is to the tamborim though. By using a technique called "Turning" or "Virado" the speed of the tamborim is multiplied and it can deliver amazing speed and swing, with all the subtleties that make samba so good.

 

Here's a great video of Mocidade Alegre showing how much fun the tamborim can be.

 

 

If, like me, you think this is AWESOME then please read on!

 

Holding the Tamborim

Assuming you are right handed, then you would grip the drum frame in the left land. If possible, find a position to hold the drum so the tuning lugs aren't digging into your hand.

You need to be able to dampen the skin if necessary so it doesn't ring too much. You can do this by wrapping your thumb over the top edge of the drum so it presses against the skin, or more commonly, by pressing your fingers against the bottom of the skin. Going from the bottom has the advantage that you're less likely to hit yourself with the beater.

The beater should be gripped in the right hand between the thumb and forefinger. The other fingers can also wrap around the grip of the beater but should not hold it too tightly. The beater should be able to pivot slightly between the thumb and forefinger if necessary.

 

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Beaters

Tamborim beaters are made of a bunch of flexible plastic rods, with rounded tips at the striking end and held together by a grip at the other end. Tamborim beaters come in a variety of lengths and weights, and with different numbers of rods.

The heaviest beaters produce the most sound, but can be the most exhausting to play for all but the most skilled players. These normally have 7 rods which are flared out at the striking end.

The lighter rods tend to be easier to play with, however be careful not to chose a beater that is too flexible for your playing style. Finding the best beater for you is likely to take some practice and experimentation.

 

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Types of Tamborim

Tamborims are all pretty similar, the most significant difference is the material they're built from. The strongest tamborims for the samba batteria have a shell made of thick aluminium and usually have 6 or 8 tuning lugs.

Tamborims are also commonly made from wood, pressed metal or various types of plastic. Some of these types may struggle to take the high tuning required in the samba bateria.

 

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Tools for Practice

When starting out, the simplest way to learn the various tamborim patterns is to clap your hands. There are no special tools required, although a metronome is always recommended for building a strong sense of tempo.

To practice the famous turning technique, you'll at least need a plastic tamborim beater. These can be purchased online for about $20 and can be used to practice against your hand, a plastic container lid or of course, an actual tamborim.

Practice heads are also available. These are a 6" drum head made of mesh, that can be used to replace the regular head on your drum. This provides the advantage of feeling like a tamborim but being quiet enough to practice anytime, anywhere.

 

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Basic Video

Here is the YouTube video of Mestra Thalita Santos from Viradoulo explaining basic Tamborim beats.

Turning, or "virado", "carreteiro" in Portuguese is the basis of the patterns played in samba batucada.

Here is another YouTube video of Mestra Thalita Santos explaining Step-by-Step Carreteiro.