Giro's

Guiros are percussion musical instruments that consist of a hollow gourd with an open end and parallel notches on one side. It is played by rubbing sticks or teeth along the notches to produce a rattling sound.

This musical instrument plays a typical rhythm section of unique music genres. These include Trova, Salsa, and Son. Playing the guiro requires both short and long sounds. These sounds are created by scraping up and down in long and short strokes. Like maracas, the guiro often forms part of musical performances. This instrument is closely related to the Cuban guano, Haitian graj, and Dominican metal guiro. Throughout America, this instrument is used in various folkloric and traditional dance music - usually at religious festivals. It is also part of many classic beats.

Top most popular guiro of all time

It doesn't matter which material or size guiro you choose to play; they all have the same basic structure. You will see these guiros as hollowed-out gourds with notches. According to historical evidence, it was first used as an instrument in South America or Africa. And the Aztecs are the ones who produced the first type of guiro. Another name for guiro is omtizicahuastli. It comes from a small bone with serrated notches. However, the playing method remained the same as what we follow today. Here are a few other types of guiros that you can buy and use to create different types of music.

Crocodile and croaking wooden frog guiro

The crocodile guiro is a curly underwood and works well as an ornament. Generally, it comes in natural wood and in brown or green shades. The frog guiro is best in acacia wood with manual cravings in Northern Thailand. It is a popular option in traditional music. Here, the opening of the frog's mouth provides better resonance and a unique sound when struck with the stick. Many also use this open mouth to hold the stick in place when the guiro is not in use. Even today, no music studio is complete without a frog guiro. It is an ideal option for handling many types of unique sounds.

Cricket - Bamboo Rasp

A small wooden cricket guiro consists of a hand-painted block. It is an ideal option for children to play with. Due to their appearance, they are ideal for beginners who want to learn to play the guiro professionally. Additionally, they provide enough practice for the beginner before moving on to the real deal. It is compact and ideal for on the go. At the same time, the bamboo rasps are about 35 cm long. It has a simplistic hand-painted dot design on both ends. The deep ridges provide a fantastic sound. Here, the rasps and the stick are always together. You can also hang them to save space in your instrument cabinet. It is a suitable option for professional musicians and anyone with a passion for music.

The gourd shaker

If you are looking for a traditional music guiro, opt for a gourd shaker. Besides being traditional, it is also a multifunctional instrument. You can use it as a shaker that gives you a rainstick-like sound. It has a woven band on the handle that usually comes in attractive color combinations. Moreover, it is versatile and has various uses in music. Also, if you want more bang for your buck, this two-in-one instrument offers many possibilities in the studio and is always an all-rounder.

The tone block and children's guiros

The tone blocks are often part of music lessons in kindergarten. In terms of size, they are ideal for small hands, while also available in the mid-range, suitable for beginners. They produce a pleasant sound that is groovy with a great tone. For children, there are also specially designed guiros with rainbow and multicolored provocative stripes. These guiros for children have a special construction. The design takes into account the soft hands of children. The goal is for them to enjoy a lighter weight with a soft touch. These features ensure that children can enjoy playing without realizing it.