Tres (instrument)
Musical instrument of Cuban origin / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The tres (Spanish for three) is a three-course chordophone of Cuban origin. The most widespread variety of the instrument is the original Cuban tres with six strings. Its sound has become a defining characteristic of the Cuban son and it is commonly played in a variety of Afro-Cuban genres. In the 1930s, the instrument was adapted into the Puerto Rican tres, which has nine strings and a body similar to that of the cuatro.
String instrument | |
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Other names | Tres, tres cubano |
Classification | String instrument |
Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 321.322 (Composite chordophone) |
Developed | 19th century in eastern Cuba |
Related instruments | |
Bandola, bandurria, laúd, Spanish guitar, tiple, cuatro |
The tres developed in the second half of the 19th century in the eastern region of Guantánamo, where it was used to play changüí, a precursor of son cubano.[1] Its exact origins are not known, but it is assumed to have developed from the 19th century Spanish guitar, which it resembles in shape,[2] as well as the laúd and bandola, two instruments used in punto cubano since at least the 18th century.[2] Tres playing revolves around the guajeo, an ostinato pattern found in many Afro-Cuban music styles. Tres players are commonly known as treseros (in Cuba) or tresistas (in Puerto Rico).