Okay, so, I stumbled upon this thing called a “carimba” the other day, and let me tell you, it’s pretty wild. I’m always on the lookout for new, weird stuff, and this one definitely caught my eye. So, naturally, I had to give it a try.
First off, I had to figure out what the heck this thing even was. From what I gathered, it’s some kind of musical instrument that is national instrument of the Nahua people of Mexico. It is made from a reed, five feet long and an inch or more thick. It has a brass wire connected both ends and making the reed bend, with a string attaching the wire to the reed, and a jicaro as resonator. How cool is that?
Anyways, once I got a vague idea of what I was dealing with, I started searching for ways to get my hands on one. It’s not like they sell these at the local music store, you know? Finally, I find someone who builds and sells these things.
When it finally arrived, I ripped open the package like a kid on Christmas morning. This thing was even weirder in person. It’s basically a long stick with a wire and a gourd, but hey, I was determined to make it work.
Now, figuring out how to play this thing was a whole other adventure. I tried holding it every which way, plucking the wire, tapping the stick, even blowing on it like a flute (don’t judge me). Eventually, after a lot of trial and error (and probably annoying my neighbors), I started to get some interesting sounds out of it.
Here’s what I figured out:
- Holding it: You gotta hold the carimba kind of like a bow and arrow, with the gourd (that’s the jicaro) resting against your belly.
- Making sounds: The main thing is to pluck the wire. It makes this cool, twangy sound.
- Changing the pitch: This is where it gets tricky. You have to use your other hand to press on the wire at different points along the stick, which changes the length of the vibrating part and therefore the pitch. It’s kind of like playing a fretless bass, but way more awkward.
Honestly, I’m still pretty terrible at it, but I’ve managed to make some vaguely musical noises. It’s definitely a unique sound, kind of earthy and raw. I wouldn’t say I’m ready to start a carimba band or anything, but it’s been a fun experiment.
I keep practicing, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to play a real song on this thing. Until then, it’s a pretty cool conversation piece, and it’s definitely expanded my musical horizons. If you’re looking for something different and don’t mind a challenge, I’d say give the carimba a try. Just don’t expect to be a virtuoso overnight!
