Maracas
previous
next
Maracas are round or oval rattles which come in pairs. One maraca is pitched slightly higher than the other. They are shaken with a forward flick of the hands to create swishing background rhythms. The most common use of maracas is in Latin American bands, but they are sometimes used in an orchestra to add a Caribbean or South American flavor.
| Family |
| Percussions |
| Pitch range |
| None. |
| Material |
| Gourd, wood, wickerwork, or plastic. filled with seeds, beads, or shot. |
| Size |
| Variable. |
| Origins |
| Maracas, which have been in existence for many centuries, were first constructed from hollow, seed-filled gourds. They are now closely linked with Latin America, especially Brazil and Cuba. |
| Classification |
| Idiophone: an instrument that produces its sound through the use of the material from which it is made, without needing strings or a stretched skin. |
| And also... |
| Leonard Bernstein (who composed "West Side Story") created a remarkable effect in his "Jeremiah Symphony" of 1942 by using maracas as drumsticks. |
