Banda is a
brassA brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
-based form of traditional music. Bandas play a wide variety of songs, including
rancheraRanchera is a genre of the traditional music of Mexico originally sung by only one performer with a guitar. It dates to the years of the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century. It later became closely associated with the mariachi groups which evolved in Jalisco. Ranchera today is also played...
s,
corridoThe corrido is a popular narrative song and poetry form, a ballad, of Mexico. The songs are often about oppression, history, daily life for peasants, and other socially important information. It is still a popular form today, and was widely popular during the Mexican Revolution and Nicaraguan...
s,
cumbiaCumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
s,
baladaA ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s, and
boleroBolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
s. Bandas are most widely known for their rancheras, but they also play modern Mexican pop, rock, and cumbias. Most Banda music is very clearly a dialect of polka and will seem familiar and appealing to fans of polka or traditional German and Polish music.
La
Banda el RecodoBanda Sinaloense el Recodo de Don Cruz Lizárraga, often referred to as Banda el Recodo is a Mexican Banda sinaloense group. Since its founding in 1938, it has been under the direction of the Lizárraga family...
,
Banda JerezBanda Jerez is a Mexican banda group formed in the late 1980s. Banda Jerez's hits include "Billete Verde", "Una Mujer Casada" "Tan Bonita", "Cerveza Helada", "La Cabrona", "La Baraja","tamarindo", and "la iguana". The band was named after Jerez de García Salinas, Zacatecas, Mexico, where it was...
,
El CoyoteEl Coyote , is the lead performer and vocalist of El Coyote y su Banda Tierra Santa. El Coyote y su Banda Tierra Santa are with Record label Universal Music Latin Entertainment, and formerly Univision Music Group. El Coyote was born in the town of Coyotitán in Sinaloa, Mexico but was raised in...
, Banda Sinaloense MS, Banda La Autentica,
Banda MachosBanda Machos is a Mexican band originally from Villa Corona, in the state of Jalisco. The band sings a combination of Banda music, Quebradita, and Ranchera...
,
Banda MagueyA favorite during the 1990s banda craze, Banda Maguey took over the radio waves with their debut album Tumbando Caña in 1994, which contained a number of hits including "El Alacran" a cover originally sung by La Sonora Matancera. Signed to Fonovisa a year earlier, Banda Maguey took over their...
, Banda Cuisillos,
La Arrolladora Banda El LimónLa Arrolladora Banda El Limón is a Mexican banda group from Limon in the state of Sinaloa which has been performing together, in one incarnation or another, since the 1960s. Despite being together since the 1960s, they didn't record their first album until three decades later, when in 1997 they...
and
Banda Los RecoditosBanda Los Recoditos is a Mexican band formed in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. It was founded in 1989 by friends and family members of Banda el Recodo by Cruz Lizárraga. Alfonso Lizárraga and Pancho Barraza, the first vocalists, were two of the more than dozen bandmembers comprising the original incarnation of...
are some of the most famous banda artists. Banda is primarily a male-dominated genre; however, there are also a few all-female bandas such as Banda Las Tapatías and Banda Soñadoras, as well as a few prominent female singers such as
Chayito ValdezChayito Valdez is a Mexican-born American singer and actress associated with the folk music of Mexico.-Career:...
and
Graciela BeltránGraciela Beltrán in the small town of Costa Rica located in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, is a Mexican singer and actress...
also Jenni Rivera
History
Established in the late 1880s in
SinaloaSinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
, a state in northwestern
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, banda music exploded in popularity in the 1890s throughout Mexico. Its roots come from the overlapping of Mexican music with German polka music. At the time, many German Mexicans lived in the states of Sinaloa, Chihuahua, and Nuevo León. This greatly influenced northern Mexican music. Immigrants from northern Mexico brought the music to the United States. Initially popular in the southwest
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, primarily in
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and
ArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, banda has followed the movement of Mexican immigrants to the Midwest United States and the rest of the country. Other notes on the origin of "Banda" music resembling mid 20th century Jazz: Mexicans whom came in contact with Latin-based Jazz of
ChicanoThe terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
s or Mexicans born and raised in the United States adopted Jazz-like sounds in banda to further enrich the music type.
The first bandas were established in 19th century in the south and center of Mexico. There are brass instruments dated from 1850's in the state of Oaxaca. The repertory of the bandas of Morelos, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Michoacán covered gusto, son, vinuet, piezas y marchas fúnebres, danzon, vals, corrido, pasos dobles, marchas, polkas, rancheras, alabanzas and foxes. In Yucatán, the bandas are called jaranas and also play jarana music.
Sound
A typical banda is made up of
brassA brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
,
woodwindA woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within its resonator to vibrate...
, and
percussionA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
instruments. The most notable instrument is the
tamboraA tambora is a percussion instrument, resembling a bass drum in Mexican brass bands, mainly in Banda sinaloense and Tamborazo Zacatecano.It is a double headed membranophone with a diameter of 20 - 26 inches, a fixed cymbal on the frame that is struck with another cymbal and a stand for the drum. A...
which is a type of bass drum with a head made from animal hide, with a
cymbalCymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
on top. Bandas were previously called "tamboras", named after this drum. The tambora is played in a strong and embellished manner, which provides the drive for the rest of the band. The percussion section also includes the tarola which is a snare with timbales which would resemble the tom-toms on a regular drumset, cowbells, and
cymbalCymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s.
Banda el RecodoBanda Sinaloense el Recodo de Don Cruz Lizárraga, often referred to as Banda el Recodo is a Mexican Banda sinaloense group. Since its founding in 1938, it has been under the direction of the Lizárraga family...
, one of the most famous bandas, features 3
TrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, 4
clarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, 3 valve trombones or slide trombones, 2 Eb
alto hornThe alto horn is a brass instrument pitched in E...
s, and 1
sousaphoneThe sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
.
Like an orchestra, a banda can be organized into different sections.
- Bass: The lowest-pitched part is played by the sousaphone
The sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
(referred to as a "tubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
" in Mexico), accompanied by the tambora, a large bass drum with a cymbal on top.
- Harmony: Two Armonias, "charchetas" or "saxores" in Mexico (Eb alto horns
The alto horn is a brass instrument pitched in E...
), play chords using different rhythms depending on the style.
- Tenor: valve trombones or slide trombones play the lower-pitched part of the melody/arrangement.
- Alto: Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s play the higher-pitched part of the melody/arrangement.
- Soprano: Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s and sometimes saxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s play as "singing" instruments that may play with the voice.
- Voice: Banda el Recodo
Banda Sinaloense el Recodo de Don Cruz Lizárraga, often referred to as Banda el Recodo is a Mexican Banda sinaloense group. Since its founding in 1938, it has been under the direction of the Lizárraga family...
and Banda JerezBanda Jerez is a Mexican banda group formed in the late 1980s. Banda Jerez's hits include "Billete Verde", "Una Mujer Casada" "Tan Bonita", "Cerveza Helada", "La Cabrona", "La Baraja","tamarindo", and "la iguana". The band was named after Jerez de García Salinas, Zacatecas, Mexico, where it was...
consists of trios, but many bandas also consist of dual and solo singers.
Most banda arrangements feature 3 part harmony and melodic sections which contrast the timbres of the clarinet, trumpet, and valve trombone sections.
Bandas play many different styles including waltzes, cumbias, polkas, marches, foxtrots, rock ballads, rancheras and sones. Historically bandas were village brass bands called on to entertain the town, and would play anything from opera overtures to big band jazz. This tradition continues today in many towns, especially during festivals and celebrations.
Bandas usually have a strong percussion. The percussionists generally provide the accents and do not usually play all the time or keep a 'groove'. Often the percussionists will enter only when the singer is not singing, such as in an instrumental chorus. The groove is mostly provided by the sousaphone (or bass guitar in a few recordings) playing the bass line, and the alto horns playing sharp upbeats. Typically when a banda plays a cumbia, the alto horn players switch to Latin percussion instruments such as
maracasMaracás is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
, cowbell, congas, bongos and
guiroThe güiro is a Latin-American percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick or tines along the notches to produce a ratchet-like sound. The güiro is commonly used in Latin-American music, and plays a key role...
.
Bandas generally contain between 10 and 20 members. They usually have a lead singer and a second voice, and occasionally a third voice. The voice often consists of a duet, but solo singers and trios are also common.
Besides the typical instrumentation, banda music, as well as many other forms of traditional Mexican music, is also noted for the
grito mexicanoGrito Mexicano , or simply grito, is a part of Mexican culture. It is similar to the yahoo or yeehaw of the American cowboy during a hoedown, except with added trills and an onomatopoeia closer to "aaah" or "aaayyyeee". The first sound is typically held as long as possible, leaving enough breath...
, a yell that is done at musical interludes within a song, either by the musicians and/or the listening audience.
In the late 80's and throughout the 90's many new bandas were so-called "technobandas" or "electrobandas", in which some or all of the horns were replaced by electric instruments. A typical technobanda will substitute a sousaphone with electric bass and the two alto horns with a synthesizer and a guitar. The clarinets were frequently replaced with saxophones also. However the bass part is still played in a style imitating a sousaphone, using a
SynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
or substituting using a
double bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
or a
bass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. These Technobandas created the early movement of la Quebradita. Some examples of technobandas are
Banda MachosBanda Machos is a Mexican band originally from Villa Corona, in the state of Jalisco. The band sings a combination of Banda music, Quebradita, and Ranchera...
,
Banda MagueyA favorite during the 1990s banda craze, Banda Maguey took over the radio waves with their debut album Tumbando Caña in 1994, which contained a number of hits including "El Alacran" a cover originally sung by La Sonora Matancera. Signed to Fonovisa a year earlier, Banda Maguey took over their...
, Banda Vallarta Show, Banda Toro, Banda Fresa, Banda Tepic, Banda Pequenos Musical, Banda Movil, Banda Arkangel R-15,
Banda PachucoBanda Pachuco is a Mexican music group, formed in 1993.They reached number 5 in the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks with their "Mitad Tu, Mitad Yo" song in 1995. They made a big hit in their album "Terco Corazon" released in 1998 welcoming a new singer Neo Serrato...
, Banda Laberinto.
Tambora
TamboraTambora may refer to:* In music:**Tanpura, an instrument used in Indian classical music for continuous production of consonating reference notes **Tambora , an Afro-Caribbean percussion instrument...
is closely related to
Banda-People:*Banda people, an ethnic group of the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Sudan*Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia*Hastings Banda, former President of Malawi...
. However, Tambora uses a
SaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
instead of a
ClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
. Another difference from the banda is that the Tambora uses its drum consistently, as opposed to the banda who distributes the use of the other instruments throughout a song. Tambora originated in the state of
ZacatecasZacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
. Tambora uses various instruments such as:
- Tambora
- Saxophone
- Trumpet
- Tarolas
- Trombone
- Toribion
- Pitolin
External links