Cowbell (instrument)

Cowbell, also Cencerro (Spanish ) or Campana, refers to a Aufschlagidiophon in the form of a trapezoidal -shaped cowbell made ​​of copper or brass sheet 10 to 20 centimeters in length and without clapper.

This percussion instrument is held in the palm of the hand and struck with a thick wooden stick. With it, the basic beat is struck, for example, in the Cha -Cha- Cha, also in the salsa they will always use. It is played frequently by Bongocero ( the bongo drummer ). The full tones generated one by one on the lower end of the bell strikes ( at the opening ) with the wooden stick, accents and overtones caused by hitting the top of the bell. Alternatively, the instrument can also be mounted on drums and timbales.

The instrument is probably due to similar instruments in West Africa. There, single or in pairs interconnected metal bells without clappers are known. Dual Bell be again divided into those which. On a stem, and others, which are connected by a bracket The handle double bells heard the Gankogui the Ewe in Ghana, a bracket has the Ngonge (also Ngunga, Engongui ) in Nigeria, the model for the Brazilian Agogô was.

In the alpine folk music tuned Alpine Bells are used with mallets.