Tiple

The tiple (Spanish: treble ) is the name of various plucked instruments from Latin America and the Caribbean. They evolved during the colonial period of the Spanish guitar or related smaller plucked instruments.

Colombian tiple

The Colombian tiple is built like a slightly scaled down guitar with a length of about 90 cm. It has four choirs, each with three steel strings. In the lower three choirs, the average string is wound and is one octave tuned down. The most common mood corresponds to the four upper strings of the guitar ( DGHE ). You can be hit or plucked. The sound is high and brilliant.

In the traditional music of Colombia, the tiple is combined in different formations with other plucked instruments such as guitar and mandolin. It is most struck by and support the respective typical rhythm.

The tiple emerged as one of many instruments of the guitar family in Latin America after Spanish models. Since the second half of the 19th century, it is particularly widespread in Colombia and has since 1915 its present form. In the seventies of the 20th century it was integrated by representatives of the Nueva Canción Chilena Inti Illimani as Victor Jara and in larger ensembles and thus known in other countries of South America and beyond. Throughout its history, the way of playing the tiple was more complex. Today it is also used electrically amplified.

Tiples from Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, several variants of the tiple, which had its origin in the rural music of farmers exist. In the course of the twentieth century, its popularity declined in favor of Cuatros and the guitar. It is much smaller than the Colombian version and the body is made as in the cuatro of a piece of wood.

The most common form is the tiple Doliente. She has EADCG five strings in the mood. Other forms are requinto with three strings and the Tiplon with four equal-length and a truncated string ( similar to a banjo), the tiple.

Spanish tiple

The Spanish or Canary tiple has five strings, Tenerife is a four-stringed variant encountered. It is also referred to as Timple. With approximately 60 cm in length, it is also smaller than the Colombian tiple, and is similar in size to a ukulele. The tiple has a long history in Spain. Already in 1752 a method of teaching the instrument has been published.