Latin music is a large part of our American society. No more do we realize this than on Cinco De Mayo when our senses are flooded with the rhythms and instruments of our Latin American friends. Latin music combines the “musical traditions of Mexico, Central America, and the portions of South America and the Caribbean colonized by the Spanish and the Portuguese. These traditions reflect the distinctive mixtures of Native American, African, and European influences that have shifted throughout the region over time.”

Instruments indigenous to Latin American music are mostly stringed and woodwind instruments as well as percussion. These stringed instruments include guitar and guitar-like instruments, lute, mandolin, harp, and violin. As for the woodwind instruments, many of them are flutes. Most are single-pipe vertical flutes with “either whistle-type (e.g., the pincollos of the Inca) or end-notched (e.g., the Andean quena) mouthpieces. Whistles and ocarinas are also found throughout Latin America.” The percussion instruments are the prominent sound of Latin Music and include a rich history of use. These include “slit-drums, single-headed small drums, cup-shaped ceramic drums, double-headed drums (e.g., bombos), and a great variety of shaken rattles (maracas), scrapers, and stamping tubes.”

At Nashville Music Academy, we offer music lessons for genres, styles, and instruments specific to Latin American music. We have two instructors at NMA that have experience to help you reach your latin music performance goals. They are Chris Leidecher (percussion) and Michael Gutierrez (woodwinds). Guitar instructor Adam Korsvik is also available for Acoustic and Spanish Guitar instruction. Call today! 615-521-1937 to make an appointment.

References from Britannica.