The Guitarra de golpe is a
stringed musical instrument
String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.
Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the st ...
from Mexico. It has 5 nylon strings in 5 courses. The
headstock traditionally has a traditional shape that is designed to look like a stylised owl with wooden pegs, but nowadays this is sometimes replaced with a guitar or vihuela style headstock with machine heads. For a while during the 20th century, the Guitarra De Golpe fell into disuse in traditional Mariachi groups, and was replaced by the Classical guitar. It has now however been revived. It is still an essential part of the "conjuntos de arpa" from Michoacán.
Like the
vihuela
The vihuela () is a 15th-century fretted plucked Spanish string instrument, shaped like a guitar (figure-of-eight form offering strength and portability) but tuned like a lute. It was used in 15th- and 16th-century Spain as the equivalent of t ...
, it often only has a few frets, but unlike the Vihuela, the frets are made of metal or wood, instead of the vihuela's tied on nylon.
Tuning
Standard Michoacán tuning: D3, G3, C4, E3, A3.
Tecalitlán tuning: D3, G3, B4, E3, A3.
Urbana Arriba tuning: G3, C4, E4, A3, D4.
Urbana Abajo tuning: G3, C4, E3, A3, D4.
Vihuela tuning: A3, D3, G3, B4, E3.
Names
The Guitarra de Golpe has many names.
* Guitarra de Golpe: Golpe is the name of the strumming pattern used for this and other Mexican instruments.
* Guitarra Colorada: Translates as 'red guitar'. The literal translation is "colored guitar".
* Quinta De Golpe: Fifth strum.
* Mariachera: A reference to Mariachi music.
References
{{Reflist
External links
ATLAS of Plucked Instruments
Guitar family instruments
Mexican musical instruments