A zabumba () is a type of

bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...

used in

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

ian music. The player wears the drum while standing up and uses both hands while playing. The zabumba generally ranges in diameter from 16 to 22 inches, and is 5 to 8 inches tall. The shell is made of wood and may utilize either skin or plastic

drum head A drumhead or drum skin is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands, so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum. Additionally outside of percus ...

s and is usually tensioned via metal lugs and tension rods. The top head is usually muted with tape or cloth strip(s) and struck with a cloth-covered mallet (held in the right hand) to produce a low fundamental note with minimal overtones. The bottom head is tuned tighter and is struck with a thin, twig-like stick called a ''

bacalhau () is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Fresh (unsalted) cod is referred to as (fresh cod). Portuguese and other cuisines dishes are common in Portugal, and also in former Portuguese colonies li ...

'' which is held in the left hand to produce a high fundamental with a sharp attack and numerous overtones. In construction, tuning and performance technique, the zabumba is very similar to bass drums found in the eastern

Mediterranean region In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and wa ...

, such as the

davul The davul, dhol, tapan, atabal or tabl is a large double-headed drum that is played with mallets. It has many names depending on the country and region. These drums are commonly used in the music of the Middle East and the Balkans. These drums ...

. The zabumba is used in the genres of

forró The term forró (*) refers to a musical genre, a rhythm, a dance and the event itself where forró music is played and danced. Forró is an important part of the culture of the Northeastern Region of Brazil. It encompasses various dance type ...

, coco, baião,

xaxado The xaxado () is a popular dance created in the Sertão of Pernambuco state, Brazil. It was often practiced by '' cangaceiros'' of the region to commemorate victory in battle; it is also practiced as a traditional dance by the local population as a ...

and

xote Xote (, ) is a Brazilian music genre and dance with a binary or quaternary rhythm. It is the local equivalent of the German schottische. Xote is a common type of forró dancing. The word ''xote'' is a corruption of the German word ''schottisch'' me ...

References

Brazilian percussion Membranophones {{Membranophone-instrument-stub