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Here's an interesting instrument, played much like the guitar. The player is a fine musician. The music is a well known classical guitar piece.
That's very nice, but not normal for a charango, although in recent years there has developed a fashion for virtuoso playing and adaptations of European classical music. In fact that's not a normal charango either - the 'standard' instrument has five courses of double strings, whereas this one appears to have six singles and one double. That's probably why it says 'hatun charango' at the beginning; 'hatun' is the Quechua word for 'big' or 'great'. Probably the player's invention.
But there are various sizes and tunings of traditional instruments, some with nylon strings, some with steel, according to regional preferences (and in some areas, the season). [More info here - scroll down to Bolivia too].
It's interesting to see this guy playing vihuela music because there is a remote connection - the charango having developed as the native response to the baroque guitar, hence the five double strings and 're-entrant' tuning.
The traditional way of playing is rather different from guitar playing and is characterised by the 'repique', a rapid rasgueo up and down with the index finger. Here are a couple of good examples of traditional music from Bolivia using a steel-stringed instrument...and some charming video FX. (I saw these guys perform in La Paz many years ago before they were famous!):
And an equally traditional but distinct style from Peru; this is very Ayacuchano:
Sounds surprisingly ok for an instrument with such small body,,,,, but i couldn't play such an instrument. I would probably fall of my chair laughing before i can start to play anything. Maybe you need to get used to the look.
That's very nice, but not normal for a charango, although in recent years there has developed a fashion for virtuoso playing and adaptations of European classical music. In fact that's not a normal charango either - the 'standard' instrument has five courses of double strings, whereas this one appears to have six singles and one double. That's probably why it says 'hatun charango' at the beginning; 'hatun' is the Quechua word for 'big' or 'great'. Probably the player's invention.
Yes, it's not a usual Charango. Tarazona is also a well respected constructor, and he basically made this one specifically for himself. He also plays classical guitar, and there are other clips of him playing this same Charango where he is also playing classical guitar music, so possibly he made it for that purpose, though he does play other music on it.
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