[igorski]

I have been wondering this for quite a while.

I always thought it was a Brazilian instrument, since it features heavily on recordings of Brazilian artists in the 60's.

I once saw footage of one being used and I believe it's some kind of skin taught around something that looked like a barrel - if I remember correctly - and ended in a tube. When the musician rubbed, squeezed or whatever the skin (teehee) a high pitched squealing sound was made, reminiscent of a woman's voice.

In more popular music it can be heard on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Walkabout from the One Hot Minute-album starting at 1:42. edit: clip added. See end of this post.

After a bit of Googling it was described as a 'Australian instrument' (NO IT'S NOT A DIDJERIDOO) on this track, though I could find no descriptions online of this instrument (nor when I believed it was Brazilian).

Anybody got a clue ?

I want one, you see.

Soundbyte (sound on left speaker, last sound you hear on fade out too).

[dadfad]

I don't know if this is what you mean, but you can get a sort of squeaking/squealing sound by rubbing the side of your thumb just right (I never could do it) across the skin of a bongo or conga drum. Like in "Oye Como Va" by Santana (I think has it in there).

[igorski]

I don't know if this is what you mean, but you can get a sort of squeaking/squealing sound by rubbing the side of your thumb just right (I never could do it) across the skin of a bongo or conga drum. Like in "Oye Como Va" by Santana (I think has it in there).

Could be it... I'll see if I can find some more on that, altough if I remember correctly there was this hose/pipe-...thing attached to it.

I edited the original post and added a soundbyte I made quickly now I'm back at home, from said Chili Peppers song my colleague was listening to earlier today around the time of the first post:

Soundbyte (sound on left speaker, last sound you hear on fade out too).

Does this help any ears ?

[sezchuan]

Yeah it is a pretty cool sound. If it is Australian then it is most likely Aboriginal. I did a quick google and didn't come up with much.

This website lists some Aboriginal instruments
Instruments

I thought it could possible be the Llpirra. But I really have no idea what one looks or sounds like.
Anyway thought it might give you another lead to chase. I'm going to a music store later on and I'll ask em for ya but I wouldn't hold your breath.

[jones991]

oh yeah, thats my drunk uncle making his wine glass squeek at family functions. sorry about that.

[TheJosh]

i think the barenaked ladies use that on some of their weird, awesome earlier stuff...

[igorski]

Right I don't believe this.

I was home for christmas and casually mentioned to my mother I've bought a berimbau. Note my mother is Brazilian.

Then she replies "Oh that's nice, you must also get a cuíca". "A what, mom ?", to which she replies by giving an explanation of how it works (a drum that has a skin which is pushed and pulled to make pitches) and imitates the sound it makes as I'm sure is the way I imitated it when I asked her previously if she had any idea.

...

Anyways, a cuíca it is. Off to find one I say. In the meantime, check the cool soundsample:

The cool soundsample

[w00dy]

that cuica sounds like something thats alive, like some mad monkey or something

[igorski]

Okay I managed to find one from a nice Italian lady, all the others had to be directly imported from Brazil.

It's fun, you use a wet cloth to rub the stick that's inside the drum, attached to the skin to make that howling sound.

It's more at place as a nice ornament to look at, this mofo is LOUD

[Dave Snyder]

Okay I managed to find one from a nice Italian lady, all the others had to be directly imported from Brazil.

It's fun, you use a wet cloth to rub the stick that's inside the drum, attached to the skin to make that howling sound.

It's more at place as a nice ornament to look at, this mofo is LOUD

Oddest thing....the cuica, sounding so cool in samba music, originally came from Africa where a larger version was used to give the female lion distress call... Bring in males from all around the jungle to protect the fair lady... If this sounds cool, remember that the Masai tribe were a lot better ready for phase two of this plan than you or I...

[narad1986]

Bring in males from all around the jungle

Why the hell would you wanna do that ?