The machete (Portuguese: machete de braga) is a small stringed instrument from Madeira, Portugal. It has a double bulged body, traditionally made of wood, with a small rib and has four metallic strings, which depending on the region, may be attached by wooden pegs. Its slightly larger cousin, the machete de rajão, has five metal strings. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for the instrument to be made out of linden or poplar. Historians believe the machete was introduced in Madeira from Braga as a braguinha and subsequently brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in the late 19th century as a possible predecessor of the ukulele.[1]
| Classification | String instrument (plucked, nylon stringed instrument usually played with the bare thumb and/or fingertips, or a felt pick) |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | (Composite chordophone) |
| Developed | in Madeira, Portugal |
| Related instruments | |
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See also edit
References edit
- ^ Ruymar, Lorene (1 September 1996). The Hawaiian Steel Guitar and Its Great Hawaiian Musicians. Centerstream Publications. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-57424-021-4. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
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