ACORDEÃO

The “Acordeão” is an aerophone instrument because, the sound produced is mainly due to the vibration of the air, not requiring membranes or strings.

This instrument consists of a bellows, a tuning fork and two wooden harmonic boxes. The “Acordeón”, sometimes pronounced in this way, is one of the most appreciated instruments, not only for its beauty but also for being an easy instrument to learn and carry.

1100 years B.C. an instrument called Sheng was invented in China, it is a kind of portable organ played by blowing with the mouth. The evolution of this instrument gave rise to the accordion.

CAVAQUINHO

The “Cavaquinho” is a chordophone instrument, due to the fact that the sound results from the vibration of one or more strings. In terms of size, it is smaller than the viola, and is an instrument of great popularity as an accompanist and even as a soloist in popular orchestras.

Cavaquinho’s origins remote to city of Braga, Portugal, however, nowadays it as spread away to other countries like Brazil, Cabo Verde in Mozambique.

It has four gut or metal strings and the effect is similar to the “Bandolim” or to the  “Bandurilha”, other two instruments. It is a type of viola with flat tops and belongs to the family of European guitars. It has a double-bulbed snare drum and a small fretboard, its four strings are traditionally attached to wooden pegs on the back and to the bridge glued to the middle of the lower bulge of the top, using a system that is also used on the viola.Within the general category with those characteristics, there are currently two types of Cavaquinhos in Portugal: the Minho type and the Lisbon type.