Tamborim

The tamborim is a membranophone measuring about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches in height. It is smaller than the pandeiro and does not have jingles. It is composed of a circular metal hoop, made of wood or plastic, on which a synthetic skin is stretched. It produces a piercing high level sound which can be heard over the other drums of a samba band. The player holds it in the hand and beats the skin with a flexible rod or the other hand. The rod is called "vareta" and can be made of bamboo, wood or plastic. In Brazil it is used especially in dances of African origin, as "maracatus" and "cucumbis". It is an indispensable instrument in the samba batucada.