guiros

Guiros are percussion instruments consisting of a hollow gourd or carved wooden body with a series of parallel ridges on one side. The instrument is traditionally made from a dried calabash gourd, but wooden and plastic versions are common today. A scraper, often a short stick or metal rod with a notched tip, is drawn across the ridges to produce a bright, rasping sound. The pitch and volume depend on the material, the size of the instrument, the sharpness of the ridges, and the speed of the scrape. Players typically hold the guiro with one hand and guide the scraper with the other, scraping in one direction for a regular pattern; alternating directions can create two-note textures.

Guiros originate in Caribbean and Latin American musical traditions and have become a staple in many ensembles worldwide. They are used in folk music, salsa, Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban percussion, and school music education. Variants include handheld guiros, full-sized barrel guiros, and plastic varieties designed for student use. In addition to scraping, players may tap the body with the opposite end of the scraper to provide additional percussive sounds.

Care and maintenance are simple: keep the instrument dry, wipe after use to remove moisture, and avoid exposure to extreme temperatures to prevent cracking. Guiros are valued for their distinctive texture and rhythmic versatility, often used to accent off-beats and provide a sustained rasp in complex percussion arrangements.