Chocalho - product guide

Chocalhois the Brazilian term for all kinds of shakers. Ganzas are shakers made out of tubes filled with beads, metal plates etc., rocars are shakers with jingles.

Ganza or Rocar?

This primarily depends on how loud you want it to be. The rocar is defintely louder than a ganza. A single rocar is easily able to prevail as part of a large batucada, a single ganza is simply not loud enough. On the other hand a rocar is too loud in a smaller band or a Pagode, whereas the ganza is perfect. The style of music you want to play is also important for your decision. A rocar is typical for Rio Samba, ganzas are preferred in Bahia’s Bloco Afro. The rocar is more difficult to play. It is heavier and calls for more accuracy in your movements. The sound is more percussive which of therefore demands more precise playing. This may be a good reason for beginners to choose a ganza instead of a rocar.

Rocar

Rocars with aluminium frames have more jingles than rocars with wooden handles and are therefore louder. Depending on the amount of jingles, the size of the frame or the length of the handle, their weight can be quite different. Please check the technical details of each instrument for more information. Note that due to the metal jingles constantly hitting on the metal frame, the aluminium rocars wear out faster.

The shape, material and thickness of the jingles influences the sound strongly. Jingles made out of metal sheet (e.g. Contemporânea) sound very dry, the ones made from zinc sheet have a more authentic and “dirty” sound. Jingles made from inox sound brighter and are very popular.

Ganza

Double ganzas are louder and of course heavier than the single ones, but since all ganzas are usually made out of light weighted aluminium this should not have relevance on your choice. Double ganzas demand a more precise playing technique.

The larger the louder, the smaller the quieter! The longer a Ganza gets, the larger the diameter usually is. A long ganza with a large diameter offers more possibilities but also demands a more precise playing technique. The size of your handbag may also be a criteria of the right choice.

In general, ganzas are filled with small metal plates, which make them sound sharp and “dirty”. This is the essential difference to shakers which usually are filled with little beads and are mainly used for smaller instrumentations. They sound softer and rounder and are not loud enough for larger percussion sets. An exception is the ganza Maracatu from Barravento: its body is made out of zinc sheet and is filled with natural seeds that produce a very soft and clear sound.

Related products

Bernuncia

Ganza Milheiro,Chocalho, Mineiro

Ganza - Milheiro - Chocalho - MineiroInstructions and exercises for shaker instruments Languages: Portuguese, Englishwith scores

€23.38*

Chocalhos Pejota

Ganza Bloco 60cm

Ganza 60cm - Aluminium Pejota's ganzas have been popular through many music scenes since 2000. This model has a diameter of 8 cm and is made of folded aluminium with a special filling made of different materials based on glass- and plastic beads. The sound is powerful and fits perfectly to music styles across the Latin range: from Brazil sounds to traditional Salsa, from Rumba to Maracatú, from Cumbia, Merengue or Afrobeats to Electro mash-ups, there are no limits to your imagination. Aluminium sounds somewhat finer and less coarse than steel sheet, also it weighs less. Hold the caps of the ganza on the left and right with each hand and shake the tube like a Cuban torpedo - shift the rhythm between both hands rather than shaking simultaneously. Like this you can easily reach high speed, it is fantastic to look at and brings some crazy and beautiful momentum to every band. The rhythm drives forward and develops swing. Of course you can also shake classically or come up with your own shaking rhythms.This instrument is handmade and reflects the authentic and rustic style of metal instruments as played in Brazil with street Samba. Materials such as simple sheet metal are used and folded using simple methods so that small stains, scratches or unevenness are part of the style. We find that these characteristics enhance the character and charisma of this instrument.

€69.00*

Chocalhos Pejota

Ganza Palco 50cm

Ganza 50cm - Aluminium Pejota's ganzas have been popular through many music scenes since 2000. This model has a diameter of 7 cm and is made of folded aluminium with a special filling made of different materials based on glass- and plastic beads. The sound is powerful and fits perfectly to music styles across the Latin range: from Brazil sounds to traditional Salsa, from Rumba to Maracatú, from Cumbia, Merengue or Afrobeats to Electro mash-ups, there are no limits to your imagination. Aluminium sounds somewhat finer and less coarse than steel sheet, also it weighs less. Hold the caps of the ganza on the left and right with each hand and shake the tube like a Cuban torpedo - shift the rhythm between both hands rather than shaking simultaneously. Like this you can easily reach high speed, it is fantastic to look at and brings some crazy and beautiful momentum to every band. The rhythm drives forward and develops swing. Of course you can also shake classically or come up with your own shaking rhythms.This instrument is handmade and reflects the authentic and rustic style of metal instruments as played in Brazil with street Samba. Materials such as simple sheet metal are used and folded using simple methods so that small stains, scratches or unevenness are part of the style. We find that these characteristics enhance the character and charisma of this instrument.

€65.00*

Jorginho

Ganza Pau Brasil 45cm

Ganzá Jorhinho 7 x 45 cm - loud aluminium shaker with tree seed filling Powerful, loud sound with hard Pau Brasil tree seeds - a loud compact shaker for Maracatus and Samba bands. Aluminium has finer and less rustic sound qualities than steel sheet, hard natural seeds used as filling produce a penetrating and powerful shaking sound. Similar to the Cuban torpedo, the ganza is typically held with both hands, one at each end and is not shaken simultaneously in one direction but instead in opposite directions. This style of playing is often seen in Latin percussion such as Cumbia or Merengue, but also in the Maracatus. The rhythm created like this drives pushes the music forward and causes heavy cases of excellent mood. Of course, you can also play the ganza traditionally. Handmade by Jorginho.

€52.00*

Jorginho

Ganza Pau Brasil 20cm

Ganzá Jorhinho 6 x 20cm - loud aluminium shaker with tree seed fillingPowerful, loud sound with hard Pau Brasil tree seeds - a loud compact shaker for Maracatus and Samba bands. Aluminium has finer and less rustic sound qualities than steel sheet, hard natural seeds used as filling produce a penetrating and powerful shaking sound. Similar to the Cuban torpedo, the ganza is typically held with both hands, one at each end and is not shaken simultaneously in one direction but instead in opposite directions. This style of playing is often seen in Latin percussion such as Cumbia or Merengue, but also in the Maracatus. The rhythm created like this drives pushes the music forward and causes heavy cases of excellent mood. Of course, you can also play the ganza traditionally. Handmade by Jorginho.

€17.00*

Jorginho

Ganza Pau Brasil 30cm

Ganzá Jorhinho 6 x 23 cm - loud aluminium shaker with tree seed fillingPowerful, loud sound with hard Pau Brasil tree seeds - a loud compact shaker for Maracatus and Samba bands. Aluminium has finer and less rustic sound qualities than steel sheet, hard natural seeds used as filling produce a penetrating and powerful shaking sound. Similar to the Cuban torpedo, the ganza is typically held with both hands, one at each end and is not shaken simultaneously in one direction but instead in opposite directions. This style of playing is often seen in Latin percussion such as Cumbia or Merengue, but also in the Maracatus. The rhythm created like this drives pushes the music forward and causes heavy cases of excellent mood. Of course, you can also play the ganza traditionally. Handmade by Jorginho.

€34.00*

Barravento

Chocalho Caracaxá

CaracaxáA shaker instrument from Pernambuco with a very unusual appearance! The caracaxás have a futuristic and slightly odd design, but have their traditional origin in Brazil´s Northeast. There they are an important element of the Cabocolinho instrumental equipment. Usually one caracaxá is held in each hand. You move them alternating and like this they produce pushing and captivating complementary rhythms. Even only one caracaxá played alone can be a nice feature in a wide range of music styles. Caracaxás are filled with seeds, their sound is fine but loud!

€79.00*

Barravento

Ganza Marcatu 60cm steel sheet

Ganza de Maracatu - extra large zinc sheet shaker with hard seed filling, 60 cm tubeYour band or Maracatu group is looking for a shaker with a strong and loud sound? Then you've found the right one! Zinc sheet sounds more rustical than aluminium, and if filled with hard tree seeds this ganza is a powerful instrument! Similar to the Cuban torpedo, you hold the ganza de Maracatu with both hands, each on one end. Rather than shaking simultaneously in one direction, you'd shift the rhythm between both hands, so the movement is against one another. This way of playing you will often find in latin percussion styles like Cumbia or Merengue, but also in the Maracatus. The rhythms is very pushing and causes serious cases of good mood! Of course you can also play the ganza classical, there is no limit to your creativity!

€61.00*

Barravento

Ganza Marcatu 40cm

Ganza de Maracatu - large aluminium shaker filled with hard tree seeds, 40 cm tubeYour Maracatu group or Samba band is looking for a shaker with a strong and loud sound? Then you've found the right one! Aluminium has a slightly more delicate and less rustical sound than steel sheet. The tube is filled with hard tree seeds making this ganza a powerful instrument in your bloco! Similar to the Cuban torpedo, you hold the ganza de Maracatu with both hands, each on one end. Rather than shaking simultaneously in one direction, you'd shift the rhythm between both hands, so the movement shifted. This way of playing you will often find in latin percussion styles like Cumbia or Merengue, but also in the Maracatus. The rhythm is very forward and causes serious cases of good mood and dance fever!Of course you can also play the ganza in the classical way, there is no limit to your creativity!

€47.00*

R&G

Chocalho KIDS inox

Praktical small-size chocalho / rocar with aluminium frame and 18 pairs of inox jinglesFor on the road, for small hands, for compact baterias, for young sambistas - a mini chocalho for anyone looking for a smaller, less loud and less heavy rocar. The sound is the same as a regular chocalho produces, but not as loud and smaller in its size. The aluminium frame is standard and has two lateral handles. Some sambistas like to put some fabric around the handles for more comfort when playing it, especially over longer periods. Inox is stainless steel which - when rolled to sheet and pressed to the shape of jingles - produces a clean and fine sound which is very popular in European Samba schools. R&G is a manufacturer from Rio who produce their instruments with great care and craftmanship.Fits in every handbag!

€62.00*

Gope

Rocar Carnaval

Chocalho / Rocar with wooden handle - 25 pairs of zinc sheet jingles (50 individual platelets)Wood handle chocalhos are particularly popular as they are comfy to hold with anatomically shaped handles, you can do a lot of show elements like tossing and turning them and also they sound so authentic as if you were right in the middle of a bateria rehearsal in Rio. The instrument comes with shaped handles for perfect grip, simple, natural wood style and is well made and balanced. Pull off some crazy tricks for your audience and do some crazy tosses and flips.Zinc sheet jingles have extraordinary sound but will make your fingers dirty due to abrasion!

€62.00*

Chocalho - product guide

Ganza or Rocar?

Rocar

Aluminium frame or wooden / aluminium handle?

Which jingles?

Ganza

Single or double?

Large or small?

Which filling?