Tres (instrument)
 | It has been suggested that Tres (Puerto Rico) be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2012. |
 A Tres Cubano. | |
| String instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Cuban Tres, Tres Guitar |
| Classification | String instrument |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | (Composite chordophone) |
| Developed | Cuba |
| Related instruments | |
| Guitar, Cuatro, Laud | |
The tres is a 3-course, 6-string chordophone which was created in Cuba. A tres player is called a tresero in Cuba and a tresista in Puerto Rico.[1]
Cuban tres
In Cuba, the son was created as a song and a salon dance genre. Originally, a guitar, tiple or bandola, played rhythm and lead in the son, but ultimately these were replaced by a new native-born instrument which was a fusion of all three called the Cuban Tres.
The Cuban tres has three courses (groups) of two strings each for a total of six strings. From the low pitch to the highest, the principal tuning is in C Major: G, C, E. However, today many treseros are playing a step up A, D, F# or D Major.
Puerto Rican tres
The Puerto Rican Tres was created from the Cuban Tres. Unlike the Cuban variety, which has a guitar-like shape, the Puerto Rican tres is shaped like a Puerto Rican Cuatro, with cut outs.
The Puerto Rican tres has 9 strings in 3 courses and is tuned G4 G3 G4, C4 C4 C4, E4 E3 E4.
Players of the Cuban tres are called treseros, whereas players of the Puerto Rican tres are called tresistas.
References
- The Cuatro Project: The Tres in Puerto Rico and Cuba.
- The Cuatro Project: The tres in Puerto Rico.
- The stringed instrument database: T.
Further reading
- Richards, Tobe A. (2007). The Tres Cubano Chord Dictionary: C Major Tuning 648 Chords. United Kingdom: Cabot Books. ISBN 978-1-906207-03-8. — A comprehensive chord dictionary instructional guide.
- Richards, Tobe A. (2007). The Tres Cubano Chord Dictionary: D Major Tuning 648 Chords. United Kingdom: Cabot Books. ISBN 978-1-906207-04-5. — A comprehensive chord dictionary instructional guide.
- Griffin, Jon (2007). El Tres Cubano with CD (Audio) (Book & CD) (Paperback). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0825633249. — An instructional guide (in Spanish and English)
See also
External links
- Cuban Tres - The 3 String Guitar Instrument from Cuba
- The Cuban Tres
- The Tres in Cuba and Puerto Rico
- Tres Magic on Havana’s Malecon by Irina Echarry, Havana Times, May 7, 2009
- Havana: The Music of the Cricket by Sheila Burns, The Guardian, May 19, 2009
- The Cuban Tres maker