Topmusicanswers
Purpose. The apito de samba ("samba whistle") is used during performances of samba. In a samba school, the apito de samba plays a crucial role because during these performances, the mestre de bateria – the "band leader" – uses the whistle to signal transitions to the band.
- What is a Surdo and what is its role in the Samba band?
- What is the function of the person with the whistle apito?
- What is the apito and what is it used for?
- How does the apito work?
What is a Surdo and what is its role in the Samba band?
The surdo is the the deep bassy heartbeat of samba. Their essential function is to mark the time for the bateria and dancers. But their effect on the ensemble is massive. A good surdo crew fills the samba with life and energy, but will also hold it down if things start to rush and speed up.
What is the function of the person with the whistle apito?
The whistle has holes on its sides that are covered and uncovered with the fingers to produce different tones as you blow into it. The apito is used both to play rhythmic patterns and to announce either an ensemble passage, a new section, a beginning, or the end of a piece.
What is the apito and what is it used for?
The leader of the Samba band uses an instrument called an apito, which is a whistle. The whistle has two holes at each side, which can be covered by the thumb and finger to create sounds of different pitch. The samba band do not have the music written down in front of them, so they play it from memory.
How does the apito work?
The apito is a whistle which the sides present two openings. This allows by plugging with the thumb and forefinger to get a second note, higher pitched. It can be made of wood, copper, plastic and even silver or gold plated finish.
