This guitar variant, eight-stringed instrument of the Huasteca region of Mexico offers a deeper sound than its more conventional acoustic cousin, often played within a conjunto huasteco ensemble, alongside a five-string jarana huasteca and violin.
Also known as the guitarra quinta huapanguera or guitarra huapanguera is often strummed as a rhythm instrument but can also be melodic, and its eight nylon strings, usually over five courses, include some notes doubled up for extra volume. The tuning varies, most commonly the standard is G2+G2, D3+D3, G3+G3, B3+ and E4, but variants include G2, D3, D4, G3+G3, B3+B3, and E3.
The trio of instruments the traditional Mexican conjunto huasteco ensemble
In this video, Marcos Hernandez Rosales and other members of the group Los Camperos de Valles demonstrate conjunto huasteco , including a fingered melody with the huapanguera complementing the violin in what is known as the pespunteo technique, translated as backstitch, as well as the strumming style. Players of the other instruments also show their techniques in music that’s distinctively also features high falsetto singing, a beautifully passionate, warm sound that instantly captures Mexican culture.
Let’s also enjoy more music from a female trio, Las Amapolas en Tepetzintla with the huapanguera on the left side.
So then, any more huapanguera playing or Mexican conjunto huasteco music? Feel free to suggest examples from any genre, or even film, art, or other contexts in comments below.
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