Tiple

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The Spanish word for treble or soprano, often applied to specific instruments. The Tiple (teeh-pleh) is a small chordophone of the guitar family.

1 The Tiple of Colombia
2 The Tiples of Puerto Rico
3 The Tiple of Spain
4 The Timple Canario
5 The Martin Tiple
6 The Tiple Strumbola
7 The Tiple Cubano
8 The Tiple Dominicano
9 The Tiple Argentino
10 The Tiple Peruano
11 The Banjo Tiple
12 The Tiple Uruguayo
13 The Tiple Venezolano
14 The Tiple Marxochime Hawaiian
15 See also
16 Tiple Resources and Sources

[edit] The Tiple of Colombia

Colombian Tiple

The Colombian tiple is an instrument of the guitar family, similar in appearance although slightly smaller than an acoustic guitar. Tiples usually have 12 strings organized in 4 sets (unlike normal twelve string guitars which are organized in six pairs), although some tiples have only 10 strings. The four courses of metal strings are tuned to the same pitches as the four upper strings of the guitar, the middle string of the three lowest courses tuned an octave lower.

The tiple is associated mainly with the Andean region of Colombia, and is considered the national instrument. Tiple virtuoso David Pelham has this to say about the Colombian Tiple: "The tiple is a Colombian adaptation of the Renaissance Spanish vihuela brought to the New World in the 16th century by the Spanish conquistadors. At the end of the 19th century, it evolved to its present shape. Its twelve strings are arranged in four groups of three: the first group consists of three steel strings tuned to E, the second, third and fourth groups have a copper string in the middle of two steel strings. The central ones are tuned one octave lower than the surrounding strings of the group. This arrangement produces the set of harmonics that gives the instrument its unique voice." (See Resources and sources section below)

[edit] The Tiples of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican Tiple Doliente

The Tiple is the smallest of the 3 musical string instruments of Puerto Rico. According to investigations made by the Jose "Pepito" Reyes Zamora, Esq., the tiple in Puerto Rico dates back to the 18th century. It is believed to have evolved from the Spanish guitarrillo. Most Tiples have 4 or 5 strings and most tiple requintos have 3 strings. Some tiples however were found with as many as 6 strings and even as few as a single string. But these are very rare and not the norm.

The main types of Tiples in Puerto Rico are:

Tiple Doliente - This Tiple has 5 single strings and is the most common used today. It is considered the most important of the Tiples in Puerto Rico. It is tuned almost like a guitar's last four strings: E/A/D/G but with the first string tuned to C rather than B.
Tiple Requinto de la montaña - This is a tiny version of the Tiple doliente with only three strings.
Tiplón or Tiple con macho - This is the biggest tiple and has a 5th peg like an American Banjo located on its neck.
Tiple Requinto costanero - This is a smaller version of the Tiplón with only three strings.
Tiple Grande de Ponce

[edit] The Tiple of Spain

In Spain the tiple has fewer strings than the guitarra, and is strummed. This tiny guitar has 4 strings and is found in Menorca. Other types of little guitars in Spain are the Guitarra, Guitarrico, Requinto, Braguinha, and Rajâo. Actually the Requinto (a 3/4 sized guitar) was developed in Latin America, the Braguinha, and Rajâo are from Portugal and Madeira.

[edit] The Timple Canario

Timple seen from front

Timple seen from side

Migrating from North Africa in the 16th century to the Canary Islands and then on to Murcia, the Timple has become the traditional instrument of the Canaries. In the north Island of Tenerife many timples are played incorrectly, where by dropping the 5th string to allow for Ukulele tunning to be adopted. It is generally agreed that this method of playing the Timple is incorrect and that the timple ceases to be a Timple when only 4 strings are in use. Popular tunning is GCEAD.

The Braguinha, the Ukulele ancestor, and perhaps the Timple may have a common ancestor, and though the Tiple maybe an evolution based on the Timple, it is definitely a different instrument, with a very different history. Structurally different from both the tiples, Columbian and Puerto-rican and as well as that of the ukulele.

[edit] The Martin Tiple

The American Tiple was redesigned by the famous American guitar company C.F. Martin & Co. for the William J. Smith Co. in New York. This Tiple has 10 Strings. The two outer string courses are doubled; the top course has unisons, and the bottom course contains an octave higher double; the two courses in the middle are tripled, with the octave lower principle in the middle and the octave higher strings on either side of the triple courses. It was first created in 1922 and is tuned high like a ukulele. They have been made ever since, however today they would need to be special ordered.

1950 Matin T28 Tiple

The strings and tunings on a Martin tiple are as follows:

    1:  .010, tuned to B 
    2:  .010, B 
    3:  .013, F#
    4:  .027, F# (octave lower)
    5:  .013, F#
    6:  .015, D
    7:  .029, D (octave lower)
    8:  .015, D
    9:  .009, A
    10: .025, A (octave lower)

All strings are unwound except for strings 4, 7, and 10, which are bronze wound. The tiple string tunings are a fifth above the corresponding guitar string (like a ukelele). When playing with a guitar in standard tuning, you can read the guitar chords and play the standard ukelele chord patterns. If you do not want to learn the ukelele patterns, transpose the guitar chords up a fourth and use standard guitar patterns on the tiple (i.e., the guitar plays C major, the tiple plays F major).

[edit] The Tiple Strumbola

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Please improve this article if you can. (April 2008)

Strumbola is a late American jazz concept (2003) derived from the open tuning of minor thirds and utilizing four courses of strings, three strings per course tuned in two octaves, enhancing rhythm section strumming. Tuning differs in that every chord being played are in barre chords, the melodic movement on the 'inside' of the chord. It is the tuning which can make any stringed instrument, other styles of Tiples, Lutes "strumbola-ized", physical design or specific shape of the body not the determining factor. Open tuning forms close chord Jazz harmony as it is played up the neck.

[edit] The Tiple Cubano

The Cubano is the tiple of Cuba. There were two versions one with 5 single strings and one with 5 double strings for ten strings in all. Famous Cuban arthur Miguel Teurbe Tolón y de la Guardia published a book about it in the United States intitled "El Tiple Cubano y El Tiple Libre".

[edit] The Tiple Dominicano

Dominican Republic Dominicano tiples have five double strings. The soundbox looks like a bandurria. It is sometimes referred to as The Tiple de Santo Domingo (Capital of the Dominican Republic).

[edit] The Tiple Argentino

The six string Argentino tiple is found in the land of Argentina. It resembles a small guitar.

[edit] The Tiple Peruano

Peruano tiple is from Peru. There are two versions one with 4 single strings and one with 4 double strings.

[edit] The Banjo Tiple

As with the Peruano, the Banjo tiple is also from Peru. As its name says it is a tiny Banjo with 4 pairs of double strings.

[edit] The Tiple Uruguayo

The Uruguayo, also know as the Guitarra Requinto is from Uruguay. It has 6 single strings and looks like a small guitar.

[edit] The Tiple Venezolano

This Tiple from Venezuela, looks like a smaller version of the Colombian Tiple. It has 4 pairs of triple strings and is also known as the Guitarro, Guitarro Segundo, and the Segunda Guitarra. There is another tiple played in Venezuela but is a member of the Venezuelan Cuatro family of instruments, also called a Tiple and know as the Cinco y Medio or Cinco. It is very much like the Cuatro but it has 5 strings instead of four.

[edit] The Tiple Marxochime Hawaiian

Looking like a cross between a zither and lap steel Guitar, the tiple found in the islands of Hawaii, is played using plucking, strumming and slide techniques. It was created by Marxochime Colony.