Large Triangle (triangulo) for Forró

The popularization of the triangle in forró music is attributed to Luiz Gonzaga and his groups with the trifecta of accordion, zabumba bass drum, and triangle.  The role of the triangle in the trio is to fill out the 16th note rhythms and accent particular beats to keep the forró dance moving forward.  While it is a simple instrument— just a bent piece of rustic metal— it’s difficult to master and the quality of the band is frequently defined by the swing, stamina, and consistency of the triangle player.  For students of forró, learning to play triangle offers the opportunity to feel firsthand the subtle subdivision that drives so much of northeastern Brazilian music.  Forró is loud music that evolved in an acoustic context, and thus the triangles used are frequently much larger (and louder) than triangles encountered in North America;  they are frequently made of steel, aluminum, and even iron rebar.  The aluminum triangle has the advantages of being relatively light weight (for relief in long dance tunes) and having a lower pitch with less piercing high harmonics— a winning combination!

In the Choro Shop and at Choro Camp, we have available two sizes of aluminum forró triangles:  medium and large.  Both are fairly large (by North American standards), and the choice comes down to preference. Each triangle comes with the appropriate-sized beater.