Tololoche

The tololoche is a member of the lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.322-5). It originates from Mexico. Learn how it makes its sound and explore related instruments.

How the tololoche makes its sound

In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the tololoche belongs to the lutes: strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck – the family of the guitar, violin, sitar and oud.

More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.

Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.

From Wikipedia

The tololoche is a traditional musical instrument from southern Mexico. Its name comes from "tolo loch", from the Mayan language: tolo (bull) and loch (embraced), which would later become tololoche. It is a variant of the European double bass, though sightly smaller, and is still large enough to produce low-pitched sounds. It has three or four strings, and is plucked with the fingers (pizzicato). It is purely a folk instrument, and not used in classical music.

In northern Mexico it is used in fara fara and norteño music. These styles include the button accordion, snare drum, tololoche, alto saxophone, acoustic guitar or bajo sexto. It is used by musicians playing in bars and taverns in northern cities, and is also used by university student musicians in Guanajuato playing traditional songs for callejoneadas. The tololoche became established in the north of Mexico as indispensable to the interpretation of regional music and less awkward than the classical double-bass to transport.