Contemporanea C-TIB03 - TIMBAL 14" X 70CM WOOD - 16 TIR.

Historical Context and Positioning in the Range

The timbau is an iconic conical drum from Salvador de Bahia, born from a street percussion culture where power, projection, and rhythmic clarity are essential. It has established itself in the aesthetic of "timbalada" and samba-reggae, where one seeks percussive phrases that are both sharp and deep, capable of rising above a dense ensemble. Due to its design intended for parades, it positions itself as a mobile performance instrument, equally comfortable in a batucada or on stage when a "leader" drum with a very present timbre is desired.

Who This Timbau Is For

This timbau is suited both for motivated beginners and intermediate percussionists looking for an expressive and immediately rewarding instrument. The fundamentals are accessible (deep tones in the center, slaps on the edge), but the real richness comes quickly: stroke nuances, rebound control, accent management, and fast transitions. Style-wise, it is naturally tailored for samba-reggae and Afro-Brazilian repertoires from Salvador, but it also blends very well with modern percussion setups (batucada, brass bands, world music, fusion), whenever a drum capable of "speaking" and carrying rhythmic phrases to the forefront is wanted.

Features and Innovations

The timbau's playing logic is simple and effective: a central zone that delivers the bass and foundation, and an edge zone that emphasizes high-pitched sounds, perfect for cutting the groove and projecting patterns. Played with bare hands, it allows varying the attack (fingers, palm, slap), shifting from open sounds to more muted strikes, and obtaining a wide palette of dynamics useful for breaks and calls. Its lightweight design is a major asset in parades: carried with a strap (not included), it remains stable and comfortable while allowing great freedom of movement to play while walking, turning, and interacting with the ensemble and audience.

Sound Characteristics

The timbau stands out for its clear projection and a very "talkative" response. The conical shape promotes a focused sound sensation: the deep center provides the base and impact, while strikes near the edge produce clear highs that easily cut through a percussion ensemble. This center/edge duality makes the instrument particularly effective for building typical samba-reggae phrases, alternating powerful accents and quick articulations.

In practice, this sound encourages very expressive playing: open strikes highlight resonance, more controlled hits improve precision, and variations in hand position on the drumhead allow coloring the timbre without changing instruments. The result: an ideal drum to hold a driving role in a group, deliver calls, or enhance groove dynamics with striking accents, while maintaining a solid bass to anchor the rhythm.

Technical specifications

Instrument size	Medium	Depth	70 cm
Category	Brazilian	Color	Natural
Type	timbao	Hardware	Chromed
Material	wood	Diameter	14 "
Skin type	Synthetic

Instrument	conical drum similar to the djembe (in sound and use)	Origin of use	Salvador de Bahia
Playing style	bare hands	Design	lightweight, suitable for parades
Sound response	highs on the edges, bass in the center	Carrying method	via strap
Preferred repertoire	"timbalada", samba-reggae	Strap	not included