Contemporanea Timbal 14" x 90cm alu Cara de Cobra White - 16 rod. - Pro

Historical Context and Positioning in the Range

Born from the vibrancy of Afro blocos in Salvador de Bahia and popularized at the end of the 20th century, the timbal established itself as a solo, mobile, and bright voice within samba-reggae. While the bass drums (surdos) structure the pulse, the timbau delivers the rhythmic speech: it punctuates, dialogues, catches the ear, and marks energy build-ups with clear attacks.

Conceptually, it is an instrument designed to endure: carried while walking, played loudly, for long periods, without losing precision. Accordingly, manufacturers offer robust and accessible study models for collective learning, as well as stage-oriented versions with reinforced hardware and fine tuning designed to withstand tension changes, temperature variations, and the intensity of rehearsals.

Who This Timbal Is For

This timbau is perfectly suited for beginners who want to enter the world of Brazilian percussion with an immediately rewarding instrument: the basic sounds (bass in the center, slap on the rim) are quickly distinguishable and yield results from the first sessions. The absence of sticks emphasizes touch, relaxation, and consistency, promoting healthy progress.

Intermediate and advanced musicians find a very rich playground here: dynamics, ghost notes, variations in openness, precision of slaps, endurance, and collective placement. Naturally at ease in samba-reggae, batucada, and axé, the timbal also fits into Afro, pop, and world contexts, both in rhythm workshops and amplified stage ensembles, thanks to its clarity and ability to "cut" through the mix.

Features and Innovations

The conical shell with lightweight construction is a real asset when playing standing and on the move: the timbal remains stable, easy to handle, and limits fatigue during long performances. The supplied strap allows natural shoulder carrying, maintaining a fluid posture and a comfortable striking angle to chain calls, responses, and variations without breaking the motion.

Tension rod tuning provides precise tension adjustment, essential for adapting the instrument to the context: tighter for incisive slaps and quick response, looser to thicken the bass and gain roundness under the hand. The rounded hoop and bevels designed for bare-hand playing enhance comfort, reduce palm aggressiveness, and promote consistent execution even at high volume.

Sound Characteristics

The timbal's sonic personality primarily comes from its conical shape and playing style. On the rim, the narrower striking area and tension felt under the fingers favor dry, bright slaps, very clear within a percussion section. In the center, the wider active surface and air column produce a deep, broad, and singing bass, ideal for marking a break, supporting a call, or responding to surdos.

With a well-balanced synthetic head, the attack remains crisp, projection stays high, and sustain is controlled: an effective setup for outdoor playing without getting lost in the noise, while maintaining clean articulation. In amplified contexts, the timbau retains a natural presence and precision that facilitates sound capture, especially if the tuning is uniform across all tension rods.

To get the best from the instrument, the ideal is to aim for consistent tension, then refine according to your playing: a bouncing hand, relaxed strikes, and seeking a clean slap rather than forced. This approach improves usable volume, endurance, and timbre stability, while preserving the impactful Brazilian signature that defines the timbal.

Technical specifications

Instrument size	Large	Depth	90 cm
Category	Brazilian	Color	Multicolor
Type	timbao	Hardware	White
Material	aluminium	Diameter	14 "
Skin type	Synthetic

Instrument	Brazilian conical timbal (timbau)	Head	synthetic, tensioned by hoop (tuning via tension rods)
Family	membranophone	Playing style	primarily bare hands (tones, slaps, bass)
Stylistic origin	Salvador de Bahia, samba-reggae, timbalada	Carrying	strap provided for shoulder playing
Usage	street, stage, batucada, workshops	Projection	strong, with precise attack and present bass
Shell	conical, lightweight construction for mobile playing