Glossary
Glossary
Canonical definitions. What every word I use means, without assuming you already know.
List of definitions
A
- Aguilando Asturian oral-tradition carol tied to the Christmas season, linked to the custom of asking for the aguinaldo house by house.
- Alborada Gaita piece that opens the festival day. Played at dawn while walking through the village to announce the celebration, within the Asturian ceremonial repertoire.
- Asturian fandango Couple dance in triple meter from the Asturian traditional repertoire. A northern variant of the Iberian fandango, played with gaita and danced loosely.
- Asturian traditional repertoire Body of Asturian traditional music pieces played on gaita: alboradas, processional marches, xirandillas, muiñeiras and the ceremonial and festive songbook.
C
- Charanga Festive brass-and-percussion ensemble, distinct from the gaita band: the charanga is organized around brass, not the Asturian gaita.
- Clave (rhythm) Two-bar rhythmic pattern, with a three-strike cell in one bar and two in the other, that organizes and coordinates every instrument in salsa and Cuban son.
G
- Gaita band Asturian group of several gaiteros with percussion —snare and bass drum— playing traditional repertoire in unison, common at parades, romerías and competitions.
- Gaita tuning key Reference key of an Asturian gaita, named after the punteru's note. The most common are C, B flat and D; each changes the instrument's timbre and repertoire.
- Gaita-and-drum duo Minimal traditional lineup of Asturian music: a gaitero and a drummer. The basic duo that plays alboradas, parades and dance at the romería.
P
- Payuela Double reed that vibrates inside the Asturian gaita's punteru. It's the piece that produces the melodic sound and most determines timbre and tuning.
- Pivote Asturian gaita technique exercise devised by Tever, taking its name from basketball. It pairs a reference note against every other note of the scale to build finger independence and muscle memory for each fingering.
- Processional march Ceremonial gaita piece accompanying the religious procession of Asturian festivals. Slow-tempo and solemn, it sets the procession's pace.
- Punteru Melodic pipe of the Asturian gaita. It carries the finger holes the gaitero plays to hold the melody line over the roncón's drone.
R
- Requintu High register of the Asturian gaita's punteru. Its three highest notes —D, E and F of requintu— are obtained with greater bellows pressure and specific fingering relative to the base register.
- Romería Popular Asturian festival centered on a chapel or shrine, combining religious rite and celebration. It's the living context where the Asturian gaita is heard most.
- Roncón reed Single reed that sounds the Asturian gaita's roncón. A single blade vibrates and produces the continuous low drone, unlike the punteru's double reed.
- Roncón tuning Adjustment of the drone's note in the Asturian gaita: the roncón is built in sliding sections that lengthen or shorten the tube to raise or lower the pitch.