Single roncón

The single roncón is a defining trait of the traditional Asturian gaita: it carries a single roncón, that is, one low drone sounding beneath the punteru’s melody.

Gaitas with several roncones aren’t traditional in Asturies: they come from Scottish influence. When added, the second roncón sounds the fifth and the third the octave relative to the main drone, enriching the fixed harmony with a chord instead of a single note.

Worth clarifying because it’s a frequent question: the traditional Asturian gaita isn’t a multi-drone bagpipe. Its historical build is punteru, bag, blowpipe and one roncón; two- or three-drone models are a later addition of Scottish root.