Learn to play the cuatro

Learn to play the Cuatro, the Venezuelan instrument used by campesinos and city dwellers for years. Similiar to a bass guitar, any player of a bass guitar should be able to learn how to play this exotic instrument. 4 strings and 14 frets fill the wooden instrument.

and it is beautiful. I have not heard of any cuatro teachers in the LA area, but I’m thinking of trying out a ukulele teacher to at least help me get the basics down. Does anyone know the difference between the two instruments and if the instruction technique would have any similarities?

There´s this teacher at a club I go to, guitar lessons. i´m thinking about it… Is it possible to learn from books or is that a fantasy? Do you HAVE to learn from a teacher? Any advice?

I purchased my first cuatro! Now comes the hard part, actually learning how to play it. But I can’t wait…

I think the cuatro would be an ideal instrument to play, because it’s small enough you can take it wherever you go, and you can play cool things alone or in a group. If I can, I’d like to learn the joropo style, because that’s what I’m most familiar with, but it can go with salsa music too, and if I understand right, there is a strum pattern that goes with old-time music. I think this is a really long term goal though, since (a.) I don’t know where to find a cuatro or a teacher (b.) my musical skills are pretty sickly (c.) they don’t have joropo, salsa or old-time music in China.

The cuatro is the national instrument of my land. Everybody but me can play it, as our city is “the musical city”.

Its sounds bring back many images and memories; it feels great singing old folk tunes.

I recently bought one to an artisan shop, and I’m in love with my cuatro. Just looking at it I feel the strong desire to play it. Plus, it is so beautifully finished!

Many virtuoso cuatro players live in my mother land, and they can make wonders with the instrument. Thanks to a friend of mine I have several such recordings and those sounds are truly marvellous…

Not much time to play it lately, with so much traveling in my life. It would be great to bring it along in each trip, but I need to get kickstarted into playing the basics.

Been thinking about spending one month in motherland fully submerged learning how to play it…Wishful thinking, but dreams come true given you don’t forget them. And given you write them down at 43Things!