the sound that the person wants to produce. The most popular technique used to play the cuatro is called tremolo, which occurs when a cuatro player continually strikes the same chord multiple times to generate a sound for a longer period of time. The tremolo is used to play longer lasting notes, like whole notes, half notes, and tied eighth notes and sixteenth notes. Musically, the Puerto Rican cuatro, although it is used throughout the year, it is mostly heard during Christmas time ("The short history of the cuatro"). The genres of music where the cuatro's presence is really known in Plena, the Trova, the Aguinaldo and the Seis that were created in Puerto Rico. Sometimes, it is integrated in salsa and other genres of music like the waltz. Some of the aguinaldos and seises created in Puerto Rico are: Alegre Vengo De la Montaña Venimos Saludos, Saludos De Tierras Lejanas Popurri Navideño Caminan las Nubes El Fuá Seis Mapeyé Seis Chorreao Seis Celinés Seis Fajardeño Venezuelan cuatro The cuatro of Venezuela has four single nylon strings, tuned It is similar in shape and tuning to the ukulele, but their character and playing technique are different. It is tuned in a similar fashion to the ukulele's traditional D tuning, but the B is an octave lower. Consequently, the same fingering can be used to shape the chords, but it produces a different inversion of each chord. There are variations on this instrument, having 5 strings or 6 strings. Other Venezuelan cuatro variants include: {| |- | cinco cuatro | 5 strings in 4 courses |- | seis cinco | 6 strings in 5 courses |- | cinco y medio | 5 normal-length strings and an extra, 6th short string from the top of the body |- | cuatro y medio | 4 normal-length strings plus an extra, 5th short string |- | octavo | 8 strings in 4 double-string courses |- |} Cuatros in other countries Certain variants are considered the national instrument of some countries (e.g., Venezuela). The cuatro is widely used in ensembles in Jamaica, Mexico, and Suriname to accompany singing and dancing. In Trinidad and Tobago it accompanies Parang singers. In Saint Lucia the cuatro is used as an accompanying instrument in traditional Sewenal music at Christmas time. See also Banjo Cavaquinho – a Brazilian instrument very similar to a cuatro. Stringed instrument tunings References Further reading