Bandola

With the name of bandola, different string instruments used in Venezuela and Colombia are known, with a great variety of forms, construction and musical interpretation.

Of four simple orders, whose tuning is La, RE, LA, MI; from the lowest to the most acute cord. Originally an instrument that is played in the Venezuelan plains, it was broadcast in Venezuela after the llanero musician Anselmo López became famous as the performer of this instrument, until he reached the Colombian plains

He is a companion in the joropo llanero, called "pin-pon" because it corresponds to keeping the rhythm of the bass strings, and that generally, replaces the melody of the llanera harp, in some cases. Traditionally the bandola had no more than seven frets, and as has happened with several folk instruments of the World, the development of the skills of the musicians began to encourage the builders to modify the bandola adding more frets.

At present there are great players of the plains bandola among which stand out Juan Esteban Garcia, Saul Vera, Ismael Querales, Moisés Torrealba, Cheo Hurtado, Jonni Colmenares, Roberto Perez Oraa, Héctor Hernández, Denny Lobo, Franco Bortolotti, Gerson García, Juan Carlos Silva, Luis Guillermo Torrealba, Miguel Hernandez, Mafer Bandola among others. This new generation of bandolistas is working hard to bring this important instrument in this part of Venezuela to a new level of musicality.