TDSounds

The Tan Tan is a very popular hand drum in Rio and also in Sao Pãulo. It is specifically used in small group settings in Pagode and Partido Alto styles, and also is used in the rhythmical accompaniment of some popular music bands.

The big Tan Tan is used like a type of bass surdo, marking the beat like the primeiro and segunda surdos, whilst the smaller Tan Tan (also called the Rebolo by Paulistas) is used for a musical accompaniment and for playing musical offbeats. Normally the large tan-tan reta (untapered) plays the marcacao (beat) whilst the tapered one plays the offbeats. But this is a matter of taste and most bands will only have one Tan Tan player, playing everything on one instrument, supplying marcacao and twiddles and offbeats too. Tan Tan reta (the large straight one) is the most popular, but the smaller ones are much easier to carry around.

The larger Tan Tans have a greater sound projection, especially the 14" ones. However even the biggest tan-tan 14" Tan Tan is much quieter than a surdo drum. If you have a large number of drummers you need surdos, not tan tans.

Although they much quieter, you can use a large Tan Tan to take the part of a surdo if your samba band is very small.. In a small pagode group which normally plays indoors you can use one or 2 percussionists playing Tan Tan. Basically these Tan Tans will do the same work as the 1st and 2nd surdos, and you can also have percussionists playing smaller Tan Tans to take the part of third surdos.

In Rio in a large bateria you never find Tan Tans taking the place of surdos as they just don't have enough base projection. But it is very common for mestres de bateria to invite other mestres de bateria to parade in front of the bateria playing Tan tans.