Germán López - Canary Island Timple Master

Germán López shines on the world stage as one of the most brilliant and prolific young timple players. He touches audiences with original, instrumental music honoring Canary folk music traditions, embracing of Spanish Flamenco, West African rhythms, the flourishing spirit of jazz, and an innovative 21st century approach to performing “island music.” The timple is, without a doubt, the most significant instrument of the Spanish Canary Island folk music. Unlike other diminutive guitars, the timple contains 5 strings, and commonly tuned as GCEAD. More than fifteen years ago, a group of musicians (lead by José Antonio Ramos, Germán’s principal timple teacher) began to experiment with alternative sounds for the timple, and treating it as a solo instrument — much like contemporary ukulele players have revolutionized the instrument to be the protagonist in Hawaiin folk music.




