Take an old cattle bell having lost its tongue, waiting somewhere in the farm to be mended, and knock on it with a piece of wood to rhythm the singing and the music played by some friends Well done : you have just invented the campana The strong and rustic bell makes several different tones, according to the place where it is struck, and gives a caracteristic sound easy to detect in a salsa band when the bongos does not play, because the campana is often entrusted to the bongocero With time, it conquiered the title of percussion, was modernized - but just a little, and it keeps its original share -, and is now manufactured with the care reserved for musical instruments It is also promoted, and it is now often fixed to the timbales, of which it is one of accessories Others names : cencerro ; cowbell
Also called the Bongo Bell, or Cencerro, the large handheld bell is played by the bongocero during the Montuno section of an arrangement in dance ensembles and mounted and played by the Palito player during some Rumbas