In the early 16th century the Spanish imported stringed instruments to their Caribbean colonies. One such instrument was the Vihuela, a precursor to the modern guitar. Although the lute was a popular instrument in the 16th century the Spanish associated it with the Moors and invented their own plucked instrument. The Vihuela consisted of 4 double strings (8 strings, but only 4 different notes). These double strings are often referred to as "courses". A given course consists of two or more strings tuned to the same note in either unison or octaves. The player plucks and frets the strings in a given course as if they were one string (similar to the modern twelve-string guitar). The tres has three "courses" (hence the name). Sometimes each course consists of three strings, as opposed to two, making a total of nine strings.
Early plucked instruments in the Caribbean were probably replicas of Spanish guitars. Over time the native tres gained its own distinct form and became the main plucked instrument for accompanying singers. It started as a mandolin shaped instrument and gradually increased in size. Aresenio Rodriguez used a Spanish guitar adapted with a tres tuning. Today this is the most common form for a tres. The increased size of the guitar gives more volume.
The Cuban tres is said to have originated in Oriente province among Cuban rural farmers called guajiros. They were influenced by Spanish songs but mixed these styles with African elements resulting in the "Son" style. New York Salsa music and Latin Jazz grew out of the Son style, incorporating clave rhythms and the instrumentation of Son conjuntos.
Early Cuban tres players include Nené Manfugás, Arsenio Rodriguez, Isaac Oviedo, and Eliseo Silveira. Aresenio is a hugely important figure in Afro-Cuban music. He is one of the key figures in the Son musical style.
The Puerto Rican tres was often built with "courses" consisting of three strings instead of two, for a total of nine strings.
Image courtesy of: Jim Conn
The Tres is intimately linked to the "conjunto format" and "tipico" styles (see Son). This format is alive and well today which makes the Tres a living instrument, not just a historical curiosity.
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