Cuerda is the name given to the family of the three different drums (tambores) consisting of the tambor piano, tambor chico and tambor repique. At a minimum, a cuerda consists of three people, each playing one of the three tambores, however it can also consist of more people, as long as each of the three tambores are being played. Each tambor is played by one person. It is hung from the shoulder, struck with one hand, and by a stick in the other.
On occasion there are as many as one hundred drummers playing Candombe in the Street.