In this image you can see that the guitar and flute were staples of early tango, long before the Golden Age of 1935–1955 in Buenos Aires.
In the earliest ensembles, the flute carried the melody with a light, agile sound that gave the music speed and brightness. Over time, it gradually disappeared as the bandoneón took its place. Still, those old recordings remain, and when you listen to them today, you can hear that quick, airy quality that once shaped the dance.
The guitar, however, reaches even further back. It was already influential in the 19th century, before tango fully took form. The instrument was central to the tradition of the payadores—wandering singer-poets who improvised verses on the spot. One of the most famous was Gabino Ezeiza. Their rhythms and storytelling helped shape the cultural identity of Argentina, laying important foundations for what would later become tango.
