Music
Recognizing different styles of Afro/Latin/Caribbean styles of music involves paying attention to instrumentation, rhythmic patterns, and lyrical themes. Common elements include syncopated rhythms, percussion-heavy beats, and the use of specific instruments. It is crucial for dancers to recognize various styles to dance to specific steps and respond to the rhythms and tempos.
Understanding and aligning with the beat ensures synchronized/cohesive movements and the development of musicality (the ability to interpret and express music through movement/connecting to changes in melody, tempo, and mood).
How to recognize Merengue music
Key instruments: accordion, bass guitar, güira, conga, tambora, horns.
Tempo: Faster (160-200 beats per minute)
Defining Features: High energy, upbeat, marching feel.
Playlist
How to recognize Cumbia music
Key instruments: guacharaca (scraper), guiro, chekere/caxixi, flutes, drums, accordion, maracas
Tempo: Slower (80-120 BPM)
Defining Features: the shaker is prominent (chu-chucu-chu rhythm)
Playlist
How to recognize Salsa music
Key instruments: clave, congas, bongos, timbales
Tempo: Varies (150-250 beats per minute) often for social dancing it's 90-120bmp
Defining Features: distinctive interplay of percussion (congas, timbales, bongos), brass, and piano with vocals and harmonies. It relies heavily on the clave and melodic lines (trumpets, trombones, saxophones). Complex and full sound.
How to recognize Cha Cha music
Key instruments: flute, strings, piano, bass, percussion (congas, timbales, guiro), trumpets
Tempo: Medium (120-128 beats per minute)
Defining Features: upbeat tempo, 4/4 time signature, characteristic rhythm of three quick steps followed by two slower steps. Strong downbeat with playful, syncopated rhythms
How to recognize Traditional/Dominican Bachata
Key instruments: requinto (emphasis on lead guitar), segunda (rhythm guitar), bass guitar, emphasizes guira (scraper) and bongos
Tempo: Moderate (109-152 beats per minute)
Defining Features: emphasis on intricate footwork, soft hip movements, syncopated rhythms, playful partner interaction, and musical interpretation
How to recognize Modern Bachata music
Key instruments: requinto (lead guitar), segunda (rhythm guitar), bass guitar, bongos, guira (scraper), congas, keyboards, electric guitars, electronic elements
Tempo: Balanced (108-152 beats per minute)
Defining Features: Emphasizes romantic intimacy, fluidity, and expressiveness, focusing on body isolations, body rolls (waves), and close connections
About La Clave
The clave is like the soul of the music. It represents one of the key liaisons between the song and the dancer. That’s why, if you're trying to learn Salsa, it is important to try and recognize the clave patterns. If you watch some Rumba videos, you will see how the musicians themselves synchronize their feet to the movement of the clave. In some Son moves, the dancers match every stroke of the clave. Since the clave functions in some kind of looping motion, once you can identify the clave in a song, you will always dance to the right beat. The reason why many dancers struggle to develop their skills is because they cannot clearly detect the Rumba clave & mainly move in a guessed world.
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La clave es como el alma de la música. Representa uno de los enlaces clave entre el canto y el bailarín. Por eso, si estás tratando de aprender Salsa, es importante tratar de reconocer los patrones de clave. Si miras algunos videos de Rumba, verás como los propios músicos sincronizan sus pies con el movimiento de la clave. En algunos movimientos de Son, los bailarines igualan cada golpe de la clave. Dado que la clave funciona en una especie de movimiento de bucle, una vez que pueda identificar la clave en una canción, siempre bailará al ritmo correcto. La razón por la que muchos bailarines luchan por desarrollar sus habilidades es porque no pueden detectar claramente la clave de Rumba y principalmente se mueve en un mundo adivinado.
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The importance of the Rumba clave in particular lies in the fact that it sets the tone of the overall song. Like an It announces what is coming and sets the mood right so that the participants get into the proper motion and mind set. Having musical ears is the ability to recognize the patterns of any song and in turn translate that pattern into appropriate movements. Without this skill, you quickly get lost and are unable to coordinate your movement properly. A lot of people rush into dancing and neglect completely that aspect of the dance structure.
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La importancia de la clave de Rumba en particular radica en el hecho de que establece el tono de la canción en general. Like an It anuncia lo que viene y establece el estado de ánimo adecuado para que los participantes adopten el movimiento y la mentalidad adecuados. Tener oídos musicales es la capacidad de reconocer los patrones de cualquier canción y, a su vez, traducir ese patrón en movimientos apropiados. Sin esta habilidad, te pierdes rápidamente y no puedes coordinar tu movimiento correctamente. Mucha gente se apresura a bailar y descuida por completo ese aspecto de la estructura del baile.
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Rumba clave
â– The pattern 2/3 means that on an 8 counts/beats you will hear the clave twice on the first measure, then 3 times on the second.
â– 3/2 on the other hand has the clave 2 times on the first measure, once in between both measures then two times on the second measure.
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Son clave
â– The pattern 2/3 has the clave twice on the 1st measure and 3 times on the 2nd one.
â– For the 3/2 rhythm you will hear the instruments 3 times on the first measure and twice on the second.
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Clave de Rumba
â– El patrón 2/3 significa que en 8 tiempos/tiempos escuchará la clave dos veces en el primer compás y luego 3 veces en el segundo.
â– 3/2 por otro lado tiene la clave 2 veces en el primer compás, una entre ambos compases y luego dos veces en el segundo compás.
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Son Clave
â– El patrón 2/3 tiene la clave dos veces en el 1er compás y 3 veces en el 2do.
â– Para el ritmo 3/2 escuchará los instrumentos 3 veces en el primer compás y dos veces en el segundo

Download the App Salsa Rhythms on your phone to practice and train your ear! The link on the image on the left is for Apple Iphones and on the right is on Google Play for Androids. Baja la aplicacion Ritmo de Salsa en tu telefono para practicar y entrenar tu oido! El enlace an la imagen de la izquierda es para iphones y la derecha para Androids.
