Colombian rhythms: bamboo, corridor, cumbia and more
Why does bamboo write in two ways and cumbia count in two? Compasas, character and instruments of Colombian rhythms, with exercises to start with.
The bamboo and the corridor are legendary Andean rhythms: the corridor is written in 3 / 4, and the bamboo at 6 / 8 or 3 / 4, a long-term debate between musicians and researchers, because it plays with two pulse sensations at the same time. The cumbia and the Caribbean porre are binary: they are written in 2 / 4 or in party commas (2 / 2). The vallenate gathers several air, most of them binary.
Here's how each person feels, what instruments they hold and concrete exercises to start with his body and then his instrument.
To sum up
- The corridor is written at 3 / 4 and relates to the European waltz of the 19th century.
- The bamboo appears written in 6 / 8 or 3 / 4 because it modifies the sensation of two groups of three and three groups of two.
- The cumbia and the pairsuit are binary: they are written in 2 / 4 or as a party (2 / 2).
- In traditional cumbia, the call mark the backlash and the juicy and juicy drum.
- To learn a rhythm, first it's put into the body with palms and feet and then into the instrument.
The Colombian rhythms at a glance
| Ritmo | Region | Most widely used | Character | Typical instruments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bambuco | Andina | 6 / 8 or 3 / 4 | Cadentious, lyric, sometimes festive | Tipple, bandola, guitar, voices |
| Pasillo | Andina | 3/4 | Romantic if slow; virtuous if fast | Tipple, bandola, guitar, piano, españantine |
| Cumbia | Caribe | 2 / 4 or party | Of a wheel-to-wheel, cadentious | Mairy drum, llamador, drummer, guache, maracas, gaitas or pounding cane |
| Porro | Caribbean (savannas de Córdoba and Sucre) | Party or 2 / 4 | Festivals, of a band | Clarinet, trumpets, thrombones, bombin, bulb, saucer, pounding |
| Vallenato | Caribbean (Cesar, La Guajira, Magdalena) | Almost all his binary air | Narrative, of a song | Acordion, vallenata box, guacharaca |
That guide focuses on the rhythm. If you are interested to get to know the repertoire, the formats and how to start listening, look at our guide to [Colombian Andean music]](/blog/musica-andina-colombiana-guia-para-empezar).
Bambuco: The rhythm that's written in two ways
Six clocks can be grouped into two forms: 3 + 3, that's the 6 / 8 base, or 2 + 2 + 2, that's the 3 / 4 base. The bamboo makes both feel at once: the melody and accompaniment often go with cross accents, a game known as sesquialtera or hemiola. That's why there are bamboo scores at 6 / 8 and others at 3 / 4 and none of them are wrong.
Sesquialtera exercise (5 minutes)
- It counts 6 equal clocks out loud: "1 2 3 4 5 6," at a comfortable time.
- It paddle 1 and 4: you feel two sets of three, the 6 / 8 sensation.
- Now she's pounding at 1, 3 and 5: you feel three sets of two, the 3 / 4 sensation.
- Alternal: a cycle of each form without stopping the account.
- Combines: foot 1 and 4 as palms mark 1, 3 and 5. That overlap is the heart of the bamboo.
- Put an engraving bamboo and try to figure out which of the two sensations mark the tiple and which melody.
At tiple and the guitar, the accompaniment of bambuco combines open and off blows and the exact pattern varies with the region and the interpreter, so we should learn with a teacher that shows them slowly.
Pasillo: The Waltz That Becked Colombian
The corridor came as far as the European Waltz in the 19th century and became its own rhythm in Colombia and other Andean countries. It's written at 3 / 4: 3 times per bar. At accompaniment, the low usually mark the first time and chords complete the commas with accents and movements that differentiate them from a waltz.
| Stretch or song | Fast or party deck | |
|---|---|---|
| Tempo | Pausado | Agile, sometimes very fast |
| Function | Accompanying a letter, often romantic or nostalgic | instrumental and dance play |
| Main instrument | The voice with trio or piano | Bandola, tiple or piano with virtuous passages |
- Configure [corridor metronome]](/herramientas/metronomo/pasillo) 3 / 4 with an accent at first and a slow tempo.
- Mark 1 with foot and give two soft palms at 2 and 3.
- When you are stable, you have to sing or delay the melody of a corridor that you know about that base.
- The challenge of the fast corridor is that the first time remains clear.
Cumbia and pour: the Caribbean's binary pulse
The Cumbia has its roots in the Caribbean region, especially associated with the banks of the lower Magdalena, and is written in 2 / 4 or as a party: two pulses per bar. In its traditional format, each instrument plays a clear role:
| Instrumento | What's she doing? |
|---|---|
| Llamador | Flow the backlash constantly and that's the anchor of the group. |
| Mairy drum | Improvises, adorns and dialogues with the melody and the dance. |
| Tambora | It contributes serious and strengthens his pulse with blows to his patch and his face. |
| Grape and seawater | They have a continuous subdivision that gives the "movement." |
| Gaito or paddle cane | They have the melody. |
Cumbia exercise
- Count "1 and 2 and" at a moderate tempo.
- That's a 1 and 2 with his feet, as a dance step.
- Give a palm at every "and": That's the call.
- When you feel natural, add a continuous subdivision with a shaker or with your fingers on the table.
The joint comes from the savannas of Córdoba and Sucre and is linked to wind bands, as traditional pelayeras gangs. It's also binary, usually in broken comas, and has variants such as pallitiao and Tapao. If you call you to play in a band, read how [start with wind bands]](/blog/bandas-de-viento-en-colombia-como-empezar).
Vallegranate: four airs in one
Vallenate isn't a single rhythm: it brings together several air with accordion, vallenata and guacharaca. The four most widely recognized are these, described as follows:
| Aire | Character | Beer sensation |
|---|---|---|
| Son | Fold and cadentious | Binaria |
| Paseo | Moderate and most common in songs | Binaria |
| Merengue | Agile and psaltering | Ternaria, usually written 6 / 8 |
| Puya | Very fast and virtuous | Binaria |
How to start playing Colombian rhythms
- Listen with intention. Choose one rhythm a week and listen to several versions looking for the pulse, the compass and what each instrument does.
- Take him to his body. Do the palms and feet exercises before you touch a single note. If your body doesn't feel it, your hands don't.
- Pick your entrance door. For Andean rhythms, tiple or guitar at accompaniment, or [Andean bandola]](/clases/bandola-andina) The [percussion] for the cumbia and the joint](/clases/percusion) or an instrument of wind.
- Learn the slow base pattern. With a well-tuned instrument and a methonomer, repeat the pattern until it goes out without thinking, and only then will the tempo rise.
- He's playing with others. Stations, a trio, a student or a band.
Frequently asked questions
Is the bamboo written at 6 / 8 or 3 / 4?
The 6 / 8 best reflect the feeling of two sets of three and 3 / 4 more comfortable for some accompaniments and to read the melody. It's best to learn how to read them and feel the balance between them.
What's the difference between bamboo and corridor?
Both are ternary and Andean, but the corridor has a more stable pulse of three times, with the lower with the first marking, while the bamboo plays with cross accents between two and three. When listening to them followed, the bamboo feels more "balanced" and the corridor closer to the waltz.
Is Colombian cumbia the same as other countries?
Cumbia originated from the Colombian Caribbean and from there spread throughout Latin America. In several countries, its own styles were developed with other instruments and tempos that preserve the basic binary pulse.
What instrument should be used to play Colombian music?
It's up to the repertoire that's bringing you up to it. To Andean music, tiple, bandola or guitar, to the Caribbean, traditional percussion, wind or accordion, and to start with an instrument that most excites you while listening and let your teacher guide you to his accompanying rhythms.