elementary – rhythmic structures of the main “palos” (flamenco forms)

By miguel | Published: December 15, 2007

How can you start learning the rhythmic forms of flamenco?

Start counting. Count the beats out loud, or in your head. Do it in any language you like, the idea is to start to develop a feel for the accents sub-consciously. It will help if you tap your foot, click your fingers or tap your knuckles on a table to mark the accents:

un dos TRES
cuatro cinco SEIS
siete OCHO
nueve DIEZ
un DOS
un dos TRES
cuatro cinco SEIS
siete OCHO
nueve DIEZ
un DOS

Remember that you will need to do this repeatedly and do it with several compases joined together. Use a metronome to keep yourself steady so that you do not accelerate. Practice slowly.

In this post I have included a review of the most common compases. There are three main groups: those that are made up of twelve beats, four beats and those of three. Please note that these descriptions represent only a very rough approximation: neither syncopation nor “swing” are taken into account. My intention here is to provide a base and to clarify my own thinking.

Twelve beat compás: la soleá, el romance, la bulería por soleá, la bulería, el polo, la caña, las alegrías, las cantiñas, las romeras, el mirabrás, los caracoles and guajiras. Siguiriyas also has a twelve beat compás, but it requires a separate section.
Four beat forms include: taranto, zapateado, farruca, tientos, tangos, tanguillos, colombianas and rumbas.
Three beat forms include: sevillanas and various fandango forms.

1a. Twelve beat compás – las soleares and so on.

The rhythmic structure is binary. In other words, half of this complete measure follows one time signature:

1-2-3-4-5-6-

and then the other half of the compás follows another:

7-8-9-10-1-2-

A complete cycle would be as follows:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-1-2-

This is the most basic rhythmic pattern for soleá.
Variations include:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-1-2-

and:

1-2-3-4-5-6-1-2-3-4-5-6-

2-1-2-3-4-5-2-1-2-3-4-5-

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-1-2

1b. Twelve beat compás – las siguiriyas
I like to think of siguiriyas as the same as group one above, but in reverse:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-1-2-

2. Four beats forms – tangos family (and others)
They consist of a cycle of eight beats. With accents falling on the first and third beats as standard musical logic would dictate.

1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4

However, there are variations on this:

(1)-2-3-4-(1)-2-3-4-

3. Sevillanas

(1)-2-3-(1)-2-3-(1)-2-3-

or,

1-2-3-1-2-3