Bachata Musicality
Question by User Mungbunger
Hi guys,
I’m just wondering if there are certain cues or common musical structures in bachata that help you clue you in about when a breakdown might happen or when a good time to do body roll might be?
For example maybe in most bachata songs the slower intros last 16 measures (I’m just making that up — I don’t know for sure) or after a 16 bar verse and 16 bar chorus repeated twice a breakdown of sorts occurs where it goes slower. Like are you guys counting in your heads when you dance so you know where things happen in the song?
I’m just looking for any tips so my dancing goes better with the music and I can better anticipate changes.
Answers
User nachog4
its not a rule, but traditionally breaks happen in 4 basics slots… i mean every full 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 count x4 is a break possibly happening… if not, it will probably wait on another 4 basics multiple.
they mostly happen on the time/step 5 ….. being the count 1,2,3,4, breeeeeeeeak and 1,2,3,4…
most rarely they happen on time 1… those are the hard ones, because they are time changers… if you continue to dance on the same rhythm you were carrying, you will be dancing out of time
User Varitt
I would have two tips. First, learn the instruments and how you can dance to each separate instrument in each song.
And then, you just have to know the songs. Sometimes songs can be predictable, but for the most part, knowing the song means being that much better at musicality.
Learn to memorize the when the breaks happen, when the bongó gets playful, when the guitar starts its punteo, when the bass allows for a syncopation.
User LordofthePandas
1)Learn the Rules…
2) Break the Rules…
and be confident about it.
User digitalsmear
And then… 3. Go back and learn the rules once you realize you never actually learned them. 4. Practice for years. 5. Appear to break the rules when in reality you just have a much deeper understanding of them than people who think you’re breaking them.
