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Probably Four<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span> P.S: Introduction<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span> Cuerpo<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Mostly, no bells are played, and there might be some wind instruments supporting the orchestra as well.<\/p>\n Bridge<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span> Montuno<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span> During this part of the song, most instruments, especially the percussion, have solo sections, time to “free themselves” from the typical patterns they were playing before, and engage in much desired improvisation (which still, mostly, maintains a strong connection to the basic patterns of the instrument). In Timba there might be some more gears \\ guias during the Montuno section, as an extension of both elements of Coro-Pregon and improvisation during solo sections.<\/p>\n Another element of the Montuno section is the “Mona \\ Mambo” section. Ending<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span> So, let us now look at a fine example of how all the various parts and elements of a salsa song come together to form the whole, using the wonderful “Ahora, Que Buscas?” by the talented Havana De Primera…<\/p>\n
\nOne general principle which applies to most salsa songs of all genres is the “probably four” principle.
\nThis term was coined by Don Baarns, a.k.a “the unlikely salsero” – you should definitely visit his music4dancers<\/a> series on youtube, especially this<\/a> video.
\nMost parts of a salsa song, although not in 100% of cases, are based on this rule; many elements take place during 4 or 8 clave cycles, which are, respectably, 8 or 16 bars of music.
\nWhen you notice a change, start counting out the bars: 1-2-3-4, 2-2-3-4, 3-2-3-4, 4-2-3-4, and by the last of them, something has probably changed again… this is due to the fact that salsa music is made in 4\/4 timing, meaning that it is mostly structured around some pattern of 4 musical bars, or an n number of such “structures”, with n = 2, 4, or 8 in most cases.
\nTry it out yourselves!<\/p>\n
\nSome salsa songs, mostly from Cuba, at times have short Afro-Cuban segments of various kinds (for example Rumba Columbia or Yoruba chants), and these are not in 4\/4 time but rather in 6\/8, like much of the music of African origins!<\/p>\n
\nAs you can see in the image above, most of songs have an introduction part; during this part of the song, the listener is introduced to the song, to the melody, to the groove (of various Cuban or other Afro Latin rhythms) and the\u00a0“atmosphere” of the composition…
\nThere is some percussive action going on during this part, as the intro often is a kind of a preview of\u00a0the Montuno part of the song, which is the “main” part, when many of the interesting “tricks” the musicians have up their sleeves are revealed.<\/p>\n
\nAfter an ending note (often\u00a0a short percussive break) of the introduction comes the “Cuerpo” part of the song.
\nAs the name suggests, this is the “body” of the song, which has most of the lyrics in it, using a structure of verses.
\nThe verses are mainly performed by the main vocalist, but sometimes also by the back vocals supporting it.
\nMost instruments play their typical patterns, except\u00a0the piano which may play the melody or some support notes.
\nClave is sometimes played, the Conguero plays the 1 bar Tumbao, together with the Bass which plays its typical Tumbao based pattern.
\nThe Bongocero plays the Martillo pattern on the Bongos, the Timbalero plays the typical basic cascara, the guiro sometimes plays its typical pattern as well as the Maraca shakers.<\/p>\n
\nBetween the “Cuerpo” and the “Montuno” sections of the song, there’s often a short “bridge” (puente) section, which is a sort of connection between the 2 main parts of the song.
\nIn Timba (Cuban salsa) this might be the 1st gear \\ guia in the song.
\nDuring this part you might hear a repetition of one of the phrases of the Cuerpo, and some percussionists might change the patterns they play to more energetic and complex ones; there might be some improvisation involved as well, by both percussionists and vocalists, and sometimes even the piano \\ keyboard and bass players\u00a0might have some Coro-Pregon as well.
\nThis is mostly a short section featuring 4, 8 or 16 musical bars in total.<\/p>\n
\nAfter the bridge, if such is present, starts the Montuno section of the song.
\nIn many salsa songs, including most Timba compositions, this is the “main” part of the song, when most of the “action” takes place, all the “tricks” the musicians keep\u00a0under the table are revealed, there is much improvisation, and everybody\u00a0shows their true skills in action.
\nThe instruments providing the rhythmic base start changing their patterns\u00a0– during the previous parts of the song, especially the Cuerpo, this roles was performed the the Conguero and Bass player, playing Tumbao (and Bass Tumbao, respectively), and sometimes the Clave;
\nNow they\u00a0are free to improvise, as the rhythm is now held by the Campanero, which is the Bongocero\u00a0which\u00a0now plays the Campana, using the more complex and syncopated pattern which exists for this instrument.
\nThe Timbalero also moves up a notch in the “energy levels” of the song, from playing the basic cascara pattern to playing the more dynamic “cascara mambo”, and also starts paying the Mambo Bell.
\nThe main vocalist, back vocals, and often some instruments (mainly percussion) engage in a typically Cuban “game” of African origin called “Coro-Pregon”, during which somebody “asks a question” (in the form of a note or a phrase) and somebody else “answers” by another sequence of notes or a different phrase.<\/p>\n
\nThis is the time for each\u00a0musician to shine, showing\u00a0the full potential of their musical skills, taking their playing to the limit, playing with the\u00a0timing yet getting back “at the last possible moment”.
\nThere might be some additional Coro-Pregon between any given number of instruments, although they mostly play in pairs.<\/p>\n
\nThis is the solo \\ improvisation part for the horn section, during which the trombones, trumpets, and saxophones take charge, and are most noticeable.
\nIn Timba you might often hear the main vocalist referring to this part explicitly by shouting “Mambo!”.
\nUsually, there is no singing during this section.
\nAfter this section the song might return to the Montuno section, or have another break, going into the ending.<\/p>\n
\nAs Hector says, “Todo Tiene Su Final”, and the salsa song is no exception…
\nThe song’s ending much resembles the introduction; It mostly has the main melody, little singing, and the instruments go back to playing their basic \\ typical patterns.
\nThis section is also quite short, and is even absent from some compositions.
\nThe “energy level” of the song drops drastically during this section.
\nMostly lasts for 4, 8 or 16 musical bars.<\/p>\n