🎶 Timba music

🎶 Songs

🎶 Songs

This section is dedicated to the musical magic of Timba and Salsa, specifically designed for dancers who want to deepen their understanding and connection to the music. We will take you on a journey through the rhythms, melodies, and musical structures that make these genres so unique.

• Palo pa la campana - Tromboranga

  Palo pa la campana - Tromboranga

  Salsa tends to be easier to understand than timba, making this a helpful starting point.

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• Me Mantengo - Los Van Van

  Me Mantengo - Los Van Van

  Van Van is sort of a special case in that they sometimes use gears and sometimes not. Here is Me mantengo for example.

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• Tres Dias - Havana d'Primera

  Tres Dias - Havana d'Primera

  In Tres Días with Havana D’Primera, Alexander Abreu develops a single theme through son, rumba, salsa, and even bachata, showing how it can be reinterpreted across styles.

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• More

  More

  For more examples i recommend buying the following book: ( both hardcover and digital )

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🎶 Contratiempo

🎶 Contratiempo

Below are examples of songs that can be danced in contratiempo.

• Pasándola bien, Pupy y los que Son Son

  Pasándola bien, Pupy y los que Son Son

  "With this famous song by Pupy, you can dance on the 1, but it feels much more natural and musical to dance on the 2 - so on contratiempo. Pupy likes to place his accents right there, making the groove come out even better."

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• Marcando la distancia, Manolito y su Trabuco

  Marcando la distancia, Manolito y su Trabuco

  ON the famous track from Manolito y su Trabuco, early 2000, you can also hear that contratiempo bass line, you could dance that track with the son step!

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• Dale lo que lleva, Maykel Blanco feat. Maykel Fonts

  Dale lo que lleva, Maykel Blanco feat. Maykel Fonts

  That one from Maykel Blanco: rumba clave and son bassline. You could do either or, or switch halfway, or whatever you want.

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• Tu silueta - El Niño y la verdad

  Tu silueta - El Niño y la verdad

  Here are Lisandra García y Daniel Gener dancing contratiempo on "Tu Silueta" by El Niño y La Verdad

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Interpretive / Performative elements

Interpretive / Performative elements

How music is brought to life in performance

⚙ Functional elements

⚙ Functional elements

• Bomba

• Masacote

• bloques

• La diana

• Gear changes

• Estribillo

• Gears

• Presión

• Solos

• Mambo

• Marcha abajo

• Marcha arriba

• Bomba
• Masacote

  Masacote

  In timba (a Cuban music style related to salsa, but with stronger influences from funk, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and jazz), a " masacote" typically refers to a powerful, rhythmic burst in the music. It’s a short, intense moment where the instrumentation – especially the rhythm section – becomes extra groovy, syncopated, or funky.

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• bloques

  bloques

  Rhythmic breaks or unison hits played by the whole band, often interrupting the flow to create surprise and tension. These are choreographed and add drama, excitement, and syncopation.

  • Interruptive role: The bloque is a sudden, tightly coordinated rhythmic break. It disrupts the ongoing groove (tumbao, coro, or guías).

  • Cue for change: Right after the bloque, the band often launches into a new “gear” (a new rhythmic feel, coro, or piano tumbao). In this sense, the bloque

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• Diana

  La diana

  A vocal improvisation or melodic gesture, sometimes used to transition between sections, often marking the move into the montuno or to reintroduce energy.

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• Gear changes

  Gear changes

  Gear changes, or "cambios de marcha," in Timba are particularly thrilling elements that contribute to the genre's dynamism and energy. These changes are essentially shifts in rhythm, tempo, or even in the music's texture that inject excitement and often encourage dance floor responses. They are used strategically throughout a song to create tension and release, keep the audience engaged, and highlight the musicians' versatility and creativity.

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• Estribillo
• Gears

  Gears

  Known for its complexity and rich fusion of musical influences, incorporates a variety of rhythmic and stylistic shifts known as "gears" or "cambios de marcha". These gear changes are pivotal in adding dynamism and excitement to the music, often leading to a heightened response from the audience, especially dancers. While Timba gears can vary widely from one band or song to another, reflecting the genre's emphasis on creativity and innovation, there are several identifiable types that are commonly employed:

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• Presión

  Presión

  Timba gear family characterized by the absence of a bass tumbao, the absence of a conga marcha, and usually the absence of bells. The building of musical intensity and drive, often created through layered rhythms, bloques, and dynamic changes that push the energy higher.

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• Solos
• Mambo
• Marcha abajo

  Marcha abajo

  The terms "marcha abajo" and " marcha arriba" describe different energy levels or sections within the montuno.

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• Marcha arriba

  Marcha arriba

  The terms " marcha abajo" and " marcha arriba" describe different energy levels or sections within the montuno.

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☰ Structure

Formal structure

Key differences from salsa form:

• No fixed order — modules can be rearranged or repeated as needed.
• Multiple montuno rounds — each with its own coro, groove, and intensity.
• Functional elements everywhere — mambo, bloques, gear shifts aren’t tied to a single section.
• Improvisation and cueing — bandleader and singers often decide live which module comes next.

• Intro
• Verse

  Verse

  The largo, canto, or verse, is where the lead vocalist sings the main lyrical content of the song. In Timba, the canto often contains a narrative or thematic element and is supported by the rhythm section and background vocals.

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• Coro-Pregón

  Coro-Pregón

  • Coro = the Choir, sings a repeating phrase.
  • Pregón = the lead singer sings varying or improvised lines
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• Montuno

  Montuno

  This section is characterized by a more open and interactive part of the song, where there is a dialogue between the vocals and the instrumentalists, leading to a more improvised feel. The montuno is typically built on repetitive piano and bass patterns and may include call-and-response singing.

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• Coda

  Outro (Coda)

  The conclusion of the song, which often mirrors the intro or brings the song to a close with a final statement by the band.

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