Comiendo y Cantando - Pio Leyva
The example above features the characteristic “gon-gon, gon-gon” bassline typical of son. In this case it’s played on the Spanish guitar, but the pattern remains easy to recognize.
This bassline has its roots in the marímbula, an Afro-Cuban instrument derived from African lamellophones (often called “thumb pianos”). The marímbula, with its deep plucked tones, essentially provided the bass voice in early son ensembles.
The bassline of son has its roots in the marímbula, an fro-Cuban instrument derived from African lamellophones (often called “thumb pianos”).
Lees meer >The Spanish guitar arrived in Cuba with the colonizers and became the seed of Cuban music, blending with African rhythms. From inspiring the tres to shaping son, conjuntos, and even modern timba, its influence runs through every note of Cuba’s musical history.
Lees meer >Timba, the explosive and rhythmically rich genre of Cuban dance music, transformed how the bass functions in popular music. In Timba, the bass is not just foundational — it’s fiery, funky, and free.
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