Strings & Bass

Danzón

Danzón was the first national dance of Cuba — the form that unified the island's popular music identity in the late 19th and early 20th century, and the ancestor of mambo"> mambo, cha-cha-chá, and ultimately timba"> timba.

Timba

Timba is the music this site is dedicated to exploring. It emerged as a distinct genre in the late 1980s and crystallized in the early 1990s — born in a moment of social crisis, built on the full accumulated history of Cuban music, and still evolving today.

Nengón and Changüí

Before son, before danzón, before any of the named genres — there was Nengón and Changüí in the mountains and valleys of eastern Cuba (Oriente, especially Guantánamo province). These are the oldest surviving roots of Cuban popular music.

Casa de la Trova

The Casa de la Trova in santiago de cuba"> Santiago de Cuba is the spiritual home of Cuban traditional music — Son, Bolero, Changüí, and Trova. Founded in 1968 on Calle Heredia in the heart of Santiago's historic center, it has been the gathering place for the city's musicians for over half a century.

Marímbula

The marímbula is an Afro-Cuban bass instrument derived from African lamellophones (thumb pianos). It provided the bass voice in early son ensembles before being replaced by the upright bass.

Tres

The tres is a Cuban guitar-like instrument with three pairs (courses) of strings. It is the defining melodic-rhythmic instrument of son cubano and its ancestor genres.

Piano

The piano is the harmonic and rhythmic heart of Cuban popular music. In timba"> timba, it is one of the most demanding and expressive instruments in the ensemble.

Violin

In timba (the Cuban genre that evolved from son and salsa in the late 1980s and 1990s), the violin is not a core instrument, but it does appear in interesting ways:

The Bass

Timba, the explosive and rhythmically rich genre of Cuban dance music, transformed how the bass functions in popular music. In timba"> Timba, the bass is not just foundational — it’s fiery, funky, and free.

Sextetos

When son first hit Havana, the sexteto format (6 instruments, no brass) was the model: guitar, tres, bongó, claves, maracas, and bass. These groups were lighter, closer to the rural sound but polished for urban dance halls. Famous example: Sexteto Habanero.

Timba music

A Cuban popular dance music genre that emerged in the 1980s–90s

• emerged in the 1980s–90s
• influenced by songo, rumba, funk, blues, jazz, pop, rock and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
• Known for complex rhythm shifts, aggressive bass lines, and high energy that push dancers to improvise.