El Rayo

Description

Violin 1, Violin 2, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, Armonía, Vihuela, Guitar, Guitarrón — A “son” (Spanish for “sound”) is a fast-paced, lively song style that often uses complex rhythms. Son jarocho is a regional folk style from Veracruz and son jalisciense originated in Jalisco and is the foundation of modern Mariachi music. “El Rayo” is a son of Jalisciense. The rhythms of “El Rayo” alternate from the traditional back-and-forth 3/4 to a 6/8 feel, and it also incorporates the contratiempo technique. In English, contratiempo means "counter time." This strumming technique involves using down strokes on the upbeats of the rhythm, which is usually an eighth-note pattern. The emphasis is placed on the upbeats, resulting in a unique feel when the accents are played as written.

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