Salsa vs Bachata Music

How do you tell the difference? If you are confused at socials about the type of music that is playing, you are not alone! When I first started going to socials, I often had to ask which type of music was playing. Here are some quick tips to hear the difference.

Salsa Music

Salsa music began in Cuba and has elements of both Spanish and African music. It can be purely instrumental or include vocals. Percussion instruments like claves, cowbells, congas and timbales are prevalent. You might also hear piano, trumpet, trombone and guitar.

Distinguishing characteristics of Salsa music are:

  • 4/4 time
  • Son Clave and Tumbao rhythms
  • Montuno Piano

Unless you have a background in music those distinguishing characteristics probably mean nothing to you. And because there are so many influences and styles of modern Salsa music, it can be hard to distinguish. An easier way to describe Salsa music is how it does NOT sound like other types of popular Latin American music.

Merengue is a straight 2 beat dance (almost no syncopation). Bachata is a straight 4 beat dance with a prevalence of a syncopated guitar line and a clear lack of any “hard” piano or brass (trumpet, trombone) lines. ChaChaCha resembles Salsa music the most as it feels like “really slow” salsa/mambo. ChaChaCha can be distinguished by its emphasis of the double tumbao beat on counts 4+5 and 8+1 (the “cha-cha-cha”)

Bachata Music

Bachata originated in the Dominican Republic and has elements of Spanish, African and Indigenous (Taino) music.  It has an 8 beat phrase. Typically Bachata has a slow, sensual beat with romantic lyrics and acoustic or electric guitars are the most prevalent instrument. Distinguishing characteristics of Bachata music that differentiates it from other Latin music are:

  • No “hard” percussive line (no harsh-sounding percussion instruments like claves or timbales)
  • Melodic and flowing music. This is very noticeable if the Bachata song has a piano.
  • The “heartbeat” of the music is kept in tempo by bongos (a higher-pitched drum than congas) or a guiro or maraca type shakers

The best way to figure out Salsa vs Bachata music is to listen more to it. Listen while you are cooking or driving to work, whenever you have time put on some music.  Here are some playlists for Salsa and Bachata to help you become more familiar with the music.

I can’t wait to welcome you to our big family, have you coming in week to week, having fun, connecting with new friends and letting loose to amazing Latin songs. Click here to check our current schedule.

If you have any questions you would like me to answer here are some ways you can contact me: message me on Instagram (torontodanceSalsa), on Twitter (#torontodanceSalsa), on Facebook (Toronto Dance Salsa) or email me at [email protected].

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