One thing that comes up early on in flamenco studies is the concept of compás, and, along with that, accents.
Compás is often translated as rhythm, but there’s a lot more to it than that in flamenco. The word is often used in two different ways:
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Rhythm of a palo (flamenco musical style). Every flamenco palo has its own rhythmic feel and tempo range. That rhythm goes hand-in-hand with a specific chord progression. There are tons of ways to vary the compás of a palo, but it always stays true to a certain essence. By hearing just one or two cycles of compás, an experienced flamenco player or listener knows what palo is being played.
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For example, the compás of solea is a cycle of 12-beats, with accents on 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12. The guitar will usually play the chord F for beats 1 2 3 - C for beats 4 5 6 - back to F for 7 8 9, and end on E major for 10 11 12. If it’s played at a slow(ish) tempo this is instantly recognizable as Solea.
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The compás of tangos, a very different palo, consists of two cycles of 4 beats. The first cycle is on a Bb chord, and the second cycle A.
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Measure, or one complete cycle, of beats. If you’re in a 12-count compás like Solea or Alegrias, one compás is one cycle of 12. If you’re in a 4-count compás like Tangos or Tarantos, one compás often refers to two cycles of 4 in order to complete the chord cycle.
Going hand-in-hand with the cycle of beats are accented beats. In a 12-count cycle, it’s usually taught at the beginning that the accents are on 12, 3, 6, 8, and 10. There’s often a lot of confusion as to what that means for the beginning guitarist. Here’s a few points that might help to clarify.
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All rhythms have accents. If you play another style of music, you’ve been accenting certain beats all along, whether you’re aware of it or not. In western music, the accent is on beat 1 of a measure of 3 beats, and beat 1 and (weaker) 3 in a measure of 4 beats. If you didn’t have this strong first beat, you’d have no way of knowing whether you’re in 3/4 or 4/4 time. Even if you kept your beats steady and metronomic, your music wouldn’t have a sense of rhythm.
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The reason the accents and compás come up so much in flamenco guitar lessons is that they are not at all intuitive to those who come from a western music background. Flamenco players who grow up in the world of flamenco barely think about them. They might occasionally count things out to understand or check something - just as you’ll occasionally count out measures of 4 or 3. But it’s already ingrained in their understanding of a palo.
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Often (but not always) the accents in flamenco compás are in sync with chord changes, golpes (taps on the guitar), contrasting rasgueo, or other technique that distinguishes them from the weak beats.
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Beginner flamenco players should intentionally emphasize the accented beats. That is, play them stronger and use golpes where appropriate. If you overdo and exaggerate the accents at the beginning, it will help you internalize the compás. As your playing evolves, accents may become more subtle.
A few more details worth noting, if you’re not already saturated with info:
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Presenting the accents of 12-count compás on beats 12,3,6,8, and 10 is oversimplified. Most palos are more complex than that. For example, in many palos beat 7 is really stronger than beat 6. And in Bulerias, certain passages will be played in a compás that’s best counted as 6 beats rather than 12, and then the rhythm will move back to 12 beats. That said, you’ve got to start somewhere, and 12 counts with those particular accents is hard enough at the beginning. So get used to that first, and then pay attention to the subtleties.
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The compás of some palos can be counted in different ways, depending on where you learn. For example, some count Seguiriyas in 12, beginning on beat 8. Others count it in 5, with each number being a strong beat, and it’s understood that some beats last longer than others. There are also a few who count Seguiryas in 12, but with accents on 12, 2, 4, 7, and 10. It works out to exactly the same feel in the end, just different ways of describing it.
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8* 9 10* 11 12* 1 2 3* 4 5 6* 7
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1 - 2 - 3 - - 4 - - 5 -
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12* 1 2* 3 4* 5 6 7* 8 9 10* 11.
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When cante (singing) is involved, it’s the cante melody that really determines the palo. Not only what the guitar is playing.
This explanation turned out a lot longer and heavier than I’d intended. But I hope it helps some beginning flamenco students. Feel free to share and forward!
