"El Requinto" in Bachata

A requinto is a guitar that has six nylon strings and is smaller than a standard guitar. It was these types of instruments that bachata guitarists such as Edilio Paredes and others used to record the early bachatas beginning in the early 60's. Go in search for music from artists such as Ramon Cordero, Jose Manuel Calderon, Rafael Encarnacion, Luis Segura, Augusto Santos, and Leonardo Paniagua to hear great examples of such guitar work. "El Requinto" is also the term used to refer to the lead guitar in bachata, no matter if that instrument is a standard acoustic or electric guitar or the smaller nylon stringed requinto.

Today, when one hears the bright, rhythmic, unique sound of the bachata lead guitar in modern bachata, it is hard for a new listener to picture what instrument is making the sound. Many think that because of the high pitch it must be a small guitar, or a different instrument altogether, yet today bachata is mostly recorded on standard sized, steel string guitars. These guitars may be acoustic or electric and as mentioned above they are referred to as the "requito". To achieve the distinctive "bachata" sound musicians use a capo which is a device used on the neck of a stringed (typically fretted) instrument to shorten the playable length of the strings, hence raising the pitch. Also, musicians often run the guitar through an effects pedals to alter the sound.

To get an idea of how effects on the guitar can alter the sound check out a Joan Soriano's new album "El Duque de la Bachata" which is a modern bachata lead guitar with a natural sound. This is the CD that accompanies the documentary film I did on him. This can be compared to Joan's previous album "Vocales de Amor" which had more effect in the guitar. This way you can compare the same musician playing yet with two distinctive sounds.

Another factor that has greatly influenced the sound of the lead guitar as compared to the early years is the recording process. Today songs can be recorded note for note, using multiple channels and takes. In the early days recordings were often done with two microphones, one for the singer and the other for the musicians. It was difficult, if you didn't get the take right you had to go back and try the whole thing again! So there were disadvantages to that way of recording but there is no doubt there was a raw freshness to it, a sense of life and breath.

Unless you are roaming the streets of the Dominican Republic asking around corner to corner it can be difficult to find early bachata music. iASO Records has put out an excellent compilation of early bachata called Bachata Roja and will be releasing another compilation soon which I will review here.

For more info on the requinto of early bachata I did a video interview with Edilio Paredes talking about the requito and its use in early bachata.

Leonardo Paniagua Interview

During the 1970's and 1980's Leonardo Paniagua was one of Bachata's best selling artists. With his beautiful voice, distinctive phrasing and romantic songs he had hit upon hit such as "Mi Secreto," "Amada Amante," and the mega hit "Chiquitita." He is still recording and performing today and I had the honor to interview him in his New Jersey home a couple of months ago. Check out portions of the interview here on youtube. In the interview Paniagua treats us to bits of songs such as "Chiquitita," "Amada Amante," and more.

Leornardo Paniagua is an incredibly important figure for the music of bachata. Not only was he one of the best selling bachateros in th 1970's and 1980's he was pivotal in internationalizing bachata and blazing new trails for where bachata could be played and heard within the Dominican Republic. He began his career a decade after the first bachata was recorded by Jose Manuel Calderon but should be considered one of the primary trailblazers of the genre. If you have never had the pleasure of hearing Leonardo Paniagua sing bachata you are missing out and need to seek it out. The emotive quality of his voice, range, and musical phrasing give Paniagua that unique ability to tell a story through song.

He is most well know for his song "Chiquitita,"(later made an international mega hit by the group ABBA) which he recorded in 1979. Still today wherever he goes he's obligued to play this song to please his fans, "Or there will be trouble." "They ask for it still as if it were yesterday" he says. He has drawn much of his influence and song repertoire from ballads, and singers like Danny Rivera, Felipe Rodriguez "The Voice of Puerto Rico," and many others. His songs are romantic to the core and although he often records other artists songs he has a distinctive style and phrasing which allows him to make compostions his own.

When he first recorded in 1973 Paniagua had no musical training and no experience singing in public. "Not even in the bathroom" he told me. However, one evening he was inspired to sing the song "Amada Amante" made popular by Danny Rivera. A friend of his, singer Danilo Rodriguez, heard him and was impressed with his voice. Danilo was recording some songs at La Guarachita with producer Radhames Aracena and invited Paniagua to go with him there the next day. After Danilo had finished recording his 2 songs at 11 pm at night he asked Aracena if he would allow Paniagua to get up and sing. This was the second favor he was asking of Aracena that day because just to be allowed in the studio was a favor. Aracena allowed Paniagua to get up and sing, and left the recorder running. When Paniagua had finished the song Aracena made sure everyone kept quite so the recording was not damaged. He knew he had something special. "Amada Amante" was recorded and Leonardo Paniagua as an artist was born. He continued to record singles every 3 months and became Aracenas best selling artist.

Although very popular as an artist the road was not without thorns. There was very little economic benefit for Paniagua during those early years and he also had to deal with the intense discrimination that bachata musicians were living with during those years. Today he is thankful that the younger musicians recognize him and treat him with respect and affection for his role in shaping the genre.

When musicians are given credit for spreading bachata at an international level we ofter hear the names Juan Luis Guerra, Monchy y Alexandra and Aventura. Granted these figures are very important but we should not forget Leonardo Paniagua as well who was resposible for its spread well before the others.

He has continued to record and perform in recent years and is currently promoting a song called "Sigue de Frente." I first met him while he was on the Bachata Roja tour with iASO records. iASO Records has a wonderful compilation of early bachata and includes Paniaguas song "Mi Secreto" on it. I also highly recommend this article by David Wayne on Paniagua.

Leonardo Paniaguas music can also be found on itunes, youtube, amazon. Look for songs like:

Chiquitita, Amada Amante, Mi Secreto, El Necio, Ella Se Llemababa Marta, Acuerdate, Amor impossible.

**Paniagua Youtube video

Dancing Bachata and the Bass Guitar

"Its like a car. If you are missing a piece it's not a car, the car doesn't run." These are the words of influential bachata bass player Billy Bachata during an interview I did with him. Speaking about the role of the bass in bachata music and dance he went on to say that the bass guitar is the foundation or "floor" in bachata, and that it has to be beautiful so that you can add other furniture and decorations on top of it. These other decorations are the other instruments such as the lead guitar and vocals. While the bass player can add embelishments to the music they should never forget their role in providing the foundation for the musicians and the dancers. This is an important concept for dancers as well. By deeply connecting with the bass dancers can build a solid foundation from which to add other elements to their dance.

Apart from the obvious role of the bass in helping us to stay on beat, it can also inspire footwork, add substance to our steps and movements, ground us in the music and dance, and help us to release tension and just "rest in the groove.

Connecting with the bass adds substance and weight to our steps, and helps root us to the music and our own bodies. There is sometimes a tendency for bachata dancers to dance too much on their toes and with too much tension, especially when doing fancy footwork or during emotional parts of the song. reminding yourself to connect with the bass will help counter this tendency. Steps should not necessarily be heavy but the grounded nature of the step is important. Depending on individual style and the music it's often appropriate to dance bachata on the balls of your feet but sometimes this becomes too much of a "tippy toe" look. If you would like to ground your steps and root yourself a bit more settle in with the bass guitar.

When the bass guitar plays, more than just hearing it, we can FEEL the vibrations in our bodies. Much of this can be felt in our chest and torsos which is an important body part for dancers. Although we step with our feet and physically connect with our partners through our hands and arms, our chest and core are really where we should lead from and what should propel us. It's where much of our power, presence and experience of emotion comes from. So we can use this "feeling" of the bass to influence our leads, and our emotional connection to the music and our partners. Try an experiment and turn the lights off and the music and bass up, where do you FEEL the bass in your body?

Now, take a moment to think about a great bass player in a band. They are right on time, a rock, unshakeable, they never seem like their in a rush. They are cool and they know it. Even when playing a simple straight forward bass line, they are in the groove, in the moment, providing the foundation for the other musicians to do their thing. Dancers should take a lesson from the great bass player. Be cool, relax, get in the groove, be satisfied to settle into a sweet rhythm with an occasional embellishment, slap, or run at the proper time. Some great bass players, just like some dancers add many embellishments and extras to their basic but they do so in a way that does not disrupt the other musicians(or dance partners) that are relying on them to be the rock. Leads and follows should also keep this in mind when dancing. when adding footwork and extras to the basic it needs to be done in a way that does not disrupt the connection and communication with your partner. Dance the part so that it allows your partner to stay connected to you and the music

I don't know about you but I catch myself dancing with too much tension. Perhaps my hand is to tense, my neck, or my feet. When this happens I try to just relax and connect to the music. Connecting with the bass at this time is especially helpful. Dancers seek to find the right balance of tension and relaxation. A good bachata should have an element of effortlessness to it without being slack or too lose. If you find yourself dancing with too much tension it could be of great help to find the bass and settle in to it.

Remember, Its not a matter of just dancing to the bass while leaving the other instruments out. The body has the capacity to dance to multiple instruments at the same time and express them all. Ultimately, you want to seamlessly incorporate them all. However it is a good exercise to spend time focusing on the bass, dancing to it, putting it in the front of your dance and fully experiencing it. The bass grounds, adds substance to our steps, vibrates through us, fills us up, provides a foundation on which to build. I can tell you that at many of the bachata clubs in the Dominican Republic the bass is up so high that you can't help dance to it!

So what is the standard bass pattern in bachata? With all the fusions taking place in bachata you can find a lot of bass variations these days. Billy Bachata would say that in many of the fusions some of the weight of the bass has been lost to the detriment of dancers. However, there have been many great evolutions as well. Slaps have become very popular. check out Aventura's "Cuando Volveras" and listen for the bass solo. Max "Trueno" Santos from Aventura says "there are no more basic bass lines in Bachata anymore." This is a bit of an overstatement but reflects a lot of truth regarding the evolution of the bass in bachata.

Below is the basic bachata bass rhythm during the "derecho" part of the music. I have placed an x where the bass pluck occurs. As you listen to bachata you will realize that the bass line will sometimes change when the music changes during the song. For instance, at times during the chorus the baseline will change.

Derecho
1.2.3.4.
x..xx.x.

Now if you start your "1st" step on the 3rd beat of the song notice how the bass occurs at different parts of your dance. This can change the feeling of your dance. You will continue dancing your basic 1 2 3 4 (touch) but you may find that the feeling is different or you are inspired to dance differently may.

Derecho dancer starting on 3
3.4.1.2.
x.x.x..x

Check out this video of dancers showing off. The last man dancing has started on the 3rd beat and is obviously deeply connected to the bass as he dances. Note: he switches to dancing "on 2" on occasion.

Although most of us cannot name the bass player in the bands we love remember to show it respect when dancing! Paying a little more attention to the bass will go a long way to helping you improve as a dancer.


Here is a list of songs with bass parts that I enjoy:

1. Voy Pa Lla (Antony Santos)
2. Corazon Culpable (Antony Santos)
3. Eva Maria (Zacarias Ferreira)
4. La Pared (Joe Veras)
5. Quien Eres Tu (Frank Reyes)
6. Que Pasará Mañana (Joan Soriano)
7. Cuando Volverás (Aventura)
8. Dile al Amor (Aventura)
9. Hoja en Blanco (Monchy y Alexandra)
10. Explicame (Carlos y Alejandra)
2. Dile al amor

Check out this amazing bachata bass prodigy named Andres. He is just a kid but already has played with some of the best.
Young Bachata Bass Prodigy "Andres"

What is "Bachata?" What does "Bachata" mean?

Words are carriers of MEANING and have tremendous power to trigger ideas, emotions, thoughts and actions. The meaning of words can also change across time and place and this is certainly the case when we look at the word "Bachata."

Most of those familiar with the word "bachata" know it as a popular musical genre and dance form native to the Dominican Republic(DR). However, before it came to be used to refer to a genre of music it meant a "fiesta del patio" or an informal gathering of friends and neighbors where music was played and drink was often served. It was not until the early 1970's in the Dominican Republic that bachata came to describe a musical genre. It was first used as an insult, a disparaging term that impliee that the music and the people that listened to it were from a "lower" class, uneducated, crude, vulgar, and immoral. Today, to a great extent, the word has been "reclaimed" and currently has a much more positive connotation in the DR and internationally. It is still used to describe a musical genre and dance but does not have the same level of discrimination attached to it as before. The discrimination against bachata, although greatly diminished, still exists in the DR however.

Although there has not been a great deal of study done on the word bachata prior to it being a musical genre we can find written evidence of it's use to signify a distinct kind of party as early as the 1920's. Back then it didn't mean simply a fiesta, Baile, party, concert or dance but rather it was a distinct type of party. It was a "fiesta del patio" and gathering of friends and neighbors where music was played, and fun and drink were had. It could take place on a patio, in a house, on a corner, under a tree or a variety of other sites. The music played was often guitar music such as boleros. Elements of class distinction tinged the word even back then. A bachata would not be the type of gathering one of the "upper" class would have, and to them it meant a party for the "lower" class where too much rum was drunk, roosters were fought, and people were involved in immoral and socially non-constructive behavior. However, to those participating in the bachata's they were times of friends, neighbors, music, dance, drink and good times.

One evening after a concert in Houston I was invited to someone's house with Joan Soriano, El Chivo Sin Ley, Edilio and Samuel Paredes. After some good food and a few drinks the guitars came out and Joan, Edilio and the rest began to play and sing. I remember Edilio saying to Samuel his son, "Esto es una bachata!" "This is a "bachata!" Meaning this is a gathering of friends where guitar music is played, some drink is had and a good time takes place. Edilio has been involved in Dominican music since the 50's and has seen it through it's history.(More than that his musical style has shaped its sound greatly!) He remembers when the word bachata meant a "fiesta del patio."

Somewhere along the way, probably sometime in the early 70's the word "bachata" came to be used to describe a genre of music, that at the time in the DR was referred to as bolero or musica de guitarra. It is not completely clear how and why this happened, more research is needed, but we can gain much insight from those like Edilio Paredes who were a part of the history and saw it transpire. Edilio Paredes recounts to me the time when he saw a prominent musician and media personality get on TV and refer to bolero or musica de guitarra as "bachata," He was using the term as an insult to say it was a music of the lower classes. Because of his tremendous influence and the socio-economic beliefs within the country this use of bachata caught on. This was the first time Edilio remembers the word being used to describe dominican bolero as a musical genre and in a negative way. At that time, although not in the main stream media bachata was selling widely and very popular and some think that there were those that believed bachata was a threat to traditional merengue and that the merengue industry retaliated. Others believe that it has more to do with class discrimination against the marginalized poor where much of the guitar music was being played and enjoyed. It is clear we need more research and interviews in this area and subject. Regardless, we can say that as the term came to describe a genre of music it had a negative connotation. Bachata musicians were not given the respect they deserved. Many of the early bolero musicians did not at first accept this classification as bachatero and many today still describe their early bachatas played on requinto as bolero. In those days bachata lovers often listened to it in secret so that their neighbors would not hear it and gossip about them later. This discrimination persisted a long time a still persists to a degree. Joan Soriano tells a story, (and this must have been in the 90's) when someone asked him what he did for a living. He said he was a musician and played bachata. The man replied "oh man, I thought you said you were a musician!" Insulting him. When I was in the DR in 2004 and 2005 many clubs in Santiago would not play bacahta even upon my request. Many people I met from the upper or middle classes, college age into their 70's did not like bachata and looked down upon it. Some of this we can understand as differences in musical taste but for many it was because of negative associations they had with the word and music.

During the early 70's bachata was also know as "musica del guardia" or "soldier music." This is because it was associated with brothels and prostitution, and soldiers often frequent those places. So in addition to being associated with the lower economic classes bachata also came to be associated with brothels, prostitution, drinking, and vulgar lyrics. There are good reason for these associations but the reputation bachata got seems to be disproportionate to what it deserved. Although there was truth to these observations much of it was over generalizations. Most bachata musicians did play at places where prostitution was common and many still do today. But we must also keep in mind that bachata was not widely accepted in main stream venues so it had to seek out venues to be heard. It was not played on main stream media until Radio Guarachita played it in the 1970's. Also, drinking alcohol does not only accompany bachata music but also other music genres, merengue, salsa, rock, pop on and on. In addition double meaning and sexual innuendo's are by no means unique to bachata.

The Discrimination against bachata was mainly taking place within its country of origin, The Dominnican Republic and those that loved bachata around the world remained largely oblivious that bachata had this bad reputation in its home country. Thankfully for all of us that love bachata today there were musicians and fans that fought through the discrimination to bring us the bachata.

It has taken decades to take the word bachata with all its negative associations, to today, where the word has been largely reclaimed and now has a positive meaning. 'Reappropriation is a cultural process by which a group reclaims terms that were previously used in a way disparaging to that group.' -Wiki. Today musicians are proud to say that they record bachata. merengue and other latin singers record it also. There is a lot of money in it now and this has played a big part in it being more widely accepted. It is much more common to see people of all classes listen to it now. Again the discrimination still exists but it is less. It has gained international appeal and most that listen to or dance it outside of the DR are unaware that the word had a negative meaning.

How was it reclaimed? Some significant events that influenced this change include When Edilio Paredes, Ramon Cordero, El Chivo Sin Ley and others started a monday bachata night in the capital Santo Domingo called "Lunes de Amargue." Although it started slow soon it was full of a variety of people of all classes including lawyers, doctors etc. According to Edilio this played a huge role in reducing the discrimination and it was possible that bachata would have died out without that night because many musicians had stopped recording during this tough time for bachata. Another reason for the change has to do with the internationalization of bachata and its acceptance worldwide. This began with musicians such as Leonardo Paniagua who toured widely and spread the music. Later, Juan Luis Guerra, A Dominican born, Berklee educated musician made bachata widely know and accepted with his album "Bachata Rosa." Juan Luis Guerra is a master of music although he is not regarded among bachata musicians as a true bachatero. He did however play an important part in internationalizing the word and music because of his wide appeal and great songs and lyrics. Others such as Monchy and Alexandra, Blas Duran, Antony Santos and of course Aventura and Xtreme played huge roles in introducing the music to the world. Dominican Migration around the world also spread the music as did the increase of tourism to the DR in the 80's. In recent years some of the original musicians have done world tours such as the "Bachata Roja"tour and have exposed audiences to what the original Bolero/bachata sounded like.

I remember a story a Dominican Priest told me while I was visiting the island. He traveled to El Salvador to work at a church there and when he arrived in the country he began to hear bachata being played on the radio. He felt a surprising surge of national and cultural pride when he heard this music native to is home island, and while in El Salvador he claimed the music as his own. I used the word "surprising surge" because he was a catholic priest and bachata would not be something he could publicly associate with or take pride in within his own society. But as he found himself far from home, in a different social context he was able to claim it. It are small personal experiences such as these magnified across time and space that has allowed the word bachata to be reclaimed.

What does bachata mean today? Another difficult question! Appropriate for another post perhaps. It means different things to different people and its meanings continue to evolve. But very basically Bachata is a music and dance genre that was born in the DR. It's essential instruments include the first Guitar, 2nd guitar, bass, bongo and guira. It evolved from Bolero and was influenced by many other musics such and son, ranchera, and merengue. It is danced mainly in partners and involves a 4 step pattern that repeats with a "pause" or "touch" coming on the 4th step. I would love to hear comments and posts on how others in the Dominican Republic and around the world would define bachata today.

There are many execellent resources you can pursue if you want to find more out about the word bachata. The book Bachata: A Social History of Dominican Popular Music by Deborah Pacini Hernandez is great and a must read for bachata lovers. The book by Dario Tejada "La Pasión Danzaria: Musica y baile en el caribe a través del merengue y la bachata" is important and very interesting. A wonder article by David Wayne appears on the iASO Records website Also, my sincere thanks to el Maestro Edilio Paredes who has taught me so much about the music and genre. He has truely lived the music and seen it's changes over the years.