"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"
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