Flamenco Palos/Styles

You are learning flamenco (guitar, dance, singing, …), right? At some point you encounter a huge variety of different styles and may start to feel lost, because you don’t yet understand the basic rhythmic structures (compás), while for advanced learners everything seems so obvious.

Of course, you will find plenty of content about flamenco theory on the internet: hundreds of YouTube tutorials and articles. But perhaps you want to be more intentional. In short: you want to focus on the main aspects and move forward efficiently. Great — here we go.

THE “BIG FIVE”

At the moment, these are the five most frequently encountered styles in dance classes, music releases, and concerts.

TANGOS

  • 4-beat rhythm: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
    (underlined = foot / main accents, bold = palmas)
    Usually accented on 2 and 4
  • Tempo: 110–150 bpm (medium)
  • Mostly Phrygian melodies, but also tunes in major, minor, or mixed tonalities
  • Typical guitar keys: por medio (Phrygian around A, Bb, …) and por arriba (Phrygian around E, F, …)
  • In choreographies, often used at the end of slow 4-beat palos such as Taranto or Tientos
  • There are many different types of Tangos (de Triana, de Granada, de la Repompa, …); musically, it is one of the most diverse styles

SOLEÁ

  • 12-beat rhythm: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12 +
    (grouped as 3+3+2+2+2)
  • Tempo: 70–100 bpm (slow)
  • Considered the “queen” of flamenco and one of the most ancient palos
  • Great variety of mostly Phrygian melodies (de Triana, de los Puertos, apolá, …)
  • Verses usually consist of 4 lines, or 3 in the corta form
  • Typical guitar accompaniment: por arriba
  • In choreographies, it is very common to end in Bulería

BULERÍA

  • Double-time 3-beat feel: 1 + 2 + 3 +
    (often stressed on 1+ and 2+)
    Sometimes understood as a 12-beat cycle like Soleá
  • Tempo: 180–240 bpm (fast)
  • The most popular style among aficionados and flamencos
  • Countless verses, variations, and regional styles
  • Often used as a rhythmic base for canciones and cuplés
  • Typical guitar sound: por medio, though many tonalities are used today
  • In choreographies, usually the finale of slower 12-beat palos such as Soleá, Alegría, Guajira, Petenera, or Soleá por Bulería
  • Almost every concert or juerga ends with a fin de fiesta por Bulería, where everyone joins in — even guitarists and singers may dance (or at least try)

FANDANGO

  • 3-beat rhythm, consisting of four 3-beat sections:
    1 2 3 | 1 2 3 | 1 2 3 | 1 2 3
  • Tempo: 130–150 bpm (medium)
  • A bridge between Spanish folk music and flamenco; often described as the Spanish musical expression
  • The Fandango family includes Fandangos de Huelva, Fandangos personales, Fandangos mineros, Fandangos abandolaos, and others
  • Guitar accompaniment depends on the specific type
  • Melodies usually begin in Phrygian mode, move to major or minor, and return to Phrygian at the end
  • Lyrics typically have 4 or 5 lines, but 6 melodic phrases, with one or two lines repeated

ALEGRÍA / CANTIÑAS

  • 12-beat rhythm: grouped as 3+3+2+2+2
  • Tempo: 120–160 bpm
  • Melodies and harmonies usually in major keys
  • Alegría is the most popular palo of the Cantiñas family, which also includes Romera, Mirabrás, and others
  • Singers often prefer C major; choreographies are commonly danced in E major
  • Typical elements include:
    • the singer’s Tirititrán
    • the folk-like melody of the Escobilla
    • the Silencio–Falseta (minor key guitar section)
  • Usually ends with Bulería de Cádiz
  • Common lyric structure: babcdcd, often followed by a coletilla with abcd or abcdddab

 

THE “SECOND FIVE”

SOLEÁ POR BULERÍA

  • 12-beat rhythm: identical grouping to Alegrías
  • Tempo: 120–160 bpm
  • Rhythmically identical to Alegrías/Cantiñas, but melodically and harmonically very different
  • The name often causes confusion: it is neither a Soleá nor a Bulería, but an independent style that emerged from singing Bulería verses with Soleá aesthetics
  • The situation is comparable to naming a child “daughter of Jane and Bob” — descriptive, but not very practical
  • Soleá verses are often used as well, which adds to the confusion
  • Character and expression are closer to Soleá than to Bulería
  • Traditionally accompanied por medio, though por arriba is also common
  • Frequently ends with a few verses of Bulería

FARRUCA

  • Slow 4-beat rhythm
  • Tempo: 50–70 bpm, though choreographies often include faster, double-time sections
  • Minor tonality with occasional shifts to major
  • Originates from northern Spain; not part of a larger palo family
  • Traditionally associated with male dancers, though today danced by all genders
  • Limited variety of traditional lyrics and melodies
  • Common vocal introduction: “Tran, tran, treiro”
  • Guitarists often choose A minor
  • Frequently ends with increasing speed and intensity

TIENTOS

  • Slow 4-beat rhythm
  • Two common rhythmic feels: a very straight slow one, and a slightly faster, triplet-like feel (often considered more traditional)
  • Melodic and harmonic structures are closely related to Tangos
  • Mostly Phrygian, with occasional shifts to major
  • Typical vocal introduction: “Lelele”
  • The final letra before closing por Tangos often modulates briefly to the major dominant before returning to the Phrygian root

SIGUIRIYA

  • Rhythmic pattern: 2 – 2 – 3 – 3 – 2
  • Tempo: 100–140 bpm, with frequent tempo fluctuations
  • Mostly Phrygian mode, sometimes with major inflections
  • One of the most ancient and profound palos
  • The origin and meaning of the name are unclear; spelling varies (Siguiriya / Seguiriya)
  • Large variety of lyrics and traditional melodies
  • Common introductions: Ay or Tiritiritri-ay-ay-ay
  • Guitar accompaniment usually por medio; the escobilla often uses traditional falsetas
  • Often ends with an increase in speed and intensity

TARANTOS

  • Slow 4-beat rhythm
  • Belongs to the Cantes de Levante / Cantes de las Minas
  • The only cante de las minas with a fixed compás suitable for dance
  • All other related cantes are cantes libres
  • All cantes de las minas are essentially Fandangos
  • Typical guitar material for escobilla, subida, and remates
  • Common vocal introduction: Ay
  • Guitar tonality often uses Phrygian F# (open F# with b9 and 11)
  • Frequently ends with an increase in speed, a break (remate), and one or more Tangos de Granada

ALSO IMPORTANT

These palos are very important, though less commonly encountered:

  • Guajira – 12 beats, cante de ida y vuelta, medium–fast, usually A major
  • Colombiana – 4 beats, cante de ida y vuelta, medium–fast
  • Jaleos Extremeños – 6 beats, related to Bulería but slower, with a different groove
  • Sevillanas – 3 beats, folk-based, not a traditional flamenco palo; 4 letras / choreographies
  • Rumba – 4 beats, crossover flamenco influenced by Latin and pop music
  • Tanguillo – 4 beats (polyrhythmic), medium–fast, associated with Cádiz
  • Petenera – 12 beats or partly free, slow–medium, limited melodic variations
  • Caña / Polo – 12 beats, slow–medium, part of the Soleá family
  • Garrotín – 4 beats, medium, with a characteristic refrain
  • Malagueña, Granaína, Media Granaína – free rhythm, fandangos personales

RARE

These styles are beautiful but rarely encountered:

  • Mariana – 4 beats, medium, sometimes mixed with Tangos letras
  • Zambra – 4 beats, medium–fast, from Sacromonte (Granada), with Arabic/Moorish influences
  • Milonga – 4 beats / 3 beats / free, cante de ida y vuelta
  • Vidalita – 4 beats or free, slow–medium, related to Milonga
  • Bambera – 12 beats, medium, also called Cantes de Columpio
  • Toná – free, slow, usually sung a cappella
  • Martinete, Carcelera – free or Siguiriya-based, related to Tonás
  • Serrana, Liviana, Debla, Cábales – Siguiriya-based structures

THE “INVISIBLE ONES”

Some styles have almost disappeared or are hidden behind more famous palos:

  • Levantica, Murciana, Cartagenera, Minera, Taranta – Cantes de las Minas
  • Romera, Mirabrás, Caracoles, Alegría de Córdoba, Cantiñas de Pinini – Cantiñas family
  • Rondeña, Verdiales, Jabera – Fandangos abandolaos

A brilliant website for more detailed information:

https://expoflamenco.com/flamencopolis