How to count it
A tangos compás is 4 even beats, with the accents on 1 and 3. The melodies of the cante and the guitar rest on them, and the app’s wheel makes one turn per compás.
The curious part is the percussion: if you listen to palmas por tangos, beats 2 and 4, especially the last one, are marked more strongly than the accents themselves. That mix, the melody on some beats and the hit on the others, is what gives them their feel.
| Beat | Accent |
|---|---|
| 1 | Strong |
| 2 | Weak |
| 3 | Strong |
| 4 | Weak |
The cierre, on 3
Tangos close on 3. And although the compás has 4 beats, the guitar usually strums in cycles of two compases, so many phrases last two turns of the wheel.
That is why many people count them in eights, in two groups of 4: the first beat of each group is left almost silent, a stamp or a low hit, and the phrase ends on beat 3 of the second.
Other palos are played in this same 4-beat compás: the tientos, slower and more solemn; the tarantos, the farruca, the garrotín or the colombianas; and the rumba, faster, which in the app runs from 130 to 280 beats per minute.
What tempo they are played at
In the app they are recorded at 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180 and 190 beats per minute, and you can set them to any tempo from 80 to 190 without changing pitch. The first time you open them, they start at 144.
| Beats per minute | One compás lasts |
|---|---|
| 110 | 2.18 s |
| 120 | 2 s |
| 130 | 1.85 s |
| 140 | 1.71 s |
| 150 | 1.6 s |
| 160 | 1.5 s |
| 170 | 1.41 s |
| 180 | 1.33 s |
| 190 | 1.26 s |
How to practise them with the metronome
A sequence that builds up step by step:
Count in groups of 4
Choose Full and count out loud with the wheel: the 4 beats are even, so it is easy to follow.
Separate melody and percussion
Clap on 1 and 3, then move to 2 and 4. In tangos both happen at once, and feeling both is what gives you the groove.
Close on 3
End your phrases on 3 and leave the rest of the compás silent before coming back in.
Count in eights
Group the turns in pairs, as the guitar does when it strums, and count the two groups back to back: one phrase, two turns of the wheel, closing on beat 3 of the second.
Build up gradually
Start at 80 and turn on the Speed trainer: the tempo goes up on its own every few compases. To focus on the percussion, switch to Instruments and keep only the palmas.
What you can practise them with in the app
In Full you hear the whole accompaniment; in Instruments, each instrument separately, with its own pattern and volume. With Fills turned on, every few compases one of them rounds off with a recorded fill: here there are fills on cajón and tinaja.
- Full
- 5 accompaniments
- Palmas
- 4 patterns
- Cajón
- 2 patterns
- Tinaja
- 2 patterns
Frequently asked questions
How many beats do tangos have?
They have 4, with accents on 1 and 3, and close on 3. Many people count them in eights, in two groups of 4, which is how long a guitar cycle lasts.
Why do the palmas mark 2 and 4?
Because in tangos the percussion leans on the unaccented beats while the melody leans on the accents. That contrast is part of their charm.
How are they different from the rumba?
The compás is the same; the rumba is faster and more festive. In the app, tangos run from 80 to 190 beats per minute, and the rumba from 130 to 280.