Time signature and tempo pasillo
| Region | Andean; also played in other Andean countries |
|---|---|
| Time signature | 3/4 |
| Tempo | There's no fixed tempo: the sung pasillo is slow and lilting, while the instrumental or festive pasillo is very fast, at the performer's discretion |
| Instruments | Tiple, bandola, guitar, requinto; also piano and estudiantina |
| Recommended listening | “La gata golosa” by Fulgencio García, and “Cachipay,” a festive pasillo |
How pasillo is accented
The main accent falls on the downbeat, which the bass usually marks. On guitar, a common pattern puts the bass on 1 and the chords on the second half of 2 and on 3; on the tiple, the drive is felt on the third and sixth eighth notes. Some pasillos also play with hemiolas, accents every two beats that cut across the measure, as in “Acuarela” or “Volverán.”
Pasillo arrived by way of the European waltz in the 19th century, but those shifts in the accompaniment turned it into a rhythm of its own. If you play it like a waltz, with three equal beats, it loses its character.
Slow pasillo and festive pasillo
| Slow or song-style pasillo | Festive pasillo | |
|---|---|---|
| Tempo | Slow and lilting | Fast, sometimes very fast |
| Function | Accompanying lyrics | Instrumental showcase and dancing |
| How to practice it | With eighth notes, keeping the downbeat solid | No subdivision above 150 BPM, just the beats |
How to practice pasillo with the metronome
- With the accent on, tap 1 with your foot and count “1 and 2 and 3 and.”
- Clap softly on the second half of 2 and again on 3: that's the chord pattern on guitar.
- Sing or hum the melody of a pasillo you know over that groove.
- Go up 4 BPM at a time. The challenge in a fast pasillo is keeping the downbeat clear.
How to read the tempos on this page
BPM count the beat of the time signature, which isn't always a quarter note: in 6/8 each beat is a dotted quarter note (three eighth notes), in 2/2 it's a half note (four eighth notes) and in 3/4, a quarter note (two eighth notes). That's why it also helps to think in eighth notes per minute:
- In 3/4: 100 BPM to the negra, that is, 200 eighth notes per minute.
How to set up the metronome
- Time signature: in 6/8 the metronome counts dotted quarter notes (two beats per measure); in 2/2 it counts half notes; in 3/4, quarter notes.
- Subdivision: adds soft clicks between beats. With eighth notes you hear the detail of the rhythm; with no subdivision, just the beat.
- Accents: tap each dot to make that beat strong, soft or unaccented, and build the pattern you're practicing.
- A recording's tempo: play the song and tap Tap tempo along with the beat; the metronome calculates the BPM.
- Raising the tempo: by 2 to 5 BPM once the passage comes out clean three times in a row. If it falls apart, drop 8 and work back up.
Common mistakes when practicing with a metronome
- Speeding up at the ends of phrases: it's the most common mistake. Record a few measures on your phone and listen for whether you're ahead of the click.
- Playing without listening to the click: when you're exactly in time, your hit and the click blend together and you almost stop hearing it; if you hear it before or after your note, adjust.
- Raising the tempo too soon: a clean, slow rhythm sounds better than a fast, messy one, and you'll learn it faster.
- Counting the meter the wrong way: at fast tempos, 6/8 is felt in two beats and 2/2 in two half notes; counting every eighth note out loud holds you back.
Frequently asked questions
What time signature is pasillo in?
In 3/4: three beats per measure, with the main accent on the first.
What's the difference between pasillo and waltz?
Both are in 3/4 and pasillo comes from the European waltz, but its accompaniment shifts the chords and sometimes cuts across the measure with hemiolas. So even though they share a time signature, they don't feel the same.
What tempo is pasillo played at?
There's no single tempo: the song-style pasillo is slow and the festive one is very fast. Use Tap tempo on a recording to find each piece's tempo, and practice it slower at first.