All the styles included in Flamenco Cantinas are festive genres. They are indispensable at any flamenco get-togethers, very loud and happy with short lyrics, very suitable for dancing.

The basic meter of the Cantinas is resembles the bulerias, which means it is a 12-beat meter:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

As far as the guitar playing goes they are generally following the same pattern as the bulerias and solea, but are structured around major keys. The alegrias in A major, the mirabras in E major and so on. The variations are directly dependant on the tonalities, which is the basic key of the song. Rhythmically they are often played as the alegrias style.

Technically I would say that these are some of the toughest styles, particularly the alegrias. You would use every flamenco technique frequently,  such as alzapua and picados and this requires a good degree of concentration, whereas in the heat of a party the loudness of the background noise can quickly throw you off balance.

Because it is such challenging to play these styles correctly I always find the satisfaction of a good performance very enjoyable, especially if it’s accompanied by a few drinks afterwards, and I often think about these kinds of parties.

Often accompanied by a cajon or palmas, guitar-only pieces proved to be some of the most difficult flamenco pieces technique-wise. The famous “La Barrosa” by the great Paco De Lucia is known to be the toughest piece ever recorded. Paco also gives us a flawless example performance in Germany in the year1996, one of Paco’s best years.

The flamenco Alegrias is often played at parties, being an integral part of any flamenco get-together. It is because of the happy and festive atmosphere it creates, and because it is fitting to dancers, that it is so popular among parties.

The rhythm is a 12-beat meter, the guitar bringing the livelier character to it:

123 456 78 910 11  12

The guitar plays in a major key, as is the case for every cantinas. In the case of the alegrias, there is a scale change, during the introduction. The basic keys used are: in the middle: A – E 7^th; and at the top: E – B. This doesn’t sound like it’s a big deal, however the fast rhythm and complex falsetas make this style a challenge for every guitarist.

Flamenco is formed out of 3 major divisions. Singing, dancing and playing the guitar. Few flamenco styles exclude any of the major divisions and the rumba makes no exception. It is widely popular at parties because of it’s suitability to dancing and free improvisation. Even though the style lacks in depth and authenticity it is well known mainly because of it’s base simplicity.

While rumba encompasses all 3 main forms of flamenco, I will only talk about the guitar playing. The basic meter is formed out of 4 beats:

1 2 3 4/ 1 2 3 4/ 1 2 3 4

In flamenco rumba the guitarist usually follows a straight-forward accompany strumming pattern with semi-percussive strumming. This is indispensable and much of the richness of the rhythm comes from this type of strumming. Other important elements that ensure variation include percussion, in the form of cajon, and hand-clapping.

In the past the guitar was only used as an accompany instrument for the singers and dancers, but with the appearance of great performers, like the legendary Sabicas and the contemporary Paco de Lucia, it has evolved much beyond this and now it is even seen as a solo instrument.

One particularly well known rumba piece is Entre Dos Aguas, which belongs to the great Paco de Lucia, and it is probably his most famous piece. Numerous amateur guitarists have attempted to copy and play this song in gigs or at home, which shows the popularity and leverage this style has with the general population.