Known to be one of the most popular styles of music, Mexican music surely has a blend of great sounds and rhythms. Find more about this music mentioned here.
Mexico is known to be a land of colors, spices, Rodeo, dance and of course unique melodious sounds! With so many feathers in its hat, Mexican music is popularly accepted throughout the world. It is a combination of various musical styles and is majorly influenced by the Mexican and European cultures.
Mexico has always harbored a very rich history of music with a variety of instruments and music styles influenced by cultures. Its history dates back to the time when Mexico was under the Spanish dominion and through whom they incorporated their Pre-Columbian roots, which later became their identity.
The music was then inspired by the Spanish traditions and regional music styles, giving rise to folk and classic sounds. Even though there are a number of musical styles which evolved after this music was recognized globally, there are a few basic types that are still used in compositions. In the coming up paragraphs you'll find out what these types are.
Types of Music
As Mexican culture evolved with time, so did their music. With every historical period there was a new addition to the instruments, musical styles and rhythms. There were classical and folk sounds that were composed with regional influences and these styles traveled all over the land and out of the country to get global recognition.
There are three main types which are the basics of the other styles that evolved from them. So, find out what is the music of Mexico all about, from the information put together here.
Mexican Son Music
One of the first or initial types was called the "Son", which came into being in the 17th century. It was a combination of Spanish, Mexican and African traditional sounds which were also picked up from a number of regional parts.
Instruments such as the vihuela and guitarron were some of the first musical instruments used during this period to make music. These played not only unique sounds, but they gave birth to music which is related to Mexico even today. There was a variation of musical styles in the Son too, which was based on regional differences.
A few examples of these variations are; the Jalisco's "son jaliscenses", "son jarocho" from the region of Vera Cruz and others such as son calentano, son huasteco, son michoacano, mexican danzón, and son planeco.
Mexican Mariachi Music
This type of music is the most popularly used by modern artists. The word "Mariachi" was originally used to describe a group dance performed on a wooden platform, but later was used to refer to a particular music style.
Mariachi is a term which is derived from the two native languages spoken in Mexico, viz; Nahuatl and Coca. This is a style of music which originated in the region of Jalisco and includes instruments such as violins, trumpets, a Spanish guitar, the vilhuela and the guitarron.
This type of music of Mexico evolved into one of the most popular music and some great songs and compositions were made such as; "La Bamba", "La Cucaracha", "Cielito Lindo", "Volver, Volver", "El rey", and "Si tuviera que decirlo".
Mexican Ranchera Music
The last but not the least type is the extension of the Jalisco's "son jaliscenses" discussed in the first subhead. Ranchera was also a regional style of music, that originated rather recently in the 19th century before the Mexican revolution. This type however, was adopted faster and later became a very popular style in modern music.
Known to be used in soft and romantic songs, the Ranchera also included themes such as traditional and patriotic for the compositions. Along with being rhythmic in nature, this music is also used in bolero, waltz and polka with the instruments used for Mariachi music. There were and are various musicians who used the Ranchera style in their songs too.
With this useful information about traditional and modern music, you can surely add to the fan club of this musical style. So, if you are looking for some fresh new tunes to add to your playlist, try some Mexican music.