Music Sound

Norteño (literally meaning "northern" in Spanish, and also known as conjunto) is a traditional style of Mexican music that originated in rural northern Mexico in the early 20th century, a form of music based largely on corridos and polka. The accordion and the bajo sexto is the music's most characteristic instruments. Norteño is extremely popular among first-generation Mexicans in both the inner city barrios and the rural countrysides of the United States and Mexico.

Norteño is the most popular subgenre of the Tex-Mex musical category. It is not to be confused with tejano music, which is more similar to rock music.

In the 1950s, the spread of conjunto and norteño into southern Texas gave rise to Tejano (or "Tex-Mex"), which in its modern version is also influenced by rock and swing [1]. Another norteño-derived style is banda, which uses solely brass instruments instead of accordions and guitars.

Some of the most popular norteño artists include Los Tigres del Norte, Ramón Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte, Los Gavilanes, Carlos y Jose, Los Alegres de Terán, Los Huracanes del Norte, Los Tucanes De Tijuana, and others.

Contents 1 The sound of norteño 1.1 Sound samples 2 See also 3 External links

The sound of norteño

In the past, norteño bands consisted of an accordion as the lead instrument, with the bajo sextos (a type of 12-string Mexican guitar) serving as the roots of the music. Today, a modern Norteño band usually consists of an accordion, a bajo sexto, a bass guitar, a drum set. Occasionally, a saxophone or electronic keyboard may also be included. Click here to hear what a typical norteño song sounds like. (Un Puño de Tierra by Ramon Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte)

Norteño has many different regional styles. Norteño in Texas, for example, is very likely to be influenced by American music, while norteño from Tijuana and Tamaulipas may sometimes have influences from the Caribbean. Durango and Sinaloa have also produced norteño bands, even though the two states are more closely associtated with the musical styles of duranguense and banda, respectively. Chihuahua and Zacatecas norteño often incorporates the saxophone into their bands, creating a saxophone-accordion duet. Additionally, norteño music from Guanajuato and Chiapas sometimes employs synthetic marimbas in their music instead of the usual accordion.

Each norteño band also has its own unique adorno (music which interrupt the lyrical lines in between). For example, one of Los Tigres del Norte's adornos is a series of flutters, while Los Rieleros del Norte's adornos are characterized by descending scales.

Sound samples

These sound samples illustrate the typical sound of norteño music.

Modern norteño:

• Chaparrra de mi Amor by Palomo
• De Un Rancho A Otro by Dueto Voces del Rancho
• El Disgusto by Dinastia Norteña
• En Las Cantinas by El Chapo de Sinaloa
• Las Tres Ramitas by Los Dinamicos Del Norte
• Simon Blanco by Los Rieleros del Norte (saxophone-accordion duet)
• Te Quiero Mucho by Los Rieleros del Norte
• Reina del Sur by Los Tigres del Norte (heavier guitar effect, different accordion playing technique)
• Causame La Muerte by Los Tigres del Norte

Traditional norteño:

• Busca Otro Amor by Las Jilguerillas
• El Chubasco by Carlos y José
• Ojitos Negros by Cornelio Reyna
• Por Una Mujer Casada by Los Tremendos Gavilanes

See also

• Music of Mexico
• Nortec

External links

• The Handbook of Texas Online: Musica Norteña