Lesson 1

Introduction to Mariachi

Sones de Mariachi!

What are the sights and sounds that characterize mariachi?

Sones de Mariachi, by Mariachi Los Camperos. Cover design by Cooley Design Lab. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Mariachi

20+ MIN

20+ MIN

30+ MIN

MUSIC MAKING

What is Mariachi?

Component 1

20+ minutes

Sombrero, by Michael G. Stewart. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Mariachi ... I bet you've heard of it, but do you really know what it is?

At an event featuring mariachi music, what would you expect to see and hear?

Mariachi!

Bored Girl, by Gerd Altmann. CC0, via Pixabay.

What do you notice (sights and sounds)?

Mariachi Los Camperos

Is this what you expected? Why or why not?

Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano - "México Lindo". Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Text

About Mariachi Los Camperos

Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, photo by Hugh Talman. Smithsonian Folkways Magazine.

The word itself is difficult to define.

What is Mariachi?

A mariachi plays mariachi in a mariachi!

Mariachi Los Camperos Performing on Stage, photograph by Daniel Sheehy. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

  • Melodia: Bowed and plucked string instruments (violin and harp) carry the melody. The trompeta (trumpet) was incorporated into the tradition during the 1920s–1940s.

Sounds of Mariachi: Instruments

  • Armonia: Guitar-like instruments (guitarron and vihuela) provide chordal and rhythmic accompaniment.

Sounds of Mariachi: Melodia

Violin:

Trompeta:

Arpa:

"El Burro (The Donkey)," 0:00–0:35.

All audio examples from Sones de Mariachi, by Mariachi Los Camperos de Jesús "Chuy" Guzman.

"El Tranchete (The Shoemaker's Blade)," 0:00–0:17.

"El Toro Calandrio (The Calandrio Bull)," 0:14–0:23.

Sounds of Mariachi: Armonia

Guitarron:

Vihuela:

“El Autlense (The Man from Autlan)," 1:00-1:18).

“El Gavilancillo (The Hawk)," 0:08-0:15).

How are these versions the same?

How are they different?

Attentive Listening: Son

"El Zihualteco," by Cuarteto Coculense. Recorded in the early 1900s.

The son is mariachi music’s oldest and most representative genre.

"El Cihualteco," by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Recorded in the late 1900s.

"El Cihualteco," by Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. Recorded in the mid 1900s.

Sones de Mariachi: Musical Elements and Expressive Qualities

Bold, spirited, vigorous, and dynamic, the sounds of son exemplify the extroverted nature of mariachi music.

  • Melody and Harmony: Based on Western European tonal music; major keys; limited to primary chord types. 
  • Rhythm: Fast, driving notes; rhythmic structure centers on the sesquialtera (the combination of 3/4 and 6/8 time).
  • Structure: Strophic (AAA), with instrumental interludes.

Listen again for these characteristics.

"El Cihualteco," by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano.

Sesquialtera (i.e., hemiola) is the simultaneous or alternating performance of binary and ternary rhythms.

Binary (pulse divided by two):

1-x-2-x-3-x; TA-co, TA-co, TA-co

Attentive and Engaged Listening: Sesquialtera

Ternary (pulse divided by three):

1-x-x-(2)-x-x; FISH-ta-co, FISH-ta-co

“El Gavilancillo (The Hawk)." Listen for the binary rhythm from  3:15 - 3:20.

“El Pasacalle (The Street Passerby)." Listen for the ternary rhythm from  0:00 - 0:13.

“El Cuervo (The Crow)." Listen for and pat along with sesquialtera.

Sesquialtera (i.e., hemiola) is the simultaneous or alternating performance of binary and ternary rhythms.

Binary (pulse divided by two):

1-x-2-x-3-x; TA-co, TA-co, TA-co

Enactive Listening: Sesquialtera

Ternary (pulse divided by three):

1-x-x-(2)-x-x; FISH-ta-co, FISH-ta-co

Practice sesquialtera:

  • Start with alternating two-measure phrases (binary, followed by ternary).
    • Step, clap, or play the "big" beats.
    • Clap, tap, or play the subdivisions.
    • Put it together.

Group 1: Clap along with the guitarron while counting “1-2-3”.

Engaged Listening: Sesquialtera

Group 2: Stomp on every third note of the violins and trumpets parts while counting “1-x-x-2-x-x”.

However, as demonstrated in this example, sesquialtera can also occur simultaneously.

“El Huizache(The Sweet Acacia)." Listen for sesquialtera from 0:26–0:41.

Often, sesquialtera occurs as alternating measures of 3/4 and 6/8 time.

Do the clapping and stomping rhythms “lock in” to each other?

Click on the image to explore an activity related to the Mexican Mariachi and Banda exhibits at the Musical Instrument Museum’s Latin America Gallery.

Mariachi Exhibit in MIM’s Latin America Gallery. © Musical Instrument Museum.

Optional Creative Activity

At the end of this activity, students will have an opportunity to create their own music-based virtual exhibit.

Learning Checkpoint

  • What are some common instruments used in mariachi music?
    • What is each instrument's function within the ensemble?
  • What is a son?
    • How are musical elements and expressive qualities used in sones de mariachi?

End of Component 1: Where will you go next?

Mariachi Roots: History and Geography

Component 2

20+ minutes

Cuarteto Coculense, unknown artist. Arhoolie Records.

The Mariachi Sound: A Review

"El Zihualteco," by Cuarteto Coculense. Recorded in the early 1900s.

"El Cihualteco," by Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. Recorded in the mid 1900s.

"El Cihualteco," by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Recorded in the late 1900s.

Mariachi music dates to the mid-1800s.

 

However, the contemporary sound is significantly different than it was at the turn of the 19th century.

Historical Backdrop of Mariachi

Beginning with the arrival of the Spanish to the advent of modern technology, sociocultural changes in Mexico directly impacted the emergence and development of the mariachi and the performance practice of its oldest and most emblematic genre: the son

The Colonial Period (1519-1810)

Much of Mexican regional music derives from Spanish folk music traditions.

Blind Spanish Singer, by Robert Henri. Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Chordophone instruments (string instruments), such as the guitar, violin, and harp were introduced to Mexico during this time.

Left: Lyon & Healy Double Action Pedal Harp. Right: Violin. National Museum of American History.

The Independence Period (1810–1910)

In its traditional rural context, the mariachi was a small string ensemble that primarily performed sones during social and festive events.

Independence from Spain brought Mexican secular music (music for recreation and entertainment) to greater prominence.

"El Zihualteco," by Cuarteto Coculense. Recorded in the early 1900s.

During this time, musical life in Mexico was more local and regional than national.

Geography Connections

Left: Nuclear Zone: The states of Nayarit, Colima, Michoacan, and Southern Jalisco formed the central area of mariachi activity. Right: Extensive Zone: Mariachi influence extended far north to Northern Jalisco, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, Sinaloa, and Durango, and as far south as Guerrero. Maps by ?.

Traditional mariachi groups flourished throughout rural Western Mexico during the 1800s. 

The Post-Revolutionary Period (1910–)

Mariachi music’s transformation began during the birth of a new Mexican republic.

Mexican Flag. National Museum of American History.

Reflecting the nationalist sentiment that ensued, the Mexican people sought to renew identity by recontextualizing traditional cultural forms, including folk music.

Mariachi and Urbanization

By the 1950s, the mariachi instrumentation and aesthetic crystallized into the popular mariachi we know today.

During the 1920s, rural mariachi musicians from Jalisco began to establish themselves in urban centers, primarily Mexico City, in search of work. 

Radio, film, and a powerful media industry helped catapult mariachi into national and international fame. 

"El Cihualteco," by Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. Recorded in the mid 1900s.

Mariachi Vargas de Tacalitlán, from the collection of Jonathon Clark. Arhoolie Records.

Geography Connections

JALISCO

Mexico (Small Map), by U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. University of Texas Libraries.

Mariachi Today

The contemporary mariachi extends far beyond Western Mexico ... mariachi music has penetrated virtually all corners of Mexico.

"El Cihualteco," by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Recorded in the late 1900s.

Mariachi Los Camperos Performing on Stage, photograph by Daniel Sheehy. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Mariachi activity has also spread throughout the United States among Mexican immigrant and Mexican American musicians.

Mariachi is widely considered Mexico's national musical symbol.

Son jaliscience

As such, the title of this Pathway, “Son de Mariachi,” recognizes and reaffirms the music tradition’s transregional dimensions.

The son variant associated with the mariachi is commonly known as son jalisciense (son from Jalisco). 

However, as you have learned, mariachi music emerged within a broader geographical area. 

Son: Some General Characteristics

Although there are many regional variants that exhibit unique characteristics, several commonalities characterize the son within its traditional cultural context in Mexico:

Secular Function

Poetic Lyrics

Driving 8th-note Melodic Phrases

Complex Strumming Patterns

3/4 and 6/8 Time

Strophic Form

Dance

String Instruments

Learning Checkpoint

  • When and where did mariachi develop and how has it changed over time?
  • What are some commonalities that characterize the son within its traditional cultural context in Mexico?

End of Component 2: Where will you go next?

Mariachi Basics: Tocemos!

Component 3

30+ minutes

Sones de Mariachi: A Quick Review

  • Mariachi music is hundreds of years in the making. It developed throughout rural Western Mexico in the 1800s and over time has become Mexico's national musical symbol.
  • Mariachi's oldest and most emblematic genre is called son.
  • Mariachi "sound" is bold, spirited, vigorous, and dynamic.
  • This music is often played by small, string-based ensembles.
  • Melodia: Bowed and plucked string instruments (violin and harp) carry the melody. The trompeta (trumpet) was incorporated into the tradition during the 1920s–1940s.
  • Armonia: Guitar-like instruments (guitarron and vihuela) typically provide chordal and rhythmic accompaniment.

Sones de Mariachi: Review Continued

Mariachi: Breaking Down the Sound

Meter: 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures predominate.

Tempo: Generally fast (usually 130–180 beats per minute).

Rhythm: Sesquialtera/hemiola, syncopation, counter-rhythms, and unusual accentuation.

Harmony: Vertical structure rooted in Western tonal music; mostly in major keys.

Melody: Driving diatonic 8th-note phrases paint the horizontal landscape.

Form: Often strophic (AAA); alternating instrumental and singing sections.

"El Gusto," by Mariachi Los Camperos.

Mariachi: Diatonic Harmony and Sesquialtera

Among its various characteristics, diatonic harmony and sesquialtera rhythmic structure are the most fundamental musical components of the son de mariachi.  

We will focus on these characteristics for the remainder of this component.

Rhythmic Framework

A two-bar rhythmic pattern underlies the son. 

This basic reoccurring pattern often consists of alternating 3/4 and 6/8 measures: 

Listen for it.

Clap along.

Clap it without the recording.

"El Gusto," by Mariachi Los Camperos.

Sesquialtera (i.e., hemiola) is the term that is used to describe simultaneous or alternating performance of binary and ternary rhythms.

Binary (pulse divided by two):

1-x-2-x-3-x; TA-co, TA-co, TA-co

Rhythmic Structure: Sesquialtera

Ternary (pulse divided by three):

1-x-x-(2)-x-x; FISH-ta-co, FISH-ta-co

Practice:

  • Step, clap, or play the "big" beats.
  • Clap, tap, or play the subdivisions.
  • Step the beat while clapping or patting the added sub-divisions.

Redoble

Although the pattern typically falls on beat 2 as a 16th-16th-8th-note sequence (as shown below), many other complex combinations are common.

"El Gusto," by Mariachi Los Camperos. Listen from 0:26-0:43.

The word redoble refers to a rapid down-up-down strumming pattern.

Listen for it. Pat along. Practice it without the recording.

More Practice!

"El Gusto," by Mariachi Los Camperos. Listen from 0:26-0:43.

Split into two groups. Practice it with and without the recording.

Counter Rhythm

Repeating phrases often transition to a syncopated counter rhythm:

Practice it!

Listen to this example:

"El Toro Viejo," by Mariachi Los Camperos. Listen from 0:38-0:43.

Attentive and Engaged Listening

Listen to Listen to “El Pitayero” (The Pitaya Cutter), by Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles:

Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, by Michael G. Stewart. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Verse: Can you identify the basic rhythmic framework?

Can you clap along? (1-x-2-x-3-x/1-x-x-2-x-x)

Chorus: Can you identify the syncopated counter rhythm?

Can you identify the complex series of redobles during the repeat?

Optional: Watch the Music Video!

Mariachi: Harmonic Vocabulary

The vertical structure of mariachi is rooted in Western tonal music.

  • Harmonic vocabulary centers on primary and secondary dominant chords in major keys.
  • Mariachi musicians utilize solfege to identify keys, pitches, and chords.

Escala de sol major (G Major Scale). Historically, G major is the most common key for mariachi music. However, D major, A major, C major, and F major are also frequently employed. As shown here, a fixed-do system is used.

Chords

The tonic (I), dominant seventh (V7), and subdominant (IV) predominate son harmony.

  • Primera refers to the tonic chord (the chord based on the 1st scale degree).
  • Segunda refers to the dominant seventh chord (the chord based on the 5th scale degree).
  • Tercera refers to the subdominant chord (the chord based on the fourth scale degree).

Common Chords in Mariachi Music in Relation to the G Major Scale Degrees.

Chord Progression Examples

“El Súchil (The Marigold)," by Mariachi Los Camperos. Listen from 0:00-0:39.

Primera (I)-segunda (V7):

Primera (I)-tercera (IV)-segunda (V7):

“El Tranchete (The Shoemaker's Blade)," by Mariachi Los Camperos. Listen from 0:00-0:16.

Chord Progression: "El Gusto"

"El Gusto," by Mariachi Los Camperos. Listen from .

Put it all together: Add sesquialtera and redoble.

Primera (I)-tercera (IV)-segunda (V7):

Optional: Perform "El Gusto"!

The previous exercise was derived from Mariachi Los Campero's rendition of "El Gusto."

"El Gusto," by Mariachi Los Camperos.

Extend this experience by learning the whole song.

Practice it ... refine it ... and add it to your performance repertoire!

Learning Checkpoint

  • What are two of the most fundamental musical components of sones de mariachi?
  • What are some key components of the rhythmic framework of sones de mariachi?
  • What are some key components of the harmonic vocabulary of sones de mariachi?

End of Lesson 1: Where will you go next?

Lesson 1 Media Credits

Audio courtesy of​:

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

 

Video courtesy of:​

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

 

Images courtesy of:​

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

The Arhoolie Foundation

The National Museum of American History

University of Texas at Austin, PCLP Map Collection

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Musical Instruments Museum

 

 

© 2023 Smithsonian Institution. Personal, educational, and non-commercial uses allowed; commercial rights reserved. See Smithsonian terms of use for more information

This Pathway received federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.

For full bibliography and media credits, see Lesson 1 landing page.