Having a hard time learning norteño song

[EricOnTheBass]

Hey everyone! I play in a cover band, and living in the American southwest, a lot of our audiences want to hear songs that are popular in this region. One of those is La Puerta Negra by Los Tigres del Norte. We're supposed to be rehearsing it this weekend, and I need to learn it.



Now, the bass parts themselves are not difficult, especially if I imagine that I'm playing a tuba. What is killing me is the structure of the song. I cannot for the life of me internalize when the chords change. I'm either a bar early or a bar late. Is it random and I have to just memorize it and count to myself, or is there some secret norteño song form that I'm not getting? I didn't grow up hearing this music like the rest of my bandmates. Help!

 

[DirtDog]

Wow. I’d be lost there as well.

I started counting in 3/4 since it sounded waltzy, but that didn’t stick.

Then I counted in 2/4 since there’s a polka feeling there somewhere. That could work but then you’d have a variety of 4, 5, 6 bar and maybe longer phrases all mixed in there - and that’s just based on the vocals, instrumental breaks are another story.

Vocals also seem to come in a half-beat early or late in some places.

Good luck!

 

[EvilJ]

DeCoda can be helpful if you are stuck learning a song by ear.

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[EricOnTheBass]

Wow. I’d be lost there as well.

I started counting in 3/4 since it sounded waltzy, but that didn’t stick.

Then I counted in 2/4 since there’s a polka feeling there somewhere. That could work but then you’d have a variety of 4, 5, 6 bar and maybe longer phrases all mixed in there - and that’s just based on the vocals, instrumental breaks are another story.

Vocals also seem to come in a half-beat early or late in some places.

Good luck!

I’m glad it’s not just me, haha.

 

[albertus]

learn the melody and lirycs if you can, and then follow that. I am spanish and it is not difficult to me to follow the song because it has logic in its form. the melody speaks clearly when to change the chord. I am familiar with this music and I have been able to play the song on the first try without knowing it.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

I work in Southern California... and I feel ya.
The timing and tempo differences in Mexican genres can be daunting.
Good luck. It can be learned. But if your unfamiliar it might take some deep dive into the genre.
For the record, I've had the same problem trying to play Reggae.

 

[EricOnTheBass]

learn the melody and lirycs if you can, and then follow that. I am spanish and it is not difficult to me to follow the song because it has logic in its form. the melody speaks clearly when to change the chord. I am familiar with this music and I have been able to play the song on the first try without knowing it.

I work in Southern California... and I feel ya.
The timing and tempo differences in Mexican genres can be daunting.
Good luck. It can be learned. But if your unfamiliar it might take some deep dive into the genre.
For the record, I've had the same problem trying to play Reggae.

Sounds like I need to spend more time listening to getting familiar with the genre. I don't particularly enjoy this style of music, so it will take some "work", but I will give it the time and respect it deserves. We already play some Latin pop/rock tunes (Selena, Soda Estereo, etc.) and the crowds here love it, and I'm sure they'll love this one too.

 

[Leo Smith]

Fundamentally these tunes are in 2/4, not 4/4, so recognizing that will help with any chord changes that feel like they are in the middle of a measure.

The real trick / secret is the melody. Learn the phrasing of the melody. What Albertus said really hits the spot.

good luck and keep at it !

 

[EricOnTheBass]

Fundamentally these tunes are in 2/4, not 4/4, so recognizing that will help with any chord changes that feel like they are in the middle of a measure.

The real trick / secret is the melody. Learn the phrasing of the melody. What Albertus said really hits the spot.

good luck and keep at it !

2/4 definitely feels correct for this song. We rehearsed it as a band yesterday, and I wasn't the only one having trouble with it. Eventually we decided that we'll follow the vocalist, so that we'll all be using the same cue for the changes. We'll give it another shot this weekend and decide whether it's good enough for our next gig.

 

[fig]

2/4 definitely feels correct for this song. We rehearsed it as a band yesterday, and I wasn't the only one having trouble with it. Eventually we decided that we'll follow the vocalist, so that we'll all be using the same cue for the changes. We'll give it another shot this weekend and decide whether it's good enough for our next gig.

Here's a chart I made last night for the vid you posted. I'll do number charts if I have alot of unfamiliar music to learn in a short time. This chart is only for this vid. Some live versions, I noticed last night, have slightly different arrangements.

I left alot of stuff off the chart just to give a bare-bones, clutter free guide through the chords and arrangement (structure). Normally, I'd add things like the intro count, any walkups or downs, stops, fills, emphatic moments, etc.

Anyway, the vid key is E. So, 1 = key of song (E), 4 = A, 5 = B. Each number in this 2/4 song chart is 2 beats.



There's an emphasis (blue highlight) towards the beginning of each verse. Can be heard in vid recording, really pronounced in live recordings. Sounds like a 5 could be substituted for the highlighted 1. Just thought I'd point that out.



Dang that came out huge! LOL

Anyway, hope this helps y'all tighten things up if you're doing the vid arrangement. If not, then I just wasted valuable internet space LOL.

 

[EricOnTheBass]

Here's a chart I made last night for the vid you posted. I'll do number charts if I have alot of unfamiliar music to learn in a short time. This chart is only for this vid. Some live versions, I noticed last night, have slightly different arrangements.

I left alot of stuff off the chart just to give a bare-bones, clutter free guide through the chords and arrangement (structure). Normally, I'd add things like the intro count, any walkups or downs, stops, fills, emphatic moments, etc.

Anyway, the vid key is E. So, 1 = key of song (E), 4 = A, 5 = B. Each number in this 2/4 song chart is 2 beats.

View attachment 7278123

There's an emphasis (blue highlight) towards the beginning of each verse. Can be heard in vid recording, really pronounced in live recordings. Sounds like a 5 could be substituted for the highlighted 1. Just thought I'd point that out.

View attachment 7278170

Dang that came out huge! LOL

Anyway, hope this helps y'all tighten things up if you're doing the vid arrangement. If not, then I just wasted valuable internet space LOL.

This is really helpful, thanks so much! I’ll share it with the band and let you know how it goes!