Perreo

History and character

"Perreo" (from perro, dog) is the dance of reggaeton — sensual, low to the ground, with hip movements, related to the "daggering" and "wining" of Jamaican dancehall and to Afro-Caribbean dances — and by extension it names the rawest, most repetitive and most bass-centered style of the genre, the one aimed at the club rather than the radio. It was born at the underground parties of Puerto Rico in the 1990s (people also spoke of "sandungueo" and "perreo intenso"); the word appears in the titles of many early-2000s songs (DJ Blass, Jowell & Randy, Alexis & Fido, Ivy Queen with "Yo Quiero Bailar").

From 2019–2020 perreo experienced a revival: Bad Bunny (with Tainy and Subelo NEO) released "Yo Perreo Sola" (March 2020, album YHLQMDLG), a manifesto on women's right to dance alone, and "Safaera" (with Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow), a collage of samples and beat changes that pays homage to the 1990s and 2000s mixtapes. Feid, Young Miko, Rauw Alejandro, Myke Towers, Jhay Cortez and De La Ghetto followed. In parallel, neo-perreo grew: an experimental, queer and feminist scene with Tomasa del Real (Chile), Ms Nina, Ivy Queen as a reference figure, and collectives in Santiago, Mexico City and Madrid, blending dembow with club electronics, techno and bass music.

Aesthetic: little harmony, lots of rhythm, dominant 808s and sub, explicit and repetitive vocals, short phrases to sing in chorus, club hooks. The track is often built in sections with beat switches (changes of the backing track), as in the original mixtapes. The dance dictates everything: the kick and the dembow must never stop for more than a few bars.

Scales and keys

Phrygian

• Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 — S T T T S T T (semitones 1 2 2 2 1 2 2)
• Example in A: A Bb C D E F G
• Characteristic note: the b2: a semitone above the tonic, a dark, Hispanic, menacing color
• Diatonic triads: Am (i) – Bb (II) – C (III) – Dm (iv) – Edim (v°) – F (VI) – Gm (vii)
• Seventh chords: Am7 (i7) – Bbmaj7 (IImaj7) – C7 (III7) – Dm7 (iv7) – Em7b5 (vø7) – Fmaj7 (VImaj7) – Gm7 (vii7)
• Use in the genre: the most "perreo" scale: semitone oscillations i–bII in the bass or in a synth riff (A–Bb), vocal melodies that lean on the b2 and fall to the tonic. A dark, menacing club atmosphere.
• Real example: many neo-perreo and underground perreo beats alternate i–bII; exercise: 808 on A and Bb, one bar each, with a synth repeating A–Bb–C.
• Common mistakes: using a major bII and then singing a natural B: you change mode without meaning to.

Natural minor (Aeolian)

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 — T S T T S T T (semitones 2 1 2 2 1 2 2)
• Example in F#: F# G# A B C# D E
• Characteristic note: the b6: melancholy; with the b7 (no leading tone) the minor stays "circular"
• Diatonic triads: F#m (i) – G#dim (ii°) – A (III) – Bm (iv) – C#m (v) – D (VI) – E (VII)
• Seventh chords: F#m7 (i7) – G#m7b5 (iiø7) – Amaj7 (IIImaj7) – Bm7 (iv7) – C#m7 (v7) – Dmaj7 (VImaj7) – E7 (VII7)
• Use in the genre: two-chord loops (i–VI, F#m–D) or four-chord loops (i–VI–III–VII) in a "nocturnal" version; the vocal sits on 1, b3, 4, 5.
• Real example: modern perreo by Feid and Rauw Alejandro often uses Aeolian loops with dark pads; keys such as F# minor or C# minor are typical (check the individual song).
• Common mistakes: progressions that are too rich: in perreo the harmony is background.

Minor pentatonic

• Formula: 1 b3 4 5 b7 — 1½T T T 1½T T (semitones 3 2 2 3 2)
• Example in F#: F# A B C# E
• Characteristic note: no semitones: b3 and b7 without 2 and b6, an open sound, "with no wrong notes", ideal for riffs and hooks
• Use in the genre: vocal hooks and ad-libs: 3–4 repeated notes (F# A B) and leaps of a fourth; the phrases are slogans to shout on the dance floor.
• Real example: the "club chant" choruses of 2020 perreo: two-bar phrases repeated 4 times on the same pentatonic cell.
• Common mistakes: long, lyrical melodies: in perreo short, percussive phrases work.

Blues scale

• Formula: 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 — 1½T T S S 1½T T (semitones 3 2 1 1 3 2)
• Example in A: A C D Eb E G
• Characteristic note: the b5 (blue note) as a chromatic passing note between 4 and 5
• Use in the genre: in perreo that winks at trap and baile funk, the b5 (Eb in A) colors 808 riffs and sinister countermelodies.
• Real example: "sliding" 808 riffs like A–C–Eb–D with glide; useful in the trap sections of a beat switch.
• Common mistakes: overusing the b5 as a long note: it is a passing note.

How to choose among the genre's scales

• Dark, minimal club → Phrygian on 1–2 chords or a bass riff.
• Romantic / nocturnal perreo → Aeolian with a loop of 2–4 chords.
• Vocal hook → always minor pentatonic, regardless of the beat's mode.
• Trap section in a beat switch → blues or harmonic minor on the 808 riff.

Harmony

Harmonic function

Minimal. The beat often has no chords: a bass/808 riff, a vocal sample or a monophonic synth defines the tonal center. When there are chords they are 2 per 4 bars or a very slow 4-chord loop.

Strategies

• Tonic pedal over the whole song, with small 2–3 note countermelodies.
• i–bII oscillation (Phrygian) or i–VI (Aeolian).
• Beat switch: a change of key or of beat between sections (as in the mixtapes), often with no prepared modulation, only a stop or an effect.
• Samples: fragments of old school tracks, vocals and hits reused (Safaera is an extreme example).

Voicing

Dark filtered pads in the low-mid register (A2–A4), short stabs on the 3+3+2, sus2 chords and open fifths so as not to fill the space.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Feel

Constant, heavy dembow, 0% swing, kick on the quarter notes, snare/rim with the 3+3+2; the groove is more "hollowed out" than pop reggaeton: fewer hi-hats, more sub, strong accents.

Special features

• Beat switch mid-song or between verses: the kit changes, the pattern changes (dembow → trap → Dominican dembow → old school), sometimes the tempo.
• Drop of 1–2 bars with only vocal or only 808, then the full dembow comes back in.
• 32nd-note rolls before the choruses, mixtape style.
• The grid can be doubled in some sections ("doble" dembow, rim in continuous sixteenth notes).

Drums

Kick

• On the quarter notes (1, 5, 9, 13), very deep: a long 808 kick or a layer of short kick + 808. Often the kick is the 808 on 1 and 3.
• Fixed velocity, no variations: it is the engine of the dance.

Snare / clap / rim

• Dembow pattern 4, 7, 12, 15; often a dry rim or "palito" + clap on 7 and 15.
• Strong accents, snare rolls at the end of every 4 bars (last 2–4 sixteenth notes), 32nd-note rolls with a crescendo before the drop.
• In neo-perreo the snare may be replaced by a "club" sound (metallic clap, electronic tom, noise hit).

Hi-hat and percussion

• Hi-hats are often absent or reduced to light eighth notes; in their place square-wave "blips", electronic cowbell, sampled timbal hits.
• Sampled Latin percussion (congas, timbales) and sampled voices used as percussion ("¡perreo!").

Interaction with bass and vocal

• The 808 occupies all the space below 100 Hz: the kick must be short or sidechained.
• The vocal marks out the dembow: many phrases begin on 2& or 4&.

By section

• Intro: filtered vocal, old school sample, tag.
• Verse: dembow + 808, rap vocal.
• Chorus: clap layer, percussion, ad-libs; louder 808.
• Beat switch: 1 bar of stop or a "rewind" effect, then the new beat.
• Outro: often a final instrumental club section (16 bars) for DJs.

Fills

Snare rolls, gunshots, sirens, "rewind", scratch, sudden stops.

Typical mistakes

• Too much percussion and hi-hat: perreo lives on space and sub.
• An 808 that is not tuned to the riff's key.
• A lack of section variation: without a beat switch or a drop the song becomes monotonous.

Bass

• Sound: long, distorted 808 or "dirty" synth bass (square with saturation); register E1–A2.
• Rhythm: follows the kick on the quarter notes or the snare's 3+3+2; it is often the main melodic element with riffs of 2–4 notes.
• Notes: tonic, b2 (Phrygian), octaves, glides of a fourth or fifth; chromatic slides in the trap sections.
• Kick: a short kick without sub, or an 808 acting as the kick; sharp sidechain (4–6 dB, release 80–120 ms) if they coexist.
• Saturation: decisive for hearing the 808 on a phone and in a car; distortion to the point of making the harmonics at 150–600 Hz audible.

Harmonic instruments

• Dark, filtered pads, short synth stabs on the 3+3+2, monophonic countermelodies of 2–3 notes.
• Samples of old school tracks, "chopped" guitar or piano loops.
• In neo-perreo: acid synths, arpeggiators, club textures (techno, UK bass).

Melody and vocals

Lead vocal

• Short, repetitive, explicit phrases; a rhythmic flow that follows the dembow; obvious Auto-Tune.
• Mid register (male B2–G4); often more rapped than sung.

Backing vocals and ad-libs

• Hooks to shout in chorus, audience responses, continuous ad-libs with the artist's signatures.
• Sampled female voices or features (Nesi in "Yo Perreo Sola"), call-and-response between MCs.

Effects

• Filtered vocal, octave-down pitch shift, ping-pong delay, light distortion on the ad-libs, short dark reverb.

Instruments

• Long, distorted 808, synth bass
• Kick, rim, palito, clap, dembow snare; sampled Latin percussion
• Dark pads, stabs, monophonic synths, arpeggiators
• Old school samples (vocals, beats, hits)
• Rapped/sung vocal with Auto-Tune, ad-libs, club chants
• FX: sirens, gunshots, rewind, impacts

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Mini V — 808 / synthetic sub: Sine wave with a short pitch envelope (from +12 semitones to 0 in 30–50 ms) for a homemade 808; glide 60–120 ms.
• Korg MS-20 V — Dirty bass and acid leads: Resonant HP/LP filter and drive for aggressive neo-perreo basses and leads.
• Prophet-5 V — Dark pads and stabs: Pads with a low cutoff and a slow filter envelope; short stabs with 150 ms decay.
• ARP 2600 V — FX and sirens: Sample & hold, noise and LFO for sirens and club effects.
• Emulator II V — Samples and lo-fi vocals: To recreate the sound of low-resolution old school samples.

Song structure

Typical form (≈ 2:45–4:30)

Arrangement

Modern perreo often abandons the verse-chorus form in favor of a suite of sections (Safaera has many, with different samples). Tension is managed with drops, stops and switches rather than with harmony.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Dominant sub and kick, vocal clear but "inside" the beat, stereo space used for FX and ad-libs. It must work on a club system (energy at 40–80 Hz, mono) and on a phone (808 harmonics at 150–600 Hz). References: Bad Bunny — Yo Perreo Sola, Bad Bunny feat. Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow — Safaera, Feid & Young Miko — Classy 101.

Kick

• EQ: HP 30 Hz; if the 808 handles the sub, cut the kick below 50–60 Hz and leave the punch at 80–120 Hz; click +3 dB at 3–5 kHz.
• Minimal compression; transient shaper +attack; soft clip 1–2 dB. Mono.

Snare / rim / clap

• EQ: HP 200 Hz, +3 dB at 2–4 kHz, optionally +2 dB at 200–300 Hz for a "fatter" clap.
• FET compression 4:1–8:1, attack 3–10 ms, release 40 ms; saturation or bitcrusher in parallel.
• Reverb: short room or none; for the club effect, a 1 s plate only on the rolls.

Hi-hat and percussion

• Sparse, HP 400 Hz, panning ±30–60; sampled Latin percussion with a short room to glue it.

Bass / 808

• EQ: HP 25 Hz, fundamental 40–60 Hz, cut 250–350 Hz if muddy.
• Saturation: distortion (Decapitator, Saturn, Fruity Blood Overdrive) mix 30–60% for audible harmonics; multiband or EQ to control 100–300 Hz after the distortion.
• Compression/limiting for even notes (2–4 dB); mono below 150 Hz.
• Sidechain from the kick 4–6 dB if they coexist.

Pads, stabs, synths

• HP 200–300 Hz, LP where needed; dark reverb (hall 2–3 s, LP 5 kHz) and filtered delays; wide, always below the vocal.

Lead vocal

• Chain: Auto-Tune (retune 0–15 ms) → EQ (HP 100 Hz, −2/−3 dB at 300 Hz, +2/+3 dB at 3–5 kHz) → FET compression 4:1 (4–6 dB) → opto (2 dB) → de-esser → light saturation.
• Space: short plate 0.8–1.2 s at 10%, filtered 1/8 or 1/4 delay; throws on phrase endings.

Backing vocals and ad-libs

• Ad-libs panned ±50–100, pitch-shift −12 or telephone filter, ping-pong delay; hooks doubled ±70, −6 dB.

FX

Sirens, gunshots and impacts with long, dark reverb; filter automation on the beat switches; reverses before the drops.

Buses and groups

• Drum bus glue 2:1–4:1, 2–3 dB, saturation; bass bus with a light limiter.
• Vocal bus 1–2 dB.

Sidechain

Kick → 808 (if they coexist), kick → pads (3–6 dB), vocal → music bus (dynamic EQ 1–2 dB at 3 kHz).

Master

• Chain: EQ (cut below 25 Hz) → bus compressor 1–2 dB → clipper (1–3 dB, preserving the kick's punch) → limiter ceiling −1 dBTP.
• Target: −7/−5 LUFS integrated for the club, short-term in the chorus −6/−4 LUFS; true peak ≤ −1 dBTP; PLR 6–8 dB.

Common mistakes

• An 808 that is huge on headphones but inaudible on a phone: saturation is missing.
• Stereo sub: problems on the club system.
• A vocal that is too loud and "detaches" from the beat: in perreo the vocal sits inside the groove.
• Kick clipping on the master when the 808 and kick sum in phase.

Reference tracks for the mix

• Bad Bunny — Yo Perreo Sola (2020)
• Bad Bunny, Jowell & Randy, Ñengo Flow — Safaera (2020)
• Feid & Young Miko — Classy 101 (2023)
• Daddy Yankee — Rompe (2005) for an old school comparison

Reference listening

• Ivy Queen — Quiero Bailar (2003)
• Daddy Yankee — Rompe (2005)
• Tomasa del Real — Bellaca del Año (2018, album)
• Bad Bunny — Yo Perreo Sola (2020)
• Bad Bunny, Jowell & Randy, Ñengo Flow — Safaera (2020)
• Feid & Young Miko — Classy 101 (2023)