The pattern
| Instrument | Beat 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Beat 2 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Beat 3 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Beat 4 | Step 11 | Step 12 | Beat 5 | Step 14 | Step 15 | Beat 6 | Step 17 | Step 18 | Beat 7 | Step 20 | Step 21 | Beat 8 | Step 23 | Step 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest |
| Snare | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest |
| Clap | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest |
| Rim shot | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | hit |
How to play it and where it comes from
The bulería (Jerez de la Frontera, Gitano calé, 19th century) has a 12-beat compás with accents on 12, 3, 6, 8, 10, which is felt as a bar of 6/8 followed by one of 3/4 (hemiola). The grid starts from 12 (step 1 = beat 12, step 3 = beat 1, step 7 = beat 3, etc.: 2 steps per beat, so the rim lane shows the off-beat palmas on the “ands”). clap = palmas fuertes (loud) on the accents 12, 3, 6, 8, 10; rim = palmas sordas or off-beat palmas on the subdivisions; kick = the low cajón hit on 12 and 6; snare = the cajón slap on 3, 8 and 10 (one of many possible variants, indicative). Very fast tempo: typically 195–240 beats per minute (source: Wikipedia), so in a DAW it is best to set the BPM to the compás pulse. Harmony: Phrygian mode with a major third on A (por medio: A–Bb–C–Dm…) or on E (por arriba), Andalusian cadence. Variants: bulería por soleá (slower, ~120–150), remates and cierres that end on 10, the dancer's llamadas, compás “a medio compás” (counting only 12-1-2-3-4-5-6). To practice, count aloud “doce, uno, dos, TRES, cuatro, cinco, SEIS, siete, OCHO, nueve, DIEZ, once”.