Compás (rhythm)

  • The Flamenco Clock

  • Wikipedia article

  • Phylogenetic analysis

  • Weird metronome

  • Flamenco Apps for iDevice:

    • Metrónomo Flamenco from Sevilla Soft: an iPhone/iPad universal app which provides 4 modes: Clasico (metronome with regular measures to 12 plus compound measures for 5 and 7) and nivels Basico, Medio and Alto with flamenco rhythms for palos Alegría, Bulería, Bulería 3/4, Bulería 6/8-3, Bulería 6/8-6, Campanilleros, Colombiana, Fandango 12, Fandango 6, Farruca, Garrotín, Guajira, Petenera, Rumba, Sevillanas, Siguiriya, Soleá, SoleáXBulería, Tangos1, Tangos2, Tangos3, Tanguillo 2, Tanguillo 4, Taranto, Tientos, Tientos2, Verdial 12, Verdial 3, Zapateado 2, Zapateado 4. Each rhythm has multiple percussion instruments playing. Higher levels mean greater variability. The app allows you to change the volume of individual instruments. It is compatible with a desktop version that allows editing and creating your own rhythms and a new ipad-only worldbeats app that seems to allow the same. The only problem with the app is that it remembers nothing. Every time you start you have to select mode, palo, speed, volumes, ... a real pain.

    • Dr. Compás from Maissam Barkeshli & Jason McGuire: an iPhone/iPad universal app which provides 3 modes: Altas Palmas, Sordas Palmas and Improvise. Palos are Bulerias, Bulerias en 6, Tangos, Jaleos, Alegrias, Solea por Bulerias, Fandangos, Sevillanas, Tanguillos, Seguiriyas (Lenta), Seguiriyas (Med), Seguiriyas (Rapida), Solea, Guajiras, Tientos/Tarantos, and Rumba. In "Improvise" mode each percussion instrument has a repertoire of forms it goes through independently (randomly?). This gives the overall sound greater variation. The rhythm is thus more sophisticated than the Flamenco metronome above, but also harder for beginners to follow. The app allows you to control the master, palmas, cajon and click volume independently. I find the app too quiet, but with a loud boom box it is useable. The app also remembers nothing.

    • Anytune Pro+: This iPhone/iPad universal app allows you to take any DRM-free recording, and play it back at different speeds and/or different pitches while still sounding pretty good. It also allows you to create a number of bookmarks in the music and loop between any pair of them. Great for transcribing music, slowing down the music in that difficult footwork session, etc.