← Guide / Reference / Latin style reference
Reference
Latin style reference
Salsa, bachata, reggaeton, bossa nova, samba, cumbia, tango, mariachi and other Latin American styles.
How to use this list
Each row pairs a style term with a cue line written in the same grammar: what the music is, what plays it, roughly how fast, and how it feels. Copy the cue, then change one thing at a time so you can tell which token moved the result.
Latin styles are separated by their clave or rhythm pattern more than by instrumentation, so keep the dembow, montuno or clave token.
Combining entries
Say which percussion you want in front — congas, timbales, cajón, surdo — since the same chord progression changes identity with the drums.
If a take drifts away from what you wanted, remove tokens rather than adding more. Long prompts dilute; short, specific ones steer.
| Salsa dura | salsa dura, aggressive brass mambo sections, piano montuno, timbale bells and congas, tumbao bass, 190 BPM, hot and danceable |
| Salsa romantica | salsa romantica, smooth male lead vocal, lush horn pads, piano montuno, soft congas, 180 BPM, romantic and polished |
| Cumbia | cumbia, gaita-like flute melody, guacharaca scraper, accordion, steady 2/4 bass pulse, 95 BPM, warm and swaying |
| Cumbia villera | cumbia villera, cheap synth lead, sharp güira, syncopated bass, street-crowd chants, 100 BPM, raw and rowdy |
| Reggaeton | reggaeton, dembow drum pattern, deep sub bass, minor synth plucks, autotuned hook, 95 BPM, sultry club energy |
| Latin trap | latin trap, rolling 808 hats, sliding sub bass, dark plucked guitar loop, melodic autotune vocals, 140 BPM, moody and sparse |
| Bachata | bachata, requinto guitar lead, bongo martillo, güira, syncopated bass, tender male vocal, 128 BPM, romantic and swaying |
| Merengue | merengue, fast tambora and güira groove, bright brass riffs, accordion, 140 BPM, exuberant and relentless |
| Vallenato | vallenato, diatonic accordion lead, caja drum, guacharaca, storytelling vocal, 110 BPM, rustic and heartfelt |
| Bossa nova | bossa nova, nylon-string guitar with syncopated comping, brushed snare, soft breathy vocal, 130 BPM, sunlit and intimate |
| Samba | samba, surdo heartbeat, pandeiro and tamborim, cavaquinho strumming, group vocals, 100 BPM, festive carnival energy |
| Pagode | pagode, banjo cavaco, tantã and repique de mão, warm group chorus, 96 BPM, backyard-party warmth |
| MPB | MPB, poetic Portuguese vocal, acoustic guitar harmony, subtle strings, soft percussion, 92 BPM, lyrical and sophisticated |
| Forró | forró, triangle and zabumba groove, accordion lead, 120 BPM, bouncing northeastern Brazilian dance feel |
| Tango | tango, bandoneón lead, staccato piano, dramatic violin section, walking bass, 120 BPM, tense and passionate |
| Nuevo tango | nuevo tango, bandoneón over chromatic strings, jazz-influenced harmony, cinematic dynamics, 108 BPM, modern and dramatic |
| Ranchera | ranchera, mariachi trumpets, violins, vihuela and guitarrón, belted emotive vocal, 90 BPM, proud and sentimental |
| Mariachi | mariachi, twin trumpets, violin section, guitarrón bass, festive 6/8 feel, 110 BPM, celebratory and bright |
| Norteño | norteño, accordion and bajo sexto, polka-driven 2/4 rhythm, tuba bass, 130 BPM, rowdy and rustic |
| Corrido tumbado | corrido tumbado, requinto guitar runs, tuba bass, light trap-influenced drums, narrative vocal, 90 BPM, modern and gritty |
| Latin jazz | latin jazz, montuno piano, congas timbales and bongos, flute and trumpet solos, 185 BPM, percussive and virtuosic |
| Son cubano | son cubano, tres guitar, clave pattern, bongó, marímbula bass, call-and-response vocal, 165 BPM, breezy and rootsy |
| Rumba guaguancó | rumba guaguancó, conga trio interplay, clave sticks, chanted vocals, no harmony instruments, 115 BPM, raw and Afro-Cuban |
| Bolero | bolero, sweeping nylon guitar arpeggios, lush strings, slow bongo pulse, crooning vocal, 78 BPM, romantic and dramatic |
| Champeta | champeta, Afro-Colombian guitar riffs, picó sound-system drums, chanted hook, 105 BPM, tropical and hypnotic |
| Latin pop crossover | latin pop, glossy synth production, acoustic guitar hook, reggaeton-lite percussion, bilingual vocal, 100 BPM, radio-bright and catchy |
| Bomba y plena | bomba y plena, barril hand drums, panderetas, call-and-response Puerto Rican vocals, 108 BPM, communal and percussive |
Raw data: /guide/reference/lists/latin-list.json · 27 entries
FAQ
Reggaeton and dembow — what is the difference?
Dembow is the underlying rhythm pattern; reggaeton is the modern song style built on it. Naming both keeps the groove correct.
Do I have to use the whole latin cue line?
No. The lines are built from independent tokens, so you can keep the two or three that matter and drop the rest without breaking the grammar.
Can I mix this list with another one?
Yes — keep one rhythm description, one lead instrument, one production word and a single tempo. Competing rhythm descriptions are the usual cause of muddled results.