Introduction to accompaniment

An essential part of flamenco are the accessory elements to cante, baile and toque. To reach the state of mind of the performers of any of these three disciplines, it has to be done with the company of a rhythmic pattern emitted with different techniques and percussion objects, although sometimes the voice is also used. A "jaleo" (from jalear, or to cheer the one who sings, dances or plays) is needed. Sometimes, this accompaniment can enjoy moments of maximum prominence, even silencing the rest of the elements that make up the show.

We also find (and with great international fame) exclamations such as ¡ole!, ¡eso es!, ¡arsa! or ¡agua!, as well stated by Luis López Ruiz in his Guide to Flamenco (Ed. Akal). It seems inevitable that, in the face of such a great torrent of emotions expressed by the performers, the audience and those accompanying the group cannot contain their own emotion and participate by expressing their feelings through these exclamations that become part of the show. Audience and artists are united in an expression declared, never better said, Oral (or Intangible) Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

"This is also accompanied by other instruments such as castanets, and also by clapping and heel-clapping."
UNESCO - Intangible Cultural Heritage - Flamenco

Among all the accompaniments, the main ones would be clapping, tapping, knuckle tapping, banging with a stick or cane, clicking with the tongue, castanets and crotales, anvil, violin and tambourine, bells, rattles, tambourine and faluta, aniseed bottle and zambomba.

In the last decades of the 20th century, some new instruments were incorporated, which are now a regular part of many flamenco shows, such as the cajón and the double bass, in ambient accompaniment, and the flute and the violin, in counterpoint to the cante, which sometimes becomes a dialogue with the cantaor (flamenco singer).

There is no flamenco without a good juerga, a unique moment that invites everyone to participate, turning any part of the body and the objects around us into a musical instrument.