SoundsField recordingsFrequenciesDecibelsInstrumentsGlossaryToolsLearn
  1. Home
  2. Music genres
  3. Cumbia: Origins, Sound & Key Artists
Music genre

Cumbia

Cumbia is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of Latin dance and Latin music. Explore key artists and related styles.

About Cumbia

Cumbia is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of Latin dance and Latin music.

From Wikipedia

Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, Europeans, and Africans during colonial times. Cumbia is said to have come from funeral traditions in the Afro-Colombian community.

Cumbia traditionally uses three drums (tambora, tambor alegre and llamador), three flutes (gaita hembra and gaito macho, both forms of Colombian flute, and flauta de millo) and has a 22 or 24 meter. The sound of cumbia can be characterized as having a simple "chu-chucu-chu" rhythm created by the guacharaca. The genre frequently incorporates brass instruments and piano.

Genre family tree

Parent genres (↑) and subgenres (↓) of Cumbia.

Related genres

Frequently asked questions

What is Cumbia?

Cumbia is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of Latin dance and Latin music.

Sources & credits