1.

Vallenato is generally defined as a musical genre from the Colombian Caribbean Coast,
more precisely from Valledupar. According to some, the name comes from the neologism
that was born with the native travelers on mules, who when asked where they were from
answered "I’m nato del valle", which is like saying "I’m valle nato".

2. Originally, there was only the accordion player, who composed, sang and played the
accordion. The accordionists became singing couriers, music journalists, who went from
town to town and from sidewalk to sidewalk carrying information on the latest events.
Later the stories sung would be vallenatas songs

3. It is the Colombian musical rhythm that has reached more popularity, both nationally and
internationally. What makes the traditional vallenato characteristic is that it is performed
with only three instruments that do not require any amplification: accordion, caja and
guacharaca

4. An instrument of Austrian origin, which was smuggled by German immigrants from

Curaçao through Riohacha around 1885. It requires the simultaneous use of both sides of
the accordion. The above characterizes the Colombian accordion player and differentiates
the vallenato from the other accordion musical genres.

5. percussion instrument of African origin. It is a small drum whose patch is currently made
of goat, deer or ram leather. It fits on the legs for its interpretation, combining the use of
the palms of the hands and the fingers, thus creating a language of different types of
sounds.

6. Of indigenous origin it is a concave friction instrument 40 cm long which is made from

the cane stalk. It consists of two parts: the guacharaca with a corrugated surface and
the comb made of hard wire and a wooden handle, used to scratch the corrugated
surface of the guacharaca.

7. On the other hand, for the commercial vallenato it is common not only the incorporation
of these instruments, but also the electric bass and other percussion, such as congas
and timpani, this to give it a more modern atmosphere and make the songs more
danceable, also to have a more complete melody

8. The vallenato is composed of four rhythms, the son whose essential characteristic in
the execution of this air is the prominent use of the accordion basses in the
performance of each piece, so much so that the basses may be more noticeable than
the same melody emitted by the keyboard

9. The paseo was characterized in its beginnings by adopting the form of stanzas of those
that we commonly call "four words" or better said, of four verses and especially the
verse in the form of a couplet. in this rhythm the author counts occurrences of his life
10. It is a fast rhythm very similar to the puya, its speed is defined by the accordion player,
it is also a rhythm that lends itself many times to dancing. In it you can find one of the
vallenato's own virtues, which is the narration and the description contained in the song

11. Among all the airs, the puya is the easiest to distinguish because it is the fastest. "In
the puya the talent of the accordion player is evident", it was institutionalized that in the
puya each of the interpreters of the ensemble must perform a solo to demonstrate their
skills.

12. The most important vallenata music festival in Colombia is el festival de la leyenda
vallenata, which has been held since 1968 in Valledupar, Cesar. In it, the best
accordion player is awarded the title of Rey Vallenato. The winner of the first festival
was Alejandro Durán

13. It is a competition usually between two improvising and sudden verbatim, in which the
one who produces better verses wins and makes less mistakes, in the opinion of a jury.
There are the modalities of verses of four words, tenth of free subject and forced foot

14. Vallenata's legend about Francisco Noguera, who played on the road at night, when he
meets the devil in an accordion duel, realizing that he was losing, decided to sing the
creed backwards with the most beautiful melody that had been created, with this
francisco could beat satan

15. Those artists are called jugglers who, in their trade, sang and played the accordion,
composed and improvised. through their songs they told stories from everyday life. In
exchange they received a good shot of rum and a good portion of food. also to whom
dedicate their life to transmit this genre

16. Eminently folkloric in character, it is performed at festivals such as the Vallenata

Legend,. It includes four traditional rhythms: puya, paseo, son and merengue. Its
theme covers facts of daily life, friendship, partying, land and love.

17. It is the first vallenata stream to be commercialized on the country's radio stations,
being known as "vallenato yuca". It began to be heard in the early 70s, spreading its
popularity in the 80s. this made the vallenato known in the center of the country and
later internationally

18. Style influenced by other rhythms such as the ballad, promoted by Iván Calderón in the
late 80s and early 90s, is mainly based on the walk. Its main characteristic lies in the
lyrics, where it is exclusively sung to love. His themes include love, spite, distancing
and reconciliation.
19. A vallenata current that began to be accepted by the Colombian public since the early
2000s, driven by Kaleth Morales, which combines elements and arrangements of
carnival and electronic cutting with percussion and wind instruments from other areas
of the Caribbean region

20. The vallenato is important because it is part of our Colombian musical tradition, it is
something that we cannot miss and something that we should be proud of. As a good
tradition, we must continue transmitting it from generation to generation, and why not
play an instrument or simply sing it every time we listen to it.