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Posts: 833
Joined: Oct. 29 2006
From: Olympia, WA in the Great Pacific Northwest
Soniquete, Aire, What's the Diff?....
Soniquete… Aire….
I realize that both of these terms address some intangible, intuitive elements based on the music’s feel, a lot of which doesn’t really translate well into verbal communication, but I’m curious as to what, if any, differences you see in the usage and definition of these words.
Are they essentially the same thing, or are there some fundamental differences in the specific qualities in the music that they describe?
RE: Soniquete, Aire, What's the Diff... (in reply to srshea)
My few cents.
I agree with Jan
Aire is intuitive, artistic expresion and soniquete is something you can meassure. Its a way of playing a palo, lets say Tangos. Listen to all the different ways from old style very square playing to modern almost rumba way of playing. Different soniquetes.
Soniquete is very important when playing with others. You must use the same soniquete. If not it doesnt work. Jerez bulerias soniquete is 2 count (12 2 4 6 8 10) and it doesnt work with other soniquetes.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Soniquete, Aire, What's the Diff... (in reply to srshea)
Soniquete is the groove feeling. Not just the beat and the meter, but the spaces in between, the way it might swing, etc. So rhythm specific feeling.
Aire is the atmosphere that the music creates, like Taranta has a certain aire in the way the chords sound, regardless of the rhythm you put to it. Rondeña has an obvious special "aire", but there are some pieces in the key of D# phrygian where the guitarist can create the "aire" of Rondeña without the tuning. Playing bulerias in some key other than por medio, might create a special "aire"....for example in G# phrygian you might have the "aire" of Minera with your chords and melodies....even though the compas might be say Bulerias. Or perhaps it is all major and has the happy "aire" of Alegrias.
To use the term to describe someones playing or performing singing, etc (he has "aire"), you refer to the nice "vibe" or atmosphere that the artist creates.
And rhythm can create "aire" too. With a certain soniquete, you can create the "aire" of jerez, just with palmas and jaleos. Or you could interpret a tangos with a certain rhythmic feel, that creates the "aire" of Rumba. And vice versa. Even some Rumba can have little remates and things that give the "aire" of buleria. Hope that makes sense.
Posts: 833
Joined: Oct. 29 2006
From: Olympia, WA in the Great Pacific Northwest
RE: Soniquete, Aire, What's the Diff... (in reply to srshea)
Alright, this all makes good sense. There still seems to be enough cross-over in meaning to keep things just a little murky and beyond my full understanding right now, but.... I get it.....
RE: Soniquete, Aire, What's the Diff... (in reply to Ricardo)
I was also curious about the distinction..
So, if I understood the explanations correctly, the aire is sort of a symbolic identity for a palo, that can be evoked by the choice of key, scales, common intervals (e.g., slide from F# to B for granaina) , or perhaps tempo (e.g., solea vs bulerias). Soniquette on the other hand is a result of rhythmic expression - polyrhythm , swing... basically anything that makes the playing sound less metronomic while staying in compas.
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