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Buleria is a fast, energetic cante chico flamenco form that belongs to the Solea family. It was originally played as an upbeat ending to Solea or Alegria and eventually evolved into a distinct form in its own right. The letras of buleria are often humorous and laced with mockery and social commentary.
Buleria is most commonly played por media (on the fifth string in A phyrgian, relative to the capo), but can sometimes be heard in other keys. It is generally played at a very fast tempo, ranging from 200 to 260 beats per minute.
The compas of buleria is based on a twelve count pattern similar to solea. Like solea, this pattern emphasizes the 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12 beats, but in buleria, musical phrases begin on the 12 count:
12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
The most basic buleria marking progression uses just two chords: A and B♭. When accompanying a singer, the guitarist plays chords that follow the singer. When playing buleria as a solo piece, guitarists assemble rhythmic patterns, short chord progressions, and pre-composed or improvised falsetas to build a musical idea around a central theme.