You’ve probably never heard of Édgar Barrera, but he’s arguably the biggest Latin music star of today. You’ve probably heard of the artists he’s worked with…Bad Bunny, Madonna, Shakira, Karol G, and Arianna Grande just to name a few. Barrera has 1 Grammy win and 2 nominations and 24 Latin Grammy wins and 62 nominations. If you want to know more about modern day Latin music, he is essential to study. Bay Eight is here to catch you up.
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- How to Make A Bad Bunny Type Beat
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- Start with a minimum of two kick patterns
- Create an instrumental loop including snares and hi-hats
- Use the dembow rhythm for a Reggaeton feel
- Add a subbass
- Create variations in your loop using reverb, samples, beat breakdowns. etc.
- Incorpotate lyrics in Spanish or Spanglish
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Who is Édgar Barrera?
During the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards, Kera News noted that; “Not only did Barrera garner the most nominations overall — with 13 nods — all three of the singers trailing him in this year’s nominations have been his collaborators.”
Édgar Barrera was born in Texas and raised in Mexico. His family lived near the border and he often went back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico. A competitive saxophone player in his youth, he was accepted into Berklee as classical guitar player, but wasn’t able to attend because it was too expensive. Now Miami-based, Édgar started out as a studio intern in 2011 under one of his now-mentors, Andres Castro. Édgar spent three years as an intern, during which he got his earliest cuts were with Tony Bennett and Maluma.
One of his biggest hits to date is the Bad Bunny and Grupo Frontera collab, “Un x100to”:
https://open.spotify.com/track/6pD0ufEQq0xdHSsRbg9LBK?si=aa079d1cbeb54625
Édgar told Ross Golan he prefers to nudge artists out of their usual genres. Rather than following trends, he loves to discover old music , a habit he picked up from his musician father. His extensive musical knowledge is undoubtedly one of the reasons he’s able to work with such a diverse range of artists. But if you want a career like Barrera keep this in mind: he doesn’t sleep much.
Edgar cites Omar Alfanno, whose salsa classic “El Gran Varón” became popular on Tik Tok with teens surprised by its Queer themes, as his other mentor.
@elchinobrasa 🎶 Simón, el gran varón… pero de El Chino Brasa 😎🔥 📍 Te esperamos en todas nuestras sedes. 👉 Haz clic en el link de nuestro perfil y realiza tu pedido ahora. 🛵💨 #ElChinoBrasa #PolloALaBrasa deliveryy #Perú #Comida #Barrio
I was doing “La Bachata” – that Romeo Santos – And Romeo was telling me, like, dude, like, it’s really cool how – the way you did “La Bachata” ’cause you didn’t put an electric lead guitar in the whole song. And that was actually done by accident because I didn’t know you were supposed to have an electric guitar all the time. And that’s, like, the main thing of a bachata.
What is “Latin Music?”
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Here Barrera (left) is pictured with Karol G and Columbian songwriter and producer Keityn.
You could describe Latin Music as music with the majority of lyrics in Spanish. But then many of Shakira’s songs wouldn’t fit into the category. You could describe it based on where the music comes from, i.e. Latin America. But then you’ll get lost in the weeds of whether artists like Rosalia and Enrique Iglesias are Latin artists. You could describe Latin music as consisting of genres like Bachata, Cumbia, and Mariachia, but what about Trap Latino and Reggaeton?
Check out this article for a guide to Latin music and all its evolutions. Now that we’ve confessed we can’t actually define Latin music, let’s choose on a lense that suits our purposes. As genres are largely defined by their biggest artists, let’s settle this once and for all.
What is Latin music? Bad Bunny.
Fun Fact: Édgar Barrera owns the label BorderKid Records and its affiliated publishing company. He sets up co-publishing deals for new artists with major labels, teaching them how to keep the rights to their work. Shoutout to him for embracing this innovative model that empowers songwriters and gives them an option outside of the predatory deals that are unfortunately common in the industry. Our Bay Eight blog includes all the industry information you need to protect yourself as an indie artist.
How Do You Make a Latin Pop Beat?
Start with at least two kick patterns, a snare, percussion, and hi-hats. Be sure to balance the sound of all these elements so none overpower the other. You can use a number of additional instruments, including synths and piano. This video even features a ukulele, no need to stick solely to traditional Latin instruments, this is pop music!
We are talking about dance music here, so you’ll need a strong bass. Try using a subkick. When it comes to lyrics, focus on rhythmic singing that is guided by the beat.
How Do you make a Reggaeton Song?
In addition to “Un x100to,” Édgar and Bad Bunny collaborated on the Maluma song “Sexo Sin Cariño.” Bad Bunny works even more frequently with Puerto Rican producer and songwriter Tainy, who has worked on over a dozen of the singer’s songs. Let’s break down some of the elements of a Bad Bunny type-beat.
How About a Little Bit of Music Theory?
The “dembow” pattern is a staple in reggaeton. it’s roots come from Reggae and Dancehall, specifically the song “Dem Bow” by Shabba Ranks. The tresolo rhythm, traditional played with clave, is often played with a snare in genres like Reggaeton. Master it, and you can make a Reggaeton song in a heartbeat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTe-1lvfL14
As Tainy explains, Reggaeton uses the cross-rhythms that are typical of many types of African music (hence the similarities between Afrobeats, Dancehall, and Reggaeton). A cross-rhythm means you have two “contrasting” rhythms happening at the same time. Here Tainy starts with a BPM 82, so don’t feel you need a faster BPM simply because you are making dance music. It’s more about th complexity of the rhythm than the speed.
Use electronic instruments to create a loop. If you are working with a songwriter or singer, start with a sparse production. You can add details later based on the vibe of their lyrics and vocal melodies. The best productions are tailored to the artist. For example you can incorporate tropical sounds, like the seagulls in Bad Bunny x Tainy’s “Callaíta” or you can add reverb using Valhalla Vintage Verb like Tainy does here.
Our producers are well-versed in Latin music, this is Miami after all! Book a session with us for some personal guidance on how to make a Reggaeton hit.
