Salsa and bachata terms: On2, clave, tumbao, derecho, scrutineer

Knowing a word is the first step to hearing it. This glossary gathers the terms used across the other guides in one place.

01Counting and steps

On2: The salsa timing where the break step is taken on 2 and 6: 1-2-3, 5-6-7. In the basic step there is no weight change on 4 and 8; at an advanced level these beats are filled with taps, kicks and syncopations.
On1: The salsa timing where the break step is taken on 1 and 5.
Break step: The step that changes direction. In On2 it lands with the conga slap on 2 and 6.
Tap: A light accent with the foot, without a weight change. In bachata it completes the basic on 4 and 8.

Clave: A two-bar rhythm pattern, either 3-2 or 2-3. It isn't always loud in a song, but the other instruments play around it.
Campanacowbell: The bell that plays the beats straight and clear in the lively parts of a song. Usually the easiest place to find the one.
Tumbao: The repeating rhythm pattern of the conga and the bass. The conga's short, sharp slap usually falls on 2 and 6, its open tones on 4 and 8.
Montuno: The piano's repeating pattern. It carries the texture and energy of the song.

Requinto: The lead guitar in bachata. It plays the melody and the ornaments.
Segunda: The rhythm guitar in bachata. It holds the chords and weaves the ground of the song.
Güira: The metal rhythm instrument that keeps the beat steady and constant. Where to go back to when you lose the tempo.
Martillo: The steady pattern the bongo plays in the calm sections.
Derecho: The calmer section of a bachata song, where the singer leads.
Mambo: In salsa, the section where the horns take over; in bachata, the section where the güira and bongo intensify and the energy rises.

Preliminary round: A round in which adjudicators mark the couples they want to see in the next round. Who goes through is decided by the total of those marks.
Skating system: The majority rules used to calculate a final result. A couple's place is decided by the placing a majority of judges gave them.
Scrutineer: The person who collects the judges' sheets, enters the marks, calculates the result according to the rules and checks it.