Tango What to Listen: The double bass.

Here is what your instructors want you to listen to when they are asking you to "dance to the rhythm": The double bass playing in the background. If you don't know what the double bass is, it's this gigantic violin type of instrument that's played usually standing up. If you've heard your tango instructor go "pum, pum pum, pum pum pumpumpum", while explaining a step to you (Argentinians do it more often than others), he is attempting to reproduce the sound of the double bass. That's the part of the music that tango players and dancers use, that's our time keeper, our metronome.

For examples of a clear, rhythmic and prominent double bass, I would recommend the orchestras of Carlos Di Sarli, Juan D'Arienzo and Francisco Canaro. I would also suggest an exercise: Go to your favorite music player (i.e. itunes) and play any of the classical tango songs you have, e.g. one of Carlos Di Sarli. Now open the equalizer (under the "window" tab) and drag all the sliders completely down except for the left most 3. What you are hearing most prominently now, is the double bass. Try to recognize it the next time you are dancing. Have fun!