Characteristics
Freestyle features a dance tempo with stress on beats two and four; syncopation with a bass line, lead synth, or percussion, and optional stabs of synthesized brass or orchestral samples; sixteenth-note hi-hats; a chord progression that lasts eight, 16, or 32 beats and is usually in a minor key; relatively complex, upbeat melodies with singing, verses, and a chorus; and themes about love or dancing. Freestyle music in general is heavily influenced by Latin music, especially with respect to rhythms and horn and keyboard parts. The Latin clave rhythm is present in many songs, such as “Clave Rocks” by Amoretto. The tempo is almost always between 110 and 130 beats per minute (BPM), and is typically 118 BPM. Keyboard parts are influenced by Latin music, and often contain many short melodies and countermelodies. Drum machine patterns are often complex, and would be difficult for a human drummer to play.
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