The Venezuelan Merengue is one of the country’s most vibrant and recognizable rhythms. While most people associate merengue with its Dominican counterpart—lively, danceable, and often fused with pop or hip-hop—the Venezuelan version is different. It features a unique 5-stroke strumming pattern that challenges your coordination and adds rich, percussive texture to your Cuatro playing.
In this lesson, you’ll learn both the rhythmic base and a soloist interpretation of the classic Venezuelan piece El Norte Es Una Quimera.
🎯 What You’ll Learn
- The Venezuelan Merengue 5-stroke pattern with frenados
- How to start and end the rhythm with a downward motion
- The modular number system for soloist arrangements
- Application using El Norte Es Una Quimera
El Norte Es Quimera – Los Cañoneros
🖐 Venezuelan Merengue Rhythm Pattern (5 Strokes)
If we take a look at the first chord being 0.0.0.1, this is ADF#C which is the D7 chord in its first position or as follows:
Keep this in mind when playing, and by following the modules, you will be playing this song in no time. Later on, we will add some chords, but this is a format that is highly effective and easy to use.
El Norte Es Una Quimera – Cuatro Soloist
🎸 Soloist Style with the Modular Number System
For soloist arrangements, we’ll use a number-based tab system:
- Numbers go from the A string (left) to the B string (right).
- 0.0.0.0 = A–D–F#–B (open strings, standard Cuatro tuning)
- 0.0.0.1 = A–D–F#–C (D7 chord, first position)
Steps to Learn:
Combine them to play the full song smoothly.
Break the song into modules (short sections).
Master each module slowly.
Rhythm: Venezuelan Merengue
The pattern is as follows:
- Downward Frenado
- Upward Strum
- Downward Strum
- Ascending Frenado
- Downward Strum
The challenge with this rhythm lies in the fact that it begins and ends with a downward motion. Whether that stroke is a frenado or a regular strum, it feels unnatural compared to the usual up–down–up–down flow most players are accustomed to. In Venezuelan Merengue, you’re intentionally breaking that pattern, which requires extra coordination and focus. It’s best to practice this rhythm on its own before attempting to combine it with others—otherwise, you risk mixing patterns and losing tempo. Once you’ve mastered the rhythms you’re working on, switching between styles like Aguinaldo and Merengue will become much easier. Watch the video tutorial below to see the Venezuelan Merengue in action, and try practicing it with an I–IV–V chord progression in any key you know—for example, using the E Major tonic, dominant, and subdominant.
Venezuelan Merengue
Practice the pattern with I – IV – V progressions in any key you’ve learned (e.g., G Major, E Minor) to build versatility.
💡 Tips for Success
- Keep your wrist loose to avoid tension when switching between frenados and open strums.
- Start at a slow tempo before working up to performance speed.
- Once comfortable, try switching between Aguinaldo and Merengue without losing tempo—it’s a great coordination drill.
