Cinquillo

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A Cinquillo is a typical Cuban / Caribbean rhythm, to be found in dances like the Mambo, amongst others. It consists of an eighth, a sixteenth, an eighth, a sixteenth, and an eighth note. Placing this rhythm in a 2/4 measure, it obtains a strong syncopated character from the sustained note which replaces an articulated one on the first quarter of the second beat. The figure is shown twice below. The first one merely displays the note values. The second one is a so-called orthographic notation, which gives an impression of the syncopated character.