Grupo La Clave

Tololoche is a strand of Regional Mexican music distinguished by its use of the tololoche—an acoustic, gut/nylon‑strung upright bass smaller than the orchestral contrabass—played with pronounced, percussive slap and walking lines. Typically heard in early norteño/campirano trios and quartets, the ensemble pairs accordion and bajo sexto with the tololoche, and sometimes a light snare (tarola). Repertoires center on polkas (2/4), waltzes (3/4), rancheras, and corridos, with brisk dance tempos and narrative lyrics about rural life, romance, travel, and bravado. The sound is earthy, resonant, and highly rhythmic: the tololoche’s slap articulations supply the backbeat while its walking bass outlines harmony, giving the music its unmistakable bounce.