Listen for the instrumentation of the music. The basic Bachata band includes a lead guitar, electric bass, rhythm guitar and percussion instruments such as the guira, bongos or tambora drum. The lead guitar part is often played with a requinto guitar, which is smaller and higher pitched than a normal guitar.
Feel the mood of the music. Bachata music often combines moods of sadness and sensuality, and generally has a romantic feel. The song's lyrics sometimes deal with heartbreak and longing, and touch on topics such as unrequited love and bitterness. If you're unfamiliar with Spanish, just listen for inflections in the singer's voice.
Observe any dancing associated with the music. Bachata dancing usually consists of a four-step motion in accordance with the time signature. The first three beats involve side-to-side motion and rhythmic swaying of the hips, while the fourth beat includes a popping motion of the foot or hip. The dancers can either be close together, with their stomachs pressed against one another, or spaced further apart. The male typically leads in a traditional Bachata dance.
Familiarize yourself with popular Bachata artists. Many Bachata artists are known throughout Spanish music circles today, including Xtreme, Aventura, Antony Santos, Frank Reyes and Marcy Place. Edilio Paredes is one of the original Bachata artists, and people such as Leonardo Paniagua and Jose Manuel Calderon introduced Bachata to the Domican Republican and the world at large with their recordings in the early 1960s.
Listen to songs by these artists, and watch videos of traditional Bachata dancing online. Bachata music can be varied, but generally contains key elements of romanticism, dancing and specific instrumentation.