In a previous article we have discussed why versatility is important. While we don’t necessarily need
to master every style, listening to different genres and grasping at least the basics of various languages can be incredibly beneficial.
Versatility can be approached from two angles (which are not mutually exclusive):
- We can work on it because as professional drummers it grants us more work opportunities (think Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Smith or Gregg Bissonette).
- We can explore various approaches because we like the creative options that open up (think Stewart Copeland, Manu Katchè or Benny Greb).
The not so subtle difference is that while the first approach takes years of work (mastering the specific history, technique, feel, language, phrasing, repertoire, sound and so on), we can start having fun with the latter by simply learning a bunch of new beats.
It’s the easiest and most direct way to increase our versatility: learn a few great beats in a style we are not very familiar with and try to integrate them in our playing.
Given that most drummers have way more experience in Pop, Rock, Funk and Jazz drumming, I thought it would be useful to put together and share a list of the 10 most interesting and popular Latin beats I’ve learned over the course of my career.
Here is the free and printable booklet with the grooves:
And here is the link to the YouTube video in which I play the examples shown in the booklet. You can also click on each bar in the PDF to access the related video demonstration.
The term Latin means a lot of things, and we can think of it as encompassing Brazilian rhythms like Samba and Bossa Nova as well as AfroCuban beats like Cascara, Songo and Mozambique.
The booklet includes three Samba beats, one Bossanova, two Songo grooves, one Mozambique rhythm, one Cascara pattern and two Bembè ideas.
Let’s use the following guidelines to work more effectively:
- Learn each beat at various tempos and dynamic levels.
- Improvise simple variations around each example.
- Do some research and find at least one song that uses it, and one drummer that plays mainly in that style.
- Experiment including the new beat in something you already play. It doesn’t have to be a note for note thing, even subtle references like an accent or a cymbal pattern can make the difference.
Of course if you enjoy these studies and want to take your versatility to another level you can check out the Essential Styles method, in which I cover in depth 11 styles – make sure to download the Free Excerpt 😉
Related resources:
Why Versatility is Important
Improvisation – 1 Minute Drum Solos in 11 Different Styles
How To Sound Authentic In Any Style
Brushes, Beaters, Small Percussions – 10 Creative Drum Grooves
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