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Other Latin Lessons

Hand Exercise Inspired by the Drums of Candombe
I was watching some of the video I shot during my recent trip to Uruguay. The drumming on the video, plus what I've been listening to,
inspired this exercise. It requires a very intense level of coordination and simultaneously works on the "accent" stroke or "up and down
motion" that many drummers work on. The pattern played with the Left Hand is inspired directly from the drum called the "Chico". The
Right Hand pattern is directly inspired from the rhythm called "Madera". (This rhythm is played on the side of one of the three drums
used in Candombe.) The exercise is to play both these patterns together, paying close attention to the accents. My recommendation is
to tap quarter notes with both feet. (Another level of coordination.) Hear are the two patterns. Begin by playing each separately. When
joining them together, take care that the accents are still there! (As soon as I post this, I'm going to go in my studio and start practicing
this!!) And please don't forget, these patterns can inspire you to create other grooves. Work on them in that manner as well, letting the
rhythms create ideas in your mind and body. Many of you (me included) will benefit from just concentrating on one hand alone. Perhaps
stay there for a while, both feet with metronome, only the left or right hand playing.

Advanced Groove - Candombe from Uruguay

Candombe is one bad rhythm, coming to us from Uruguay. There are other lessons on my site regarding this great rhythm. Check them
out, as well as this one. This is a rather advanced lesson, due to the massive coordination you'll need to play it well.
Thanks to Nick Hansen, one of my students from Musicians Institute. We had a lesson at my home studio and Nick wanted some
drumming info that would give him coordination between a repetitive bass drum pattern and other rhythms played with the hands. Well,
this groove will certainly give you the rhythmic information to take you there! In the first and second examples, you'll hear the ride
pattern playing a nice over the barline rhythm. Experiment with this sound, creating a rhythm on top of the other rhythms!
The third example has the ride pattern emulating one of the drums found in candombe, called the chico. You're playing the last three
16th notes of the quarter note, with a slight accent on the first of the three. Top line is ride pattern, then snare, bass drum, and hi hat.

Afro-Caribbean Drum Grooves

Many of my students, e-mail, and snail mail friends, have asked me to produce a compilation of my articles which I have written over
the last 12 years. Well, here it is! Afro Caribbean Drum Grooves is finished, all the text is done as well a one hour CD! Please email me
for information about the book.. I appreciate your interest in what I write and play. Here are four examples from the new book. Clicking
on each notation example will execute a Real Audio file. You need the Real Player to hear the sounds. Accompanying the notation and
CD, in the book, will be the articles that I have written. The information is current, useful, and grooving! That's what good educational
materials are all about!