When we talk about Latin drumming, we’re referring to drumming from musical styles created in Latin America. These styles and genres were often created from an Afro-centric approach to rhythm, including music, song, and dance.
Latin drumming fundamentals include understanding the relationship between rhythmic styles and foundational rhythms like clave. As a drum set player, mastering these abilities will also help you with funk, rock, and other popular drumming styles.
In the following article, we explore the countries of origin for the most popular Latin drumming styles. This includes learning the Latin rhythms, tips on how to apply the rhythms to performance situations, and exercises to improvise and play drum fills.
Clave Rhythms – The Key to Latin Drumming
The Latin drumming we often talk about comes from the interplay of African, European, and indigenous American cultures. This context is most apparent in the use of different clave rhythms adapted from African bell patterns.
In general, the clave rhythm consists of accents extracted from the African bell pattern (explained below). Like in the West African music from which Latin America derives the clave rhythm, musical parts often adhere to a strict relationship with the rhythmic cycle.
The relationship between clave and musical parts and improvisation will be explained in more detail in the sections for each clave. But first, we need to analyze the African bell pattern.
African Bell Pattern
The rhythm most commonly called “the African pattern” is a 12/8 meter pattern with two phrases. These phrases are two quarter notes, followed by three quarter notes. The phrases are joined by a single eighth note and are often played against a dotted quarter note pulse.
Tap your foot on the dotted quarter note while you play the bell pattern. Make sure to feel the clave pattern emerge from the quarter notes in the pattern. Try accenting the quarter notes, and remove the eighth notes to reveal the 6/8 clave pattern.
Some drummers think of the African bell like a shuffle. In addition to Latin drumming, it’s not much of a leap to consider that this pattern is the root of all swing music and the blues drum beats. The example below adds a kick and snare backbeat. Try it on a song that would normally call for a shuffle.
Related: “How to Play African Bell Pattern – 21 Variations For Drum Set”
Rumba Clave
Rumba clave is an Afro-Cuban clave rhythm. Think of it as simply the 6/8 clave felt more in a 4/4 meter. This idea of feel is discussed more in a later section of this article.
You’ll hear the rumba clave, and various forms of it, in Afro-Cuban folkloric music. For example, rumba guaguancó uses 3:2 rumba clave.
We refer to the orientation of the sides as either 3:2 or 2:3. The 3 side has three clave hits, while the 2 side has two hits.
The drum parts for rumba guaguancó and licks (short improvisations) relate to the clave in specific ways. The parts and licks can vary from one region to another. The two most common forms, however, are identified with Matanzas and Havana.
If you were to play a guaguancó in the Matanzas style, the segundo drum part plays an open tone on the downbeat of the 2 side of clave. The segundo drum part can be played with a high or medium rack tom on the drum set.
This idea of relating parts and licks to clave based on the folkloric tradition is important for developing Latin rhythms on a drum set. Since you’re often adapting parts traditionally played by several drummers, it’s essential to know the critical conversations and accents in order to include enough of the original style.
The example below is a guaguancó based on the Havana drum parts. For more Latin drum beats, see the section below on styles and rhythms.
Son Clave
Son clave is very similar to rumba clave. The only difference is the third hit of the 3 side is on beat 4, not the + of beat 4.
This is one of the most common clave rhythms you’ll hear in Cuban latin drumming styles. It forms the foundation for many salsa and timba songs.
Try playing son clave as a cross stick, on a block or cowbell, or even on the shell of a drum. Some drummers use a gajate bracket to attach a block and a kick pedal to play the clave with their foot.
Related: “Son Clave – 10 Ways to Play It on Drum Set”
Lastly, clave has a couple of important accents that are essential for interpreting the rhythmic phrasing properly — the bombo and ponche. The bombo clave accent is a low sound on the second hit of the 3 side. The ponche is an ensemble hit on beat four of either side of the clave.
The best way to learn how to feel clave is to listen to salsa or timba and tap the clave rhythm. Listen to how the piano, bass, congas, and other instruments fit with clave. Also listen for ensemble phrasing that highlights accents like the ponche.
Brazilian Clave
The Brazilian clave isn’t as rigid in formal structure as the Cuban clave rhythms. You can change it and improvise within reason. But you won’t hear many drummers changing the sides of the clave too much unless it’s a compositional decision.
This clave is very similar to the son clave. The only difference is that the second hit on the 2 side is shifted to the right by one eighth note.
Styles like bossa nova and samba employ this clave with some loose yet consistent adherence. It’s usually played on the snare drum with a cross stick sound.
Notation and Meter for Latin Drumming
I’ve read through hundreds of Latin jazz, salsa, and big band charts in rehearsal, the studio, and on the stage. The clearest arrangements were often written in cut time. I personally feel it this way because the clave fits into two measures, marking the two sides of the rhythmic cycle with bar lines.
Cut time is a meter that takes four beats and cuts the feel down into two pulses on 1 and 3 (also referred to as beats 1 and 2). Think of counting a grouping of four eighth notes like you would count four sixteenths.
In addition to supporting clave’s form, the pulse on 1 and 3 works perfectly for many Cuban and Brazlian styles. Whether it’s the Cuban shekere accents, the Brazilian surdos, or a songo cowbell accent, these half-note pulses are critical to how Latin drumming is meant to be felt.
Feeling the Beat in Latin Drumming
Latin drumming is characterized by feeling a strong pulse followed by three weaker beats. This can be notated with sixteenth notes in common time meter or eighth notes in cut-time.
Regardless of the meter used to notate Latin rhythms, the pulse and inner beats relationship remain the same. In the example above, the accents denote the strong pulse.
Cut-Time Meter and Pulse
Arrangers often use cut-time to notate Latin music. This is perhaps because the clave is phrased in two measures — one measure per side. It’s common to feel cut-time with the beat on the half notes, which is also how a lot of Latin rhythms are felt.
The strong half-note pulse keeps things together and in step with the groove. It is often accented by instruments like shekere, for example, in Afro-Cuban folkloric music. It provides a consistent anchor to which the polyrhythms of Latin drumming can connect.
Modern Afro-Cuban styles, like mambo, include a bongo bell pattern that accents the strong half-note pulse. This pattern is often played on a drum set along with the mambo bell pattern or alone over a songo rhythm.
Four and Six Equals “Fix”
The spacing between each eighth note subdivision is not equal in Latin rhythmic interpretation. You may notice that there is a push and pull, a tension and release in these eighth note groupings. This characteristic of the rhythmic interpretation is found in both Cuba and Brazil.
Additionally, the lines between duple and triplet subdivisions are often not clear. Michael Spiro calls this “fix” because it’s a combination of four and six.
Without feeling the “fix” in Latin drumming, it’s hard to learn how this music swings. Latin music swings differently than bebop or ragtime. It capitalizes on the push and pull in relation to the strong pulse and this concept of “fix.”
The feel is something you gain from listening to Latin music, playing it a lot, and listening to some more. It all comes down to experience and learning from and playing with good musicians.
Coordinating Your Hands and Feet for Latin Drumming
Latin drumming comes from traditional rhythms played with hands and sticks. Adding your feet to the mix is simply an opportunity afforded by adapting parts on the drum set.
Consider how the shekere or bongo bell accents are on the downbeats. The hi-hat serves a good substitution for shekere. This adaptation can help keep other rhythms voiced on the drum set in time, much like the shakers help dancers.
Start coordinating your hands and feet with the half-note pulse explained above. This will help you feel the sway or swing of Latin music as you apply the polyrhythmic parts to the drum set.
Tip: Listen to music from Cuba, Brazil, and other Latin American countries, and tap your foot to the strong pulse. As you feel this pulse, listen to how the musicians interpret the space between these half-note pulses. The only other way to pick up the feel of Latin drumming is to go to a Latin American country and experience it in person.
Latin Drumming Rhythms and Styles
The specific rhythms and styles of Latin drumming have developed over the last hundred years. Traditional styles were built upon, new styles emerged from new ideas, and regional exchanges led to new interpretations around the world.
Cuba and Brazil – The Origins of Latin Drumming
Although the true origins of Latin drumming go back to Africa and indigenous music, we’re discussing the two most influential centers of Latin music — Cuba and Brazil. Both of these countries had large concentrations of African slaves, so it’s understandable that new music would take hold in these regions.
To the average listener not from Latin America, the rhythms from these countries are indistinguishable. But for learning to play Latin rhythms on a drum set, you’ll need to know the key characteristics of the music from each country.
When someone tells me a song is Latin, my next question is whether it’s more Cuban or Brazilian. Is there a Cuban clave rhythm? Do the drums have a high to low tone shuffle like a samba? Sometimes the style is more pseudo-Latin and elements of both countries are included, which can be totally cool in a jazz or pop setting.
Related: “17 Latin Grooves Every Drum Set Player Should Know”
Cha Cha
The cha-cha-chá comes from the Cuban danzόn. In particular, arrangers and composers of the late 1930s like Israel “Cachao” Lopez were mixing elements from different Cuban styles. The cha cha came out of a need to give dances a strong downbeat amid the syncopated rhythms.
The influence of the cha cha can be heard in rock songs like “Louie Louie” by Richard Berry. The main rhythm was taken directly from “El Loco Cha Cha Cha,” a song arranged by René Touzet.
How to Play a Cha Cha on the Drum Set
Applying the cha cha to the drum set comes in different variations on the traditional rhythms. The cowbell on the downbeats, for example, can be played by the cross stick on the snare drum, the bell of the cymbal, or a small cowbell.
Likewise, the conga part can be played with a cross stick or snare hit for the slap and a medium or high tom for the open tones. Some drummers play the conga part with the snare and kick drum, especially if they’re trying to support a heavier rock song.
The final part to consider when adapting a cha cha to drum set is the guiro part. Since the guiro is one of the most recognizable parts of a cha cha, it’s not something that you want to leave out. Try playing it on the hi-hat with a stick or your foot.
Related: “Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drum Set – 7 Styles With Variations”
Cáscara Pattern
The cáscara pattern is often one of the first Cuban rhythms drum set players learn when studying Latin drumming. It’s unclear from exactly where or when the cáscara pattern was first developed. We do know, however, that timbaleros were influenced by American jazz and Afro-cuban folkloric rhythms.
This rhythm is played during the quieter sections of a mambo style song in either salsa or Cuban music. Drum set players can play it on the hi-hat, ride cymbal, drum shell, and sometimes on a cowbell, among other options.
Cáscara should be played with the traditional accent pattern. It includes six accents, half of which line up with clave. These accents help situate the feel and swing of the rhythm among all of the other instrumental layers in Latin drumming.
Whether you’re playing this pattern on a cymbal or the shell of a drum, use moeller technique to differentiate the accented and unaccented strokes. Focus on how the unaccented strokes are played during the preparation of the accented stroke motion. In other words, as you begin to prepare for the accent, you will strike the instrument. This technique saves a lot of energy and yields a lot of power.
Add the conga tumbao to the groove if there’s no conguero. Try playing the conga slap as a cross stick on the snare drum and the open tones on a rack tom. You can add the kick drum on the upbeat of beat two and beat four to bring in some songo drum set parts .
Mambo Bell Pattern
The mambo bell is traditionally played on a larger cowbell during the louder sections of a song, like the corro or montuno. It has a characteristic crescendo in two places — one on each side of the clave rhythm.
Like the cáscara, the mambo bell has two sides, and each one fits with a particular side of the clave rhythm. It’s important to play the pattern with clave, so practice playing clave with one hand and mambo bell with the other.
The transition from the cáscara to the mambo is facilitated by a drum filled called abanico. This drum fill fits with clave and includes a single or double-stroke roll. It sounds like a fan and it’s played with your hands, hence why it is called “abanico,” meaning “hand fan” (see Drum Fills below).
Advanced drum set players and timbaleros add the bongo bell pattern with the mambo bell. If you are playing a timba or salsa tune without a bongocero, adding the bongo bell will thicken and anchor the groove big time!
Bembé
This Afro-Cuban rhythm is one of the more folkloric with more clear African roots than almost any example on this list. This being the case, it’s also less clearly identifiable and often labeled and interpreted in many different ways, so it’s not really one rhythm.
Traditional bembé is played with either hands or sticks, depending on the region in which it developed. It was used to accompany song and dance of African religious origin, and diversified upon the independence achieved upon the end of the slave system in Cuba.
The folkloric parts for bembé include three drum parts, a hoe blade for the bell pattern, and two to three shekeres. This is a general description, and you may see variations from different regions of Cuba.
On the drum set, the main parts are usually focused on the drum parts and bell pattern. You can add the hi-hat on the downbeats to keep a steady pulse, which actually simulates the role of a shekere part.
Some drum set players call the bembé rhythm a nañigo drum beat. The origin of the term nañigo is unclear, but it has come to refer to 6/8 drum set grooves with the African bell pattern. So drummers aren’t far off or wrong by using this terminology.
Mozambique Pattern
The mozambique came from the conga de comparsa carnival rhythms and was developed by Pello el Afrokan. It was used by band leaders like Eddie Palmieri and Carlos Santana. Many drum set players recognize it through Steve Gadd’s interpretation.
Like most Afro-Cuban based Latin drumming, the drum set parts are voiced by using cymbals for bell parts and snare, toms, and kick for the traditional drum parts. Although there are a lot of parts in the traditional mozambique, the drum set beat includes the main bell pattern and prominent drum conversational roles.
Try variations on the kick drum or filling in between the bell rhythm in different ways. As long as the melody of the drum parts and the bell pattern are there, you can do a lot with this groove.
Songo Drum Beat
The songo is an Afro-Cuban groove developed on the drum set. It was created by the Cuban band Los Van Van and it’s drummers, most notably José Luis Quintana (“Changuito”).
This groove is grounded by a strong half-note accent played on the cowbell or cymbal. The kick drum accents the upbeat of beat two, which is the bombo note of the three side of clave. And the snare drum fills in between the bell pattern and kick drum with some accents.
The parts and improvisation for songo is rooted in folkloric rhythms like guaguancó. It also combines elements of rock and funk to make a modern dance beat.
Bossa Nova Drum Beat
The bossa nova borrows elements from samba and jazz to make a smooth style. You can play this style with a percussionist, guitar, and vocals or with a much larger ensemble.
On the drum set, the cymbal pattern is straight eighth notes, the Brazilian clave is played on snare, and the kick drum plays a samba bass drum pattern. The grooves and fills largely follow the song like a jazz tune and are rarely loud or busy like samba.
It’s important to adjust your rhythms to accommodate each song. For example, some clave rhythms won’t work with the guitar or piano rhythm. Try some tamborim rhythms from samba or modify the bossa nova clave by adding or subtracting hits.
Sometimes the kick drum can be too much for a song, so you can modify the pattern by leaving out the first kick drum on beat one. This gives the groove a low accent on beat two (or three if you are in common time), which gives the song a light samba feel.
Samba Drum Beat
No Latin drumming toolbox is complete without a strong samba groove. It’s one of the most common Latin styles called on the bandstand.
A basic samba on the drum set includes a variety of rhythms adapted from many different Brazilian instruments.
- The kick drum is a mixture of the samba shaker accents and the surdo drums.
- Cymbal parts, like the hi-hats or ride, are mostly shaker parts.
- The snare drum plays a combination of tamborim and snare parts from a traditional samba ensemble.
The samba is tough to replicate on the drum set. It’s basically one drummer versus a whole battery of players in a samba school. This means that each player has to make decisions for the song and based on their ability.
Adapting Samba Rhythms to the Drum Set
Samba variations are important, and to make them up on your own, you can consider the most critical parts to a samba groove.
- The shaker accents are the feel and foundation of samba. If a song needs a lighter samba groove, consider just playing the shaker rhythm on the hi-hat. Move one hand to another cymbal and use paradiddles to make cool sounding parts.
- Surdo parts are the bottom end of the groove and like to accent beat 2 with the lowest drum. The samba kick pattern gets the job done, but sometimes playing only the middle part of the pattern is all the groove needs. Not every samba needs the heavy drive of surdo parts on all four beats. If you need to take some out to lighten the load, keep the middle part accenting beat 2 (cut time).
- Brazilian clave and other accent patterns with a call and response form are critical to playing most forms of Latin drumming, especially samba. The accent pattern needs to be clear and present. You can leave it for sections of the song, but it’s such an easy thing to use for phrasing. For example, if you played the shaker pattern hi-hat, you could add a samba snare or tamborim accent pattern to that hi-hat part to make a new phrase.
Important Latin Drumming Rhythms From Other Countries
Although Cuba and Brazil are the most influential Latin music countries, this should not distract anyone from the other countries with great musical styles. Argentina developed the tango, Peru has its own Afro-centric folkloric tradition comparable to Cuba’s, and Columbia’s cumbia is a genre that’s arguably more popular than salsa.
Merengue from Dominican Republic
The tambora and guira are traditional merengue instruments. The tambora is a double headed small barrel-shaped drum played with one hand and one stick. The guira is a metal scraping instrument.
The tambora part for merengue transfers well to the drum set. The Tambora is played on the drum head and rim with a stick. A stick on a snare drum can easily replicate these sounds.
The guira part sounds good on the hi-hat or a cymbal stack, but you shouldn’t feel limited to just those instruments. It would also sound good with a stiff brush or dowel rods stick on the rim or shell of a drum.
Cumbia from Colombia (and Other Latin American Countries)
The cumbia is simple in its percussion parts and instrumentation. The conga part can be played on the snare drum and rack tom, and the block or guira part is perfect for the hi-hat or block add on. The cowbell is downbeats, so you can play it with a stick or with a foot pedal.
It’s important to learn the basic rhythms so you can voice the parts around the drum set in different ways. This helps establish song phrasing and honors each composition with unique variations and sounds.
The Argentine Tango for Drum Set
The tango is a style that everyone knows yet you will almost never see it on a chart or setlist. But that doesn’t let us off the hook because tomorrow you could be called for a tango gig.
The rhythm is simple. It’s a lot of exposed downbeats, so make sure the tempo feels right, the accents are clear, and the roll articulations (lengths) are precise.
Playing Fills for Latin Drumming
Drum fills are critical to Latin drumming. As the drum set player, we are the captain of style, which includes playing fills with stylistic relevance. Since we are mostly dealing with music from Cuba and Brazil, let’s focus on drum fills from those two countries.
Setup Fills and Transitions for Cuban Music
Let’s talk about two of the most common Cuban drum fills. They include a fill to transition from cáscara to mambo bell and then back to cáscara.
The abanico fill facilitates the transition from cáscara to mambo bell. This fill includes an introductory rimshot on the macho timbale drum and a roll into the downbeat of the section with the mambo bell pattern.
The second fill doesn’t have a name that I could find or that I’ve ever heard. In fact, my teacher would always sing the fill to teach it and make reference. The fill accents beat 4 on the last measure before the next section of the song. This section would be a lower dynamic than the previous section.
Assume that the snare drum is the macho (timbale high drum). Likewise, the floor tom can serve as the hembra (low drum).
Related: “How to Play Timbales – Basic Grooves and Fills”
Call and Response Fills in Brazilian Styles
Drum fills for Brazilian drumming are very much a call and response form. The lead drum makes a call and the battery responds. We can simulate this style of call and response by using the snare to call in the lower sounding drums.
The call and response example below is from a batucada. The repinique plays the call and the ensemble answers the call with the response in unison.
Most of the drum fills you’ll play on the drum set are at the turnarounds of the phrases. This means you only have a beat or two to play something. Consider some of the following examples.
Choose either Samba A or Samba B from above. Maintain the groove with your feet and one hand while playing the phrase below on the snare drum. Try voicing this phrase on different drums, as well.
Since a lot of Latin drumming on the drum set happens in a jazz or pop setting, we have a lot of freedom to improvise. But it’s important to stay true to the style of the groove. This means playing fills that blend well and don’t interrupt the flow and feel.
Blending Latin Drumming Fills and Patterns
Maintaining the groove is always the number one goal. This means that the groove doesn’t stop because you’ve stopped playing a rhythm to play a fill. In other words, the drum fill is a part of the groove, so respect that, too.
The bossa nova example below includes a typical phrase turnaround hit in the fourth measure. It’s important to consider drum fill rhythms that are not too busy for the groove.
Also consider the motion of the melody and harmony when coming up with fills. Good drum fills add the music in a support way. It’s not a time for showing off licks.
Exercises to Develop Latin Drumming Improvisation
The best way to develop a strong Latin drumming improvisation vocabulary is by studying the great drummers. Look at Horacio Hernandez, Tito Puente, Changuito, great congueros, bongoceros, horn players, vocalists, and anyone with great rhythm in the style you are studying.
Rumba Clave Improvisation Exercises
The following includes some exercises to develop a feel for clave while improvising. It’s important to play these examples slowly and to use the concepts to apply to other examples.
Try adding a cáscara pattern in one hand and a kick drum on the upbeat of 2 in every measure. This exercise is mostly a coordination exercise to develop some independence. Once you are comfortable with the patterns, try reading exercises and lessons from Ted Reed’s Syncopation.
Rhythmic Cells for Latin Drumming Improvisation
Developing a vocabulary for improvising, like I mentioned above, comes from listening to the great players. Try their licks, and in the process, you will develop some of your own.
This rhythmic cell and variations are common phrases that you’ll hear hand and stick drummers play. Although most of the rhythms are Afro-Cuban, you’ll hear these rhythms in Brazil and elsewhere in Latin drumming.
Try these rhythms with one hand on the hand drum while maintaining a groove. Also, play them as accent phrases for a more involved improvisation around the drum set.
Each of the following lines represents a separate variation on the first rhythmic cell. It’s one of the most common Afro-Cuban folkloric rhythms called upon to develop licks for soloing.
Related: “Conga Solo Tips – 10 Ideas to Develop Your Improvisation”
Final Thoughts
Latin drumming is a great approach to the drum set. It will open up new ideas for any style of music. Your rock beat will be better because of the cha cha cha, and the attention to clave rhythms will help you develop complex patterns that you can repeat.
This article is an introduction to the fundamentals. The best thing you can do for your development as a drum set player is to find a teacher who knows Latin drumming. They are all over the world. And study with many different teachers because you will learn something new every time.