Finding good Latin drum play alongs can be a challenging task. With so many different styles and variations on Latin music, it is tough to find the one that is best suited to you when searching for Latin drum play alongs.
The first Latin style I would recommend you play to is the Bossa Nova; also known as Bossa. The reason I would suggest you do this is because it is a relatively easy style to pick up on if you have never played to any Latin drum play alongs before. The Bossa Nova is played with an 8th note feel. The three main drum voices used are the hi-hats, bass drum, and cross-stick. Students who first starting playing along to the Bossa Nova can get it quite quickly without even learning the traditional groove. The Bossa Nova is also the most popular of all the Latin styles.
The second style to look out for would be the Songo. This is a faster and more challenging style of Latin music to play along to. It is more challenging because your lead hand is playing in half time while the rest of your limbs are playing in full time making it feel really awkward when first playing along to Latin drum play alongs.
Although there are literally thousands of variations of Latin styles and variations of variations; I am going to recommend one more. The last style I would recommend would be Merengue. The Merengue is not the most popular but it is one of the most interesting in my opinion. This is a type of groove you could play on it’s own without backing music and the crowd would start dancing. It is quite recognizable but not necessarily easy to play.
For more information on Latin drum play alongs, I suggest you check out Mike Michalkow’s Latin Drumming System. It is a great educational tool that also comes with 13 different Latin drum play alongs.
Here is a video of a Latin Drum Play Along. This is an authorized excerpt from the Latin Drumming System. The audio file without the drums can be downloaded at the Free Drum Lessons Website.
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