New Ways of Brazilian Drumming: Drumset Book & CD

This method moves past surface-level samba grooves and offers real musicological grounding in Brazilian rhythm. The inclusion of 96 recorded tracks means students hear the authentic feel they're working toward, and the "Brazilian Claves" concept extends the book well beyond beginner patterns into genuinely contemporary territory.

Rhythmically complex and deeply grounded. You'll encounter patterns that feel counterintuitive at first, layered textures that demand listening across the ensemble, and the satisfaction of internalizing rhythms that have been refined over decades of musical tradition.

Intermediate to advanced drummers ready to develop an authentic Brazilian vocabulary rather than learn isolated grooves. It serves educators teaching world music, Latin ensemble directors seeking drummers who understand the cultural and historical context of what they're playing, and any serious student wanting to move beyond English-language drumset methods.

• Spend time with the CD tracks before reading the written notation; let your ear absorb the pocket and phrasing first, then use the book to understand the structural bones.
• Treat the traditional patterns as departure points, not destinations. Study how each rhythm functions in its original context before adapting it to your own voice on the kit.
• Work the play-alongs at half speed initially. The samba and maracatu grooves demand precision in both coordination and feel; rushing the tempo builds bad habits.
• Pay close attention to the limb independence required across different rhythms. Brazilian drumming demands fluid conversation between hands and feet that won't happen without deliberate isolation work.

Assign it to drummers preparing for Latin jazz or samba-influenced repertoire, giving them a month to work through relevant sections before ensemble rehearsals begin. The play-alongs also work as standalone performance pieces for percussion ensemble concerts or as backing tracks for showcasing student progress in studio settings.

• Reading and executing traditional Brazilian rhythmic patterns (samba, maracatu, and related grooves)
• Coordinating complex polyrhythmic independence between hands and feet across non-standard sticking patterns
• Understanding the concept of clave as both a historical foundation and a contemporary compositional tool
• Developing feel and pocket within a specific cultural tradition rather than playing mechanically from notation
• Translating percussion notation (shared in the book) into functional drumset voicings