Updated 26 November 1998

Welcome to my Lessons Page. I sincerely hope you find some interesting and challenging grooves and ideas here.

I've placed a Previous Lessons archive here. Enjoy!

As an addition to my lessons here, I also offer:

Virtual Lessons

The lessons are on disk and feature written grooves and Real Audio files. You can open them up in your browser, and provided you have Real Audio on your hard disk, you can listen and learn the grooves. Each lesson, with up to 10 grooves and exercises, costs US$10 plus $3 postage.

Although not yet on my order form, you can email me with credit card information and I will process it for you then send the lessons to you. If you like, you can also send a check to my address at the bottom of this page.

Video Lessons

are also available. I really enjoy teaching by video tape. I can take my time, when I've got the time!, and focus on the grooves that you want. Please email me for info about this and audio lessons by cassette.

My good friend, David Romero, who has played bongo with many top "Latin" artists and is now percussionist with Earth, Wind, and Fire, is happy to teach video lessons to those who are interested. From beginners to advanced players, this is something I may be doing soon! Just drop me an email and I'll get you all the information.

Audio Lessons

I've had some good success teaching drummers by audio cassette. Once again, if I can be of any help, please write.

Private Lessons

I live in Southern California and am very happy to be able to teach here at my home studio. My students and I are a nice family, the atmosphere's cool, and we play and learn together. See you here if possible!

Cascara Funk Grooves

Many of you have learned something about the cascara pattern, a very common rhythm found in a lot of Afro-Cuban music. If any of you would like a primer regarding this rhythm, please email me.

These next two grooves come directly from the cascara pattern. They also come right from my book, Practical Applications, Part 3. Click right here to read more about Book 3.

To be quite honest, I had gotten bored playing the same pattern on the hi hat and I wanted to spice things up a bit. So, I just placed my left hand on the snare and went with the groove. I ended up with this pattern and many variations. Don't get thrown off by the beat displacement. Follow the notation.

Click on the notation, you'll hear the groove, using the Real Audio Player. If you need the Real Audio player, get it here.

This next variation has one added bass drum note. I've also tilted the notation so you get dizzy!!

Now your job is to make some cool sounding variations and send them to me as AIFF or Real Audio files so I can put them here! If you do send me some sound files, please please compress them first! Cool!!

Thanks once again for visiting my lessons page, and for checking out the website. If I can be of any help to you, please drop me an email.

If you enjoy these lessons, and develop your own grooves, please share them with us! You can mail me your applications of these lessons to:

Previous Lessons

Changuito Lessons
Double Bass Cowbell Lessons
Latin Hand Patterns
Latin Rudiments
5 against 2 Hand Patterns
Changuito Melodic Independence

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