Essential Latin Styles for the Drumset

Doug Auwarter

General Info

Year: 2004
Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher: Douglas Auwarter
Cost: Book Cost - $19.95   |   Supplemental Books - $0.00

Chapters

Chapter I:
Chapter II:
Chapter III:
Chapter IV:
Chapter V:
Chapter VI:

Reviews

Student Reviews

Organization: A preface and acknowledgments are presented before the table of contents which is then followed by a few paragraphs about using the book and comparing the two main styles that are covered in this book: Cuban and Salsa styles and Brazilian styles. An initial introduction to various subjects under these two umbrellas is present before the actual style is explained and how to play that style. Halfway through the book, a section titled Rhythm Section Help goes over the same two types of styles which are covered in the book, however this section is meant to help the rest of the rhythm section interpret and perform these styles on their respective instruments, including bass, keyboard, and guitar. The last few sections cover tracks which are available online in the listening guide, a glossary with pronunciation, and tips for soloing and fixing bad charts. A section about the author is present on the back cover of the book.

Content: The introduction goes over tips about using the book as well as emphasizing to the reader to compare and contrast Cuban and Brazilian styles which are both covered extensively in this book. Along with a list of countries in which certain styles are most popular, a list showing which styles are Cuban and which are Brazilian in up-tempos and slow to moderate tempos is available before the Cuban section begins. The playing examples listed in the book are not written in the style of a chart but are rather the variations themselves which percussionists may come across, or to show the function of the style in a visual manner. Most of the text in the book goes over the history, form, and function of the styles, as well as how to interpret and play these styles in context of a band.

Uses: The author states that the book is meant for people who know nothing of Latin styles, those who may have an unproper understanding of these styles, or high school / college students who are expected to play these styles, and I would support the idea that this book aims to increase these readers’ understanding and knowledge of Latin styles. Despite there not being an abundance of playing opportunities in this book, the amount of knowledge present in the text would make for a great resource book for any instructor since it can be applied to more than just drumset. In terms of ownership, I would keep it limited to professionals, instructors and college students as these may be the only people who can implement this knowledge in a way that will make sense to them and which builds their playing skills when it comes to Latin styles, although high school students may still make use of some pages or rhythm variations present in this book through the instruction of a teacher.

Rating: Despite the lack of lots of playing examples in this book, there are still some examples which can be great to use to expose players to these styles especially with the text included. Granted, there is a great wealth of text in this book so it may be a slow process getting through all of it, but it is certain that anyone will learn something by the end of it. 5/5. User:Hondogracias

Works for Percussion by this Author

Auwarter, Doug. Essential Latin Styles for the Drumset. Douglas Auwarter, 2004.