World Drum Beats: The Songo Beat For The Drumset

The Songo drum beat combines many Afro-Cuban percussion parts into one beat designed specifically for the drum set.

World drum beats have played a huge part on rhythmic drumming in all sorts of music styles.  Afro-Cuban percussion is one such example of world drumming and typically involves all sorts of percussion instruments including congas, timbales, cowbell, woodblock, and claves.  The Songo drum beat is a mixture of all these percussion instruments and parts designed specifically for the drum set.  This allows drummers the ability to fill out the drum part needed for Afro-Cuban music without having multiple percussionists.  I collected a few videos that walk you through the Songo drum beat and showcase some advanced ways to use it within a song.  I hope you enjoy the videos and learn how to play the Songo beat!

The first video offers a step-by-step lesson to playing the traditional Songo beat.  Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTjq4evGc8w&feature=related.

The next video features a live jam session over a traditional Latin pattern.  The drummer uses a custom Songo beat and showcases some of the improvisation methods within the beat.  Check her out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp2VpLkw4xQ&feature=related.

The last video I found for you features the Songo beat in rhythm section setting that plays the Afro-Cuban beat a little more funky.  The video catches up with the audio at about 3 minutes in, but check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x42JE5mZWH4&feature=related.

These are just a few of the videos that feature the Afro-Cuban Songo drum beat.  I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did!

Thanks,

Chris