Learn Afro-Cuban drum beats by following the virtual drummer.

Online advanced tutorial and free drum music sheet.

In this tutorial the virtual drummer plays some traditional drum beats of Afro-Cuban music.

These exercises are particularly difficult for hands and feet independence. The basis of Afro Cuban rhythms is always a combination of various percussion sets (congas, timbales, bongo) that, together with electric or acoustic bass, set the typical Salsa sound. In the drum music sheet of this lesson you can find some drums-translated Afro Cuban rhythms: Cascara, Songo, Guaguanco, Mozambique and Cha Cha.
Bass drum strokes follow the bass pattern, the "Tumbao", which is rhythmically similar in many Afro Cuban and Latin rhythms.

The reference rhythmic figure for drums and all the instruments is called Clave (key). Son Clave is a two bar pattern in cutted time, that we find in many Afro Cuban beats. These two bars can be order reversed forming Son Clave 3-2 or Son Clave 2-3.
Rumba Clave differs from Son Clave in just one note position. Also Rumba Clave is a two bar pattern in cutted time that can be order reversed, forming Rumba Clave 3-2 or Rumba Clave 2-3.

If you are a beginner drummer, you can follow the basic lesson about Latin rhythms before starting this one. If you want to practice Afro-Cuban drum beats on your drums, you can download the free drum music sheet for this lesson.

Learn to read the drum sheet music:    Drum set elements    Notes and Rests    Tie and Dot