Latin American beats are highly syncopated, placing emphasis on the offbeats. There are many types of Latin American beats, each with many variations. Most styles of music have some songs containing variations of Latin American beats. The next examples are some of the more commonly used patterns. Each example contains three parts:
Part (a) shows what the hands do in each case.
Part (b) shows what the feet do in each case.
The last exercise in each example shows parts (a) and (b) combined to form the usable pattern.
As Latin American beats are difficult and complex, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with parts (a) and (b) individually, before attempting the final pattern.
Beguine
a)
b)
Cha-Cha
a)
b)
Mambo
a)
b)
Bossa-Nova
Samba
a)
b)