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Posted: **Fri Dec 07, 2007 4:22 pm**

Hey guys,
I just picked up a copy of Progressive Steps To Syncopation for the Modern Drummer by Ted Reed. I picked this up as I want to start learning how to read percussion charts as well learning how to apply the different drum rudiments to tumbadoras. Anyone else here have this book and has it proved useful for you?

afrocubarico

Posted: **Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:39 pm**

Yeah,I have that book. It is the 1 percussion teachers use down here to teach how to read notation. Some times I think that most of the breaks in Salsa songs were copy from that book. Even the Bomba cascareo is there.

Posted: **Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:56 pm**

Thanks Caballoballo,
Do you recommend any particular way of studying this material?

afrocubarico

Posted: **Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:21 am**

Afro, You can start on page 6-7 then jump to 10-11 Next to 30-31-32 then page 33 to 44 which is the syncopa ,that it is the stuff you are going to find into salsa music.

Giging again this Friday at a place named El Balcon Del Zumbador which is a hard salseros club. Although is the hot season we have only Gig twice thus far this month. How is the music scene around your area ?

Posted: **Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:13 pm**

caballo,
Thanks for the feedback, I'll definitely study those pages first. I went to the El Balcon in early July and saw Cachete and his group, Los Majaderos. They tore up the place! It's a shame that Cachete is not the same but it was still good to see him. The music scene out here is obviously not what it used to be. But lately I am seeing more and more clubs/lounges hiring live Latin Jazz/Salsa bands which is good. But as I'm sure you know, we got to start supporting live music otherwise the club owners will stop hiring the bands. What's the name of your band? Do you guys only play Salsa? Thanks again!

afrocubarico

Posted: **Mon Dec 17, 2007 6:07 pm**

Afro, we are call Tropical Jamn (La Melaza). This if funny,once at a Club the other group singer called us Jamon tropical, I guess his english was not tha good & my brother was so mad that he wanted to jump on him. Anyway,we play Salsa,Son Montuno y Boleros at Salsa Clubs. For private partys we include Merengue dominican style, I play the Tambora on the Merengues. I am going to post some gigs photos as soon as this evening.

Next Month I got 2 gigs, one on the 12 & another on the 16, one wedding in Feb. At least thus far the new year is looking good.

Try to learn the notations as words instead of counting , that way as you see the notation it will come to your mind as word.

Edited By caballoballo on 1197914943

Posted: **Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:56 pm**

To brother Caballoballo,the syncopation in the cuban/music,Son,Guaracha,Rumba, (which later was rename Salsa in the 70's), have been incorporated into that music since the 1870's,(it was called in Louisiana,'Cakewalk'), and more sophisticated musical phrase have been added on though the years...So what about may be the book coping from what have been already available in the field?.Dr. Zaragemca

Posted: **Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:54 pm**

Maybe So Dr Z, I was not born yet in the 1870s,music has been around since the creation. That book Afro is talking about has been around since the 50s.

Posted: **Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:00 pm**

yeah, I have that book too. I started using that to begin getting familiarized with music notation when I was 6. My dad started me young

Thank god he did...he set me up for a fulfilling music life.

IN any case, I didn't really use it again until I got to college. In college, my drumset teacher would use it to do limb independence exercises....usually riding in jazz patterns on the Ride cymbal with my right hand, and then alternating exercises by playing the lines on the snare drum or bass drum, or a combination of both. My left foot would stay in the standard 2 and 4 of jazz hi hat patterns. i'm assuming that a similar use could be found for them on congas by playing one pattern with one hand, and then reading the lines with the other hand and trying to do it together.

Posted: **Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:43 pm**

I have been using that book for years and have had great results. My students have a much better understanding about reading and rhythm after finishing Ted Reeds books.