It’s the best app for working on your musicality, understanding how Latin and tropical music is built and practising at the right tempo, in Cuban salsa, samba, rumba, cha-cha-cha and more. Its name: Percussion Tutor.
In 2015, Modern Drummer magazine itself described this app as essential for anyone who wants an encyclopedia of rhythms and percussion from around the world at their fingertips.
The Percussion Tutor app in detail
It’s an app for anyone who wants to understand music, find the beat and dance while instantly changing the speed of the rhythm to focus on their steps or step alternation, as well as for percussionists and musicians.
It gives you access to a library of rhythms, neatly organised by category: more than 85 rhythms with variations, advanced versions and more.
The Apple app is available by clicking here:
For Android, click here: Percussion Tutor Android.
You can switch each instrument on or off, which is very useful for understanding how a piece of music is built, for example keeping only the clave of Cuban salsa.
A description of the traditions and styles is available, as well as a video for each rhythm showing musicians playing the instruments, and a transcription (score) of every rhythm.
Navigation is child’s play, everything is clear and updates bring new features.
No in-app purchases: you pay €9 for the app and everything is included.
The Percussion Tutor database
Here is the list of categories:
- West Africa
- Brazil
- Cuba – folk music
- Cuba – popular music
- Cuba – percussions
- Spain – flamenco
- Peru
- Puerto Rico
- Dominican Republic
+ Claves
At the time of writing, you will find the following subcategories:
West Africa
- Fanga
- Saa
- Lamban
- Sounou
Brazil
- Baião
- Bossa-Nova
- Maracatu
- Samba Batucada, Enredo, Pagode, Reggae
- Partido Alta
- Xaxado
Cuba – folk music
- Abakua Havana
- Afra
- Agüeito
- Azogano Part 1, 2
- Columbia Part 1
- Conga – all instruments / bells / drums
- Guaguanco
- Guiro
- Iyesa
- Makuta
- Mozambique
- Palo
- Yambu & basic Yambu with solo
- Yuca
Cuba – popular music
- Afro
- Bolero & Bolero variation
- Cha Cha Cha
- Mozambique
- Pachanga
- Pilon
- Salsa 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Songo 1, 2, 3
- Timba
Cuba – percussions (Bata drums)
- Lalubanche & variation
- Latopa (part 1 + variation + conversation, part 2, 3, 4)
- Ogun & variation
- Auguere (part 1, part 2)
- Imbaloke & variation
- Babaluaye (part 1, part 2)
- Kuru Kurubete
- Ewe Masiboroñu & variation
- Borotitilawa
- Dada & variation & conversation
- Oggue
- Agayu Part 1,2,3, 4
- Oferere
- Ibejis & variation
- Akete Obba & conversation
- Odudua & variation
- Iya Mase
- Yacota & conversation
- Ñongo & variation
- Chachalokafun & variation & conversation
- Iyesa & variation & conversation
- Echu & conversation
- Olokun
Spain – flamenco
- Bulerías (+ full set cajon in 12, in 6, performance)
- Soleá por Bulerías (+ full set, performance)
- Tangos (+ full set, performance)
Peru
- Festejo
- Zamacueca
- Vals Peruano
- Lando
- Afro
Puerto Rico
- Xica
- Holandes & Holandes fast version
- Plena
Dominican Republic
- Jaleo
- Merengue
- Pambiche
You can get this great app by clicking here:
For Android, click here: Percussion Tutor Android.
