The aim of this course is help you become a well-equipped percussionist capable of performing comfortably within the most common musical situations in the Afro-Caribbean/Brazilian spectrum.

Styles, rhythms, and nomenclature that you will learn include: son montuno, mambo, guaracha, marcha, cáscara, tumbao, guaguanco, and rumba among others. Additional styles to be broached will include bolero, calypso, soca (soul of calypso), bossa nova, and samba; these are necessary ingredients of a well-rounded percussionist's vocabulary.

Instruments focused on will include the claves, congas (also known as tumbadoras), bongos, timbales, cowbells and irons, maracas, güiro/güira/guayo or scraper, tambourine, shaker, and drum set applications. From the Afro-Brazilian/Escola de Samba/Batucada perspective, this will include pandeiro, shaker (ganza, Chocalho or Rocar), and drum set applications.