Basic Afro-Cuban Rhythms

Rating:
Summary: Solid throughout
Review: A Berklee professor and Afro Cuban master, Ricardo Monzón breaks down several Afro Cuban rhythms into easily digestible lessons. Monzón covers rhythms on the congas, timbales, bongos, guiro, cowbells, and other hand percussion instruments.

The first few lessons teaches you how to play a clave pattern with your hands. Monzón starts off slowly so it is easy to follow along even if you have no experience playing Afro Cuban rhythms. Perhaps the best part of the DVD are the conga lessons during which he teaches you how to produce a neat palette of sounds by strike the head on different areas using different parts of your hand. Multiple camera angles and hand close ups make it even easier to follow along. All the lessons are progressive, so what you learn in one lesson you will use in the following lessons. This keeps building and it all comes together when Monzón performs a drumset solo using everything he covered.

Monzón's patient demeanor and thorough explanations make you feel as a personal student of his. The patterns covered are basic enough that a beginner can learn them but interesting enough to keep you focused. This is a great DVD throughout.

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise
Review: I was expecting something completely different from this DVD. The majority of the instructional DVD's I have purchased have been hard to follow, impersonal and fast-paced. At the end of the DVD I usually find myself more confused and frustrated than when i began.
This was not the case for this DVD. Ricardo Monzon makes you feel as if he's giving you a private lesson. His steady pace and gradual progression is easy and enjoyable to follow. More than anything else, I was surprised by how well I was playing by the end of the DVD. Be beginning slowly, and estblising a solid foundation, I was able to create a variety of different rhythmic combinations. I recommend this DVD to anyone, regardles of your level of ability.