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GowiththeFLOW on YouTube

Playlist · Afro-Cuban

Afro-Cuban Percussion Mix

Rumba and salsa percussion with guaguanco, tribal drums and the quinto improvising on top. What each drum is doing and how to listen to percussion only music.

When to put it on

Focused work where melody would distract, a warm up, or listening properly with headphones on.

Why this works

Percussion only music asks something different of a listener. There is no chord change telling you where you are, so the structure lives in density and in the conversation between the improvising quinto and the two fixed drums underneath it.

It is unexpectedly good work music for the same reason. Nothing to hum along to, no lyric to follow, and a floor that is intricate without ever demanding a decision from you.

The music behind it

Ritmos de Rumba y Salsa: guaguanco, tribal drums and where the quinto goes goes into what this material actually is, rather than when to use it.

The rhythm

The afro-cuban guide covers the tradition in full.

Frequently asked questions

When would you put this on?

Focused work where melody would distract, a warm up, or listening properly with headphones on.

Where does the music itself live?

On the GowiththeFLOW channel on YouTube. This site links to videos and shows their thumbnails; it does not host audio and runs no player of its own.

Keep up

New mixes, and the notes that go with them

One email when there is something worth sending: a long form mix, an original track, or a new genre guide. No schedule, because a schedule would mean sending things that are not ready.

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