I have always loved percussion. My childhood was filled with hippy drum circles and I went on to perform with Latin American and African music groups later in life. There are myriad rhythms from around the world. Two apps from percussiontutor.com scratch this itch like none other on the market. I love to practice congas, cajon and pandeiro. Normally I look up rhythms and tutorials on YouTube from people such as Michael De Miranda but there have been limited ways to practice along with the grooves, until now.
The Percussion Tutor app features many rhythms from Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Spain and West Africa. Each rhythm features multitracked drum parts that can each be muted or soloed. It lets you hear the entire ensemble or focus on specific parts. This supports understanding in how all the rhythms fit together.
A transcription using western music notation, bite-size cultural information, tempo control and a metronome are included with all rhythms. Many of the rhythms also include a short video of the rhythms in performance. There is even a link to a free ebook featuring all of the rhythms transcribed so you can print them at your convenience. Considering all these features this is a complete bargain at $6!
Rhythm Game
Their other offering has the straight forward name of Rhythm Game. It complements Percussion Tutor perfectly. There are many of the same rhythms as Percussion Tutor but it allows you to play one part along with the ensemble using a virtual instrument such as a cowbell or conga. ‘Timing accuracy’ gives feedback on the accuracy of your drumming performance and a score is given at the end. If you play the rhythm of the first level well enough it unlocks successive rhythms for you to practice. This is a fantastic design for a free app. You can put in the work and be rewarded or if you want to skip forward you can unlock everything for $2.
If you are having trouble hearing what you need to play, you can press the musical notation icon in the top right corner to solo your part and see western notation for that rhythm. It also provides you with some more bite-size information about the part you need to perform.
For both apps they have kept the user interface simple, only what you need. There are basic icons to represent each instrument and simple controls for the music. It is a great example of a developer keeping an app focused on what is important, in this case the rhythm. The recorded parts are well recorded, performed by master musicians and faithful to the traditions from where they originate.
“Early/hit/late” feedback is given and a flashing light flashes in the same rhythm as what you need to tap. I like their pared down approach to the rhythm game format, doing away with complicated and often confusing alternative notations that can often hinder more than they help. They make the player use their ears more than their eyes. To know what to play you solo the part, listen to it and then hear it again with the other parts. A great design choice.
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