Ted Reed’s Progressive Steps to Syncopation is a great resource for studying different drum aspects: stickings, linear phrasing, coordination, independence, and music styles. There are many interpretations and the possibilities are endless. Exploring Afro-Cuban 6/8 by moving the left hand around the kit to create syncopated rhythms is a great way to enhance your coordination and independence.
Before you begin working on these exercises, it is assumed that you have had some basic exposure to Afro-Cuban 6/8. I highly recommend the book Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset by Frank Malabe and Bob Weiner.
PART 1
We start with the basic Afro-Cuban 6/8 pattern, playing the right-hand part on the cowbell or ride bell, with the dotted 8th-note pattern on the bass drum, and the left foot hi-hat in 8th notes.
We’ll play the counter-rhythms with the left hand on the cross stick or snare. Don’t forget to use the metronome setting the click on the dotted 8th note (suggested tempo: 80 to 126 bpm). Here’s the first exercise, including three left-hand combinations.
PART 2
Now we take the Progressive Steps to Syncopation, exercise one on page 38. The keyword here is interpretation! Considering that every beat/quarter note of the first staff is equivalent to 3/16 of the second staff, you can understand how the two parts fit together. The image below shows the exercise’s first four bars.
An advanced exercise consists of playing 8th notes (short notes) on the snare or cross stick and quarter notes (long notes) on toms. Don’t forget to apply the exercises in a musical context. Close the book and start improvising, creating your counter-rhythms.
As a variation of the foot ostinato, here are two left-foot hi-hat combinations.
Here’s the PDF of the lesson. Keep on drumming!
Francis' Drumming Blog 
3 thoughts on “Afro-Cuban 6/8 Counter-Rhythms Using Ted Reed’s Syncopation”