This book is for advanced hand drummers who want to play complex solos using simple sequences of hand strokes. Whether you play Djembe, conga, or ashiko, the practical hand-pattern strategies explained here will help you get the most out of your hands with the least amount of effort. And whether you want to solo in a traditional African or Afro-Cuban ensemble, in a drum circle, in a band, or in your living room along with your favorite CDs, Secrets of the Hand will help you take your playing to the next level.

The book is organized into two main sections. The first covers the five basic hand-pattern strategies and the second covers five strategies for creating the illusion of speed. Each new strategy builds on the ones before it. And while you're learning the strategies, you'll also be learning over a hundred patterns that should be a fountain of ideas for you when you solo.

Who this book is for and how it works
The charts and the count
Part 1: The five basic hand-pattern strategies
 Lead with your strong hand
 Use ghost notes sparingly
 Alternate hands as much as possible
 Play repeatng figures the same way every time
 Camouflage with alternating pairs
Part 2: Five strategies for creating the illusion of speed
 Create a ripple effect with two sixteenth notes or an eighth-note triplet
 Get dense and intense with four-stroke figures
 Lead with your strong hand on faster strokes
 Leave space around a flam
 Use the compression trick to create complex cross-rhythms the easy way
Glossary