Very basic patterns for Arrasta

REP: repique
CAX: caixa
MSD: mid surdo
BSD: back surdo

For this tab pidgin, 'l' or 'L' means left hand, 'r' or 'R' means right hand, capital letters mean accents (play much louder).


Samba reggae 1:
REP: R l l R l l R l x l R l l R l l
CAX: R l r L r l R l r l R l r L r l
MSD: R           R           R L R L
BSD: L       H       L       H
     1       2       3       4

The 'x' in the repique rhythm means it can be played with either hand.  Beginners may prefer the left hand for consistency, but when playing very fast or for very long, swapping in the right hand can make this easier.
The repique can also play using the caixa sticking.


Samba reggae 2:
REP: R l r L r l R L r l R l R l r l
REP: R l l R l l R R l l R l R l l l  (alternate sticking, all accents right handed)
CAX: R l r L r l R L r l R l R l r l  (the same?)
MSD: ?
BSD: L       H       L       H
     1       2       3       4

Samba reggae 3:  (Repique/caixa are the same as samba reggae 2)
REP: R l r L r l R L r l R l R l r l
REP: R l l R l l R R l l R l R l l l  (alternate sticking, all accents right handed)
CAX: R l r L r l R L r l R l R l r l  (the same?)
MSD: ?
BSD: L       H       L       H
     1       2       3       4



These are harder to show in this simple tab:

Samba duro (note that we almost always start with a lead-in, not the "1"):
REP: R l R l l R l R l l R l l R l l
           4       1       2       3

Paul Simon (just rlrl all day, accenting every backbeat.  It's basically a rock beat.):
REP: r l R l r l R l r l R l r l R l
     1   +   2   +   3   +   4   +