At Batida Rio, new starters are welcome to come and try us at any point in the year. However, we appreciate that during the Samba season between April and August, it can get very busy for us, making learning from scratch challenging or intimidating.
So, every year from September, we run an 8-week Beginner’s Course. This course will introduce you to Samba, group drumming, and music skills.
We offer a variety of instruments to learn, and we’ll teach you the basics of any chosen instrument. You can also switch instruments if your first choice isn’t right for you.
Spaces on our courses are strictly limited so book now to avoid disappointment!
2024 Course Details
Start Date: Thursday 5th September 2024
Finish Date: Thursday 24th October 2024
Cost: £30.00
The Batida Rio Beginner’s Course includes;
- An introduction to Brazilian Samba, its history, and how it has evolved to what we play today
- An introduction to the Brazilian samba instruments that we play
- An opportunity to choose your preferred instrument
- A full introduction to the core techniques of the Samba instruments, how to play them safely and comfortably
- Playing with others, how to listen and adapt to the sound around you
- The basics of how bands of this size are led
- Introduction to the core rhythms of 1-2 of Batida Rio’s actual pieces, so you’ll be able to jump right in if you choose to join the group
No previous experience is required. Don’t think you have rhythm? Never played music before? We’ll show you the basics and have you playing rhythms by the end of the first session!
Guidance for Attendees
- Please aim to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the session so we can register you and get you ready to play.
- Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes and dress for light to medium activity. Samba drumming can be quite a workout, particularly for those not used to it!
- Bring a water bottle. There is a shop nearby where you can buy water if you need it, and the building does have drinking water as well, but it’s important to stay hydrated.
- No equipment is necessary, and please do not bring your own instruments unless you have checked with us first. This is to ensure you’re using the right drums and sticks for the style of music we teach and play.
- We can cater for all abilities, but please let us know if you have any particular requirements beforehand so we can provide you with appropriate equipment, such as drum stands, headphones, or other considerations.
- Bear in mind that samba drumming is loud. We provide earplugs for hearing protection, which we highly recommend, but you are welcome to bring your own.
- An adult must accompany attendees under 16, and due to the size of the equipment, we recommend a minimum recommended age of 12 for safety.
- Attendees are welcome to stay at the end of each session if they want to try the full group from 7-9 pm! Please bear in mind that there is an additional cost to our standard sessions of £5 per session.
- This course is also available to existing Batida Rio members who wish to improve their skills on existing instruments or learn new instruments, but remember that these courses are taught and paced with complete beginners in mind.
Additional Terms and Conditions
Full terms and conditions of our normal sessions are available here
- Booking is only available via the link provided above for non-members. Pay-on-the-door is available for these sessions.
- The course fee is non-refundable and due in full before starting the course at the link above. Payments cannot be deferred for alternative dates or arrangements..