The History and Role of Percussion in Reggae Music

The Legends and Percussion Notation Examples

Percussion is the heartbeat of reggae music. While bass and drums get most of the attention, it’s the tambourines, woodblocks, shakers, and hand drums that add vibe, texture, and pulse. These rhythms don’t just sit in the background—they shape the soul of the riddim.

In dub, roots, ska, and steppers, percussion creates movement, builds tension, and adds hypnotic swing. From the mystical Nyabinghi drums to the subtle tambourine shuffle, percussion in reggae is always deliberate, spiritual, and effective.

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A Brief History of Reggae Percussion

African Roots

Jamaican percussion owes much to West and Central African traditions. Drums were tools of communication and spirituality. These traditions evolved into Kumina, Pocomania, and Mento, all of which carried hand percussion into popular music.

Nyabinghi Drumming

At the core of Rastafarian culture lies Nyabinghi drumming—a ceremonial style using three drums:

• Thunder – deep bass

• Funde – steady mid rhythm

• Repeater (Akete) – high-pitched improvisation

This rhythm entered popular reggae through artists like Count Ossie, Ras Michael, and later Burning Spear and Bob Marley.

Studio Boom of the 70s

The 1970s reggae explosion saw percussionists become studio staples, with their parts often drenched in reverb and echo by producers like Lee "Scratch" Perry, King Tubby, and Joe Gibbs.

Even as digital production grew in the 80s, percussion remained a crucial human element layered over drum machines and synths.

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Reggae Percussion Instruments Breakdown

Some commonly used percussion instruments. The list below can be used in any way and groove. Included a few suggestions based on how they’ve been used in roots reggae during the 70s.

Bongos - used for fills & call/response.

Congas - Great for adding repetition accents to enhance the groove.

Shakers - helps accentuate the hihats and overall groove, much like tambourines. Mix tips - I’ll tend to pan somewhere in the 9-11 or 1-3 o’clock position and slightly tucked into the mix so you feel it more than hear it.

Tambourine- Again, it reinforces the groove and adds more definition to the overall feel of the track. Tambourines sit same general frequency range as hi-hats, I’ll use one or two tambourines. For one tambourine, I may pan it centre to sit in with the hi-hat groove and with two, pan hard right and hard left and blend them into the mix similarly to the shaker - you feel them more than hear them.

Woodblock - Dry “clack” sound for offbeat hits or echoes. Used less frequently but are really great for adding accents to a track and with their tone, ride in the middle-upper frequency range and can be tucked in to the mix as well. I’ll usually pan to one side or the other - finding an open space in the mix where it lifts the track and doesn’t clash with other track elements is done by ear.

Cowbell - Syncopated accent, especially in steppers. I love a good cowbell.

Nyabinghi Drums - Thunder (bass), Funde (steady), Repeater (improv).

Afuche/ Cabasa - Metallic scraping texture, used in roots & dub. Another go-to percussion instrument to add texture and groove.

There’s many additional percussive instruments that can be used - there’s no rule. The above are some of the most common ones. Triangle, Guiro, Flextone, Whistles, Finger Cymbals etc..

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A Few Iconic Reggae Percussionists

Alvin “Seeco” Patterson

The Backbone of The Wailers’ Groove

Background:
Born Francisco Willie in Havana, Cuba in 1930, Alvin Patterson was raised in Kingston, Jamaica. Nicknamed “Seeco” (a Jamaican pronunciation of Francisco), he began as a box drummer in early sound systems before joining Bob Marley & The Wailers as their main percussionist in the early 1970s.

Seeco’s style was steady, subtle, and deeply musical—never flashy, but always felt. He was one of the few core members of the Tuff Gong inner circle, playing live and in studio from Catch A Fire through Marley’s final performances.

A look at some of the percussion parts Secco played on Sun Is Shining

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Noel “Skully” Simms

Pioneer Jamaican Studio Percussionist

• Early Career:
  Skully Simms began as a singer in the early 1950s. He recorded mento, ska, and R&B duets with Arthur "Bunny" Robinson under the name Simms & Robinson, also known as Bunny & Skully.

• Transition to Percussion:
  By the late 1960s and 1970s, Skully became one of Jamaica’s most in-demand studio percussionists, especially noted for his work at Studio One, Black Ark, and with roots reggae producers.

• Instruments & Style:
  Known for his shaker rhythms, tambourine shuffles, woodblock textures, and African-influenced hand percussion, his style brought a human, organic pulse to many roots recordings.

• Artists He Worked With:

  • Bob Marley & The Wailers

  • Peter Tosh

  • Burning Spear

  • Lee "Scratch" Perry

  • John Holt

  • The Gladiators

  • Max Romeo

  • The Congos

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Uziah “Sticky” Thompson

Legendary Jamaican Percussionist (1936–2014)

• Background:
  Born in 1936 in Kingston, Jamaica, Uziah “Sticky” Thompson began his career as a singer in the duo The Righteous Flames before becoming one of Jamaica’s top percussionists in the 1970s and beyond.

• Signature Style:
  Sticky was known for his tight cowbell syncopation, cabasa rhythms, and deep layering of hand percussion that added dimension to reggae, funk, and pop recordings. His playing was precise, groove-focused, and often subtly woven into the fabric of the mix rather than being flashy.

• Notable Artists He Worked With:

  • Peter Tosh

  • Black Uhuru

  • Jimmy Cliff

  • Culture

  • The Rolling Stones

  • Grace Jones

  • Sly & Robbie

  • Agustus Pablo

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Herman Davis aka Bongo Herman

• • Born on September 16, 1944, in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in the Trench Town area, a hub for musical talent.

• Musical Beginnings:

  • Started performing in the late 1950s, appearing on the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour and engaging in Kingston's vibrant live music scene.

• Nyabinghi Drumming:

  • Deeply rooted in Nyabinghi, the spiritual drumming tradition of the Rastafari movement. This style is characterized by the use of three drums: the bass (Thunder), fundeh, and repeater (akete), creating rhythms used in religious ceremonies and influencing reggae music.

• Notable Performances:

  • Performed during the visit of Emperor Haile Selassie to Jamaica in 1966, a significant event in Rastafarian history.

• Recording Career:

  • Began recording in 1969, forming a duo with Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont, producing hits like "Know For I" in 1971.

• Live Street Performances:

  • Known for his engaging street performances, often incorporating unconventional instruments like chamber pots and enamel chimneys, showcasing his creativity and connection with audiences.

• Legacy:

  • Recognized as a master percussionist, Bongo Herman's influence spans decades, contributing significantly to the development and global appreciation of reggae and Nyabinghi music.

Notable Artist He Worked With

• Barrington Levy

• Dennis Brown

• Abyssinians

• Prince Far I

• Alton Ellis

• Yabby You

• Horace Andy

• Willi Williams

• Tapper Zukie

• Lee “Scratch” Perry

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A Few Percussion Patterns Idea (TAB)

🔸 Tambourine

Tempo: 70–80 BPM | Style: Roots, Lovers Rock

| Beat | 1 & | 2 & | 3 & | 4 & |

|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| Hit | X | | X X | X |

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Cowbell

Tempo: 80–90 BPM | Style: Steppers, Dub

| Beat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| Hit | X | | X | X |

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Woodblock – “Dub Accent”

Tempo: 70–90 BPM | Style: Dub, Roots

| Beat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| Hit | | X | | X |

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Shaker – “Swing Pulse”

Tempo: 76–86 BPM | Style: All Styles

| Beat | 1 e & a | 2 e & a | 3 e & a | 4 e & a |

|----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|

| Hit | x x x x | x x x x | x x x x | x x x x |

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Bongos – “Call and Response”

Tempo: 70–80 BPM | Style: One-Drop

| Beat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| High | | | X | |

| Low | | X | | |

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Nyabinghi

Tempo: 70–80 BPM | Style: Spiritual Roots
Note: The hits usually have a double tap to them - hitting on the 1 & 3. See video above.

| Drum | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| Thunder | X | | X | |

| Funde | x | | x | |

| Repeater | (freestyle/improv fills) |

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Seeco-Inspired Groove Patterns

Tambourine Groove – "Rastaman Bounce"

Album Reference: Rastaman Vibration, “Roots Rock Reggae”
Tempo: 78–82 BPM | Style: One-Drop / Roots

| Beat | 1 & | 2 & | 3 & | 4 & |

|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| Hit | | X | | X |

Shaker Pulse – "Exodus Glide"

Album Reference: Exodus, “Jamming”, “Three Little Birds”
Tempo: 76–80 BPM | Style: Groove Layer

| Beat | 1 e & a | 2 e & a | 3 e & a | 4 e & a |

|----------|---------|---------|---------|---------|

| Hit | x x x x | x x x x | x x x x | x x x x |

Woodblock Pop – "Seeco Secco"

Album Reference: Survival, “Zimbabwe” and Live!
Tempo: 80–86 BPM | Style: Dub & Stage Accent

| Beat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

|----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|

| Hit | | X | | X |

Bonus FX Tip – The Seeco Sound

Seeco’s percussion parts were often:

• Low in the mix, but always felt

• Drenched in spring or plate reverb

• Occasionally fed through delay returns during live dub mixing

Listen to “Positive Vibration”, “War”, or “Africa Unite” to hear his grooves ride the riddim without overpowering it.

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DAW Tutorial: How to Use These in Your Projects

➤ Setup:

• Create separate tracks for each instrument (tambourine, cowbell, etc.)

• Use real samples or percussion VSTs (ex: Kontakt, Addictive Drums)

➤ Programming:

• Use a 16th-note grid

• Add velocity variation for realism

• Apply swing (56–60%) on shakers and tambourines

➤ FX Tips:

• Tambourine → stereo plate reverb

• Cowbell → slapback delay

• Repeater drum → tape echo with automation

• Woodblock → ping-pong delay for dub sections

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