There is no limit to the musical styles jazz tap can be applied to, the more challenging the better as you can learn a lot from an unfamiliar time signature than you can from a common 4:4 standard musical measure. Tap experience with unusual instruments also opens the mind to new possibilities and can add surprising new rhythms to your feet you would never have tried with other more familiar music.

The benefits can be really surprising, it can be a little off putting at first when you feel that you are unable to contribute to the music, but once you find the key to the rhythmic foundation of the music after constant exposure it will become second nature and be yet another string to your bow and a worth while achievement. Unless you explore the other avenues of musical diversity you will become trapped within your own musical limitations, unable to apply your self to other opportunities that may come your way.


I find it great practice, to tap along with Latin or any Afro-Cuban music as you can hear many simultaneous beats form the percussion instruments used in them. Many ideas can be obtained from listening and understanding the way the percussion instruments interact with the music, although this percussive music leaves very little space for tap contribution beat accents can be emphasised and you can change the rhythmic structure of the music with relatively small and simple effort. .

You don't have to keep up with the beat, it is more a case of thinking what will fit here and what riff can I add to complement the music. This is maybe some thing that beginners can try as it is not that technically demanding, as you can add as much or as little as you want. Listening and working with Latin percussive music, even just copying some of the rhythmic phrases you hear can be helpful because you can then modify them and then go on to inventing new ones.


With the advent of new UK music styles like 'Jungle music' and 'Drum and Bass', I have found it interesting to work with and develop a feel for this new dance music. Although these beats are really old 70's beats reworked, it is interesting to work with these rhythms as it keeps the mind active and in tune with what is going on musically and culturally..