Drum Circle

Hand drumming is an ancient art form, and the conga is no exception. The term 'conga' is an American translation for the Cuban drum term 'tumbadora'. Popularized when Latin and salsa music made its way into America, the conga drum is an easy to enjoy instrument. Anyone who picks up a conga drum will want to spend hours tapping away and experimenting with sounds. Although it may look like a simple instrument to pick up, playing the congas requires a certain technique that you can learn through practice.

Choose your conga drum by experimenting with several different types. You can buy wood or fiberglass congas. There are also different sizes of congas, and each size will produce a different sound. A Conguero will play up to 3 congas at a time, and each drum will have a different chord.

As you play your conga drum, you will find that you can create several different sounds and pitches. Begin learning to play by experimenting on your own. Slap down on the drum in the center with your palm, or tap the outside edges with your fingertips. You'll develop an ear for pitch and different sounds as you progress.

There are 5 simple strokes for playing congas. Using 4 fingers near the rim of the drum, you can create a clear, melodic sound. If you strike the same 4 fingers against the drum and hold them, you create a slightly muffled sound. These tones are otherwise known as open and muffled strokes. To achieve these tones, you can also hit the drum in a similar fashion with your knuckles, recoiling upward as you rhythmically beat the drum.

Bass tones are slightly different in that you use your full palm while beating the drum. Striking in this way can produce a low register, quiet sound. Alter your beats with finger taps to produce rhythm.

Slapping the drum creates a loud, snapping sound. Slapping is one of the hardest strokes to master, as you must cup your hand a specific way in order to create the right sound. Slapping can involve your fingers as well as the heel of your hand, and you can alternate fingers and heel to create a fast beat.

Touching is the last stroke, and involves simply touching the drumhead. As with slapping, you can alternate the fingers and the heel of the hand to achieve different sounds.

When playing the conga, you can get your entire body into the mix. Bend forward with your elbows to allow more pressure on your hands and you can create new sounds.

As you progress as a conga player, you can learn to use several congas together. Conga players have been known to beat on three drums and a bongo, creating a symphony of sound.

By tuning your conga, you can create different pitches of sound. Congas of the past were tuned by heating the skin on the drumhead. Fiberglass congas now have a screw and lug system, and you can adjust the tightness by adjusting the screws. Tune your conga in a clockwise rotation, adjusting for tone and pitch.

Practice is the key to becoming a successful conga player. Hand drumming has the reputation of looking simple, but to achieve a rhythm and accompany other musicians you will need to learn how to play properly. Remember, master conguero Armando Peraza, in an effort to fill a spot in a New York band, picked up the conga in one afternoon. Let yourself experience the music, and you will pick it up in no time.

Photo credit to Flickr member matravnos

Labels: Armando Peraza, conga, conga.drum, conga.drums, congas

Not unlike the pioneers of rock and roll, famous conguero are responsible for much of the beat in percussion we enjoy today. In this article, we recognize a handful of many famous conga players for their popular beats in both modern music as well as great music from the past.

Ray Barretto is one of the most recognized conga players. He's been called the Godfather of Latin Jazz or the King of Hard Hands. During his career in New York and beyond, he not only provided conga accompanying to bands like the Rolling Stones, he also scored his own hits such as "El Watusi." Barretto was an accomplished recording artist, and eventually went on to win a Grammy for one of his albums. His career spanned both the creation of a fusion band as well as multiple solo efforts. The unique style that Barretto displayed when playing the congas translated into his future influence over both Latin jazz and salsa.

If you enjoy the soothing beats of two or three congos at one time, you have Candido Camero to thank. Camero hailed from Cuba and moved to New York to work with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie. Originally congueros played one drum at a time, but Candido choose to play two or three congas, along with a side bongo. Candido is still wowing the crowds at the age of 88, as he tours New York.

Armando Peraza is a Cuban percussionist with long time ties to modern music through Carlos Santana and jazz pianist George Shearing. Peraza was a young man with no experience when, looking to fulfill a spot in a band that needed a conga player, he taught himself the conga in one afternoon. Peraza is a long-standing member of the group Santana, and has also played with Peggy Lee and Eric Clapton.

Carlos 'Patato' Valdes was not so much a recording artist as he was an instrumental part in creating the modern conga drum. Valdes pioneered the metal ring that is affixed to the body of the conga, which allowed the user to tighten the skin in order to provide proper tuning of the instrument. His invention was patented under the name "Patato" model, and is used by modern bands to this day. Created from fiberglass, the Patato design is for a tall drum with a wide belly and small bottom. Valdes is also known for pioneering a melodic drum sound.

All of these players have mastered the art of creating conga rhythms that entrance the listener. For more information:

LP Patato Model Congas
LP Accents Armando Peraza Series Congas
LP Candido Camero Conga

Labels: Armando Peraza, Candido Camero, conga, conga.drums, congas, LP, Patato, Ray Barretto