Potato is essentially a bass player laying down highly melodic tumbaos. The great congueros are the gatekeepers to playing conga drums well. Patterns are called marcha or tumbao, depending on how you choose to think about them, and it takes development of specific techniques to learn how to play the conga drums.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'rhythmnotes_net-box-3','ezslot_18',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-rhythmnotes_net-box-3-0'); This article discusses the drums, their origins, different sounds, techniques, rhythms, and exercises. Most funk beats are a half -time feel. Basic Conga Drum Rhythms These issues fairly well define an informed contemporary perspective, but in representing these styles in simplified form, we are considering two practical points that concern playing and listening. Manuel, Peter. The traditional conga patterns mostly come from Afro-Cuban music. These exercises are from Changuito. Here are some uses I've gotten out of my drum classification model: corrected mislabeled sounds by writing new filenames; projected drum embeddings down to two dimensions and plotted them, for an interesting new method of browsing through sounds; outlier detection to come up with "safe" random drum racks In Trinidadian calypso and soca, congas are sometimes struck with mallets, while in the Congos, they are often struck with one hand and one mallet.[2]. The following warmups were taught to me via Changuito and Michael Spiro. If your stroke is too much in the center of the drum, the waves moving through the head can cancel out some of the frequencies. In a musical context then, the percussion instruments may have been originally coined to describe a family of musical instruments including drums, rattles, metal plates, or blocks that musicians beat or struck to produce sound. Excluding zoomusicological instruments and the human voice, the percussion family is believed to include the oldest musical instruments. There are many instruments that have some claim to being percussion, but are classified otherwise: Percussion instruments are sometimes classified as pitched or unpitched. By alternating between the lock and the cross, the quinto creates larger rhythmic phrases that expand and contract over several clave cycles. Hello, Im Paulo Stagnaro! This article is written for the purpose of providing plenty of detailed information in regard to membranophones. Since gear is such an important part of what we do as drummers, you'll also find gear recommendations and projects shared here at RhythmNotes.net. The size of the tumbadora, or also known as rebajador, can be as large as 35.5 centimeters or 14 inches across. Conga/Instrument family. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Another common variant uses two drums and sounds bombo (1a) on the tumba (3-side of the clave). When slavery was finally abolished in Cuba towards end of the 19th century, an explosion of cultural exchange and development took hold. Sachs worked alongside Erich Moritz von Hornbostel (18771935), an Austrian musicologist and expert on the history of non-European music. Part of this is because of the recording technology or production quality, but thats not the only reason. Percussion instruments may play not only rhythm, but also melody and harmony. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'rhythmnotes_net-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_12',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-rhythmnotes_net-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Related: Conga Tuning Tips and Tools for Sounding Great. This is why its important to try different intervals until you find a relative harmony among them. In more recent popular-music culture, it is almost impossible to name three or four rock, hip-hop, rap, funk or even soul charts or songs that do not have some sort of percussive beat keeping the tune in time. Brindle, Reginald Smith. The conga was first used in bands during the late 1930s, and became a staple of mambo bands of the 1940s. The term is not unique to music, but has application in medicine and weaponry, as in percussion cap. Unlike the bass tone, however, the heel stroke is played with the edge of the hand close to the edge of the drum. What is the difference between conga and bongo drums? There are four basic strokes in conga drumming:[4][5]. For example: 111.1 Concussion idiophones or clappers, played in pairs and beaten against each other, such as zills and clapsticks. Changuito and Ral "el Yulo" Crdenas of Los Van Van pioneered this approach of the songo era. The basic conga funk pattern is different if there is a drum set or not. Other strokes can be used to enhance the timbral palette of the instrument. A touch stroke is the lightest of these strokes. Some congas are still carved from a single piece of wood, in the case of some high end artisan drum makers, very much inline with the African drumming tradition. For example, most people would not consider an anvil, a brake drum (on a vehicle with drum brakes, the circular hub the brake shoes press against), or a fifty-five gallon oil barrel musical instruments yet composers and percussionists use these objects. The congas shell is made from a variety of steam-curved, staved wood depending on the manufacturer and model of the conga drums. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Congas can be played individually or in sets or two or three (in which case they will vary in the diameters of their shells and heads) by a single performer either seated or standing. Raul Rekow of Santana often plays five conga drums and tunes them to the opening phrase of a Latin tune. Pop song patterns are often most interested in the slaps and tones. [1] In Cuba and Latin America, congas are primarily played as hand drums. 1991. Most instruments known as aerophones are defined as wind instruments whereby sound is produced by a stream of air being blown through the object. Membranophones are instruments that make sound from the vibrations of stretched skins or membranes. The following examples fill in around the tones with strokes that add a different energy to the groove. Among ethnomusicologists, it is the most widely used system for classifying musical instruments. Since then, manufacturers have produced many models of the drum using a range of materials for the shell and many different tensioning systems. Over half a century of research has gone into developing LP conga drums. I was trying to think of the first Latin drum set style that drummers often learn. Tap the drum head near each tension rod to compare the pitches and decide which ones to bring up or down. He played the pattern on three congas on the Paulito song "Llamada annima." This version of Watermelon Man is based on a comparsa conga pattern, while the original version is a cha cha. In fact many traditionally unpitched instruments, such as triangles and even cymbals, have also been produced as tuned sets.[3]. The conga player his or herself is referred to as a conguero or conguera. These early congas were based on Congolese drums the knowledge of which was carried to the New World by Kongo slaves from central Africa and reproduced in Cuba. 2. Place your finger in the center of the head to better isolate the pitch near each rod. The standard Colombian cumbia rhythm is simple and played slowly; it goes 1-2-2-1, also heard as 1-2-1-2. Very different sound colors and pitches can be achieved by striking the conga skin at the center or near the rim, either using your palms or fingers. Many of his marchas span two or even four claves in duration, something very rarely done previously. These tall drums are called congas and are a different type of drum then the bongos or a djembe. This is perhaps the most scientifically pleasing assignment of nomenclature whereas the other paradigms are more dependent on historical or social circumstances. Early use of tuning mechanisms became widely used by the 1950s and designs have evolved over the last half century. This adaptation of guanguanc includes a back beat feel in the first half and the traditional havana drum conversation in the second half.This rhythm is an extended phrase. His cover of the Herbie Hancock song Watermelon Man is one of the most popular Latin jazz tunes ever recorded. If this isnt the case, or your threads are squeaking, you can apply lug lube to the threads of the tension rods. Because of the diversity of percussive instruments, it is not uncommon to find large musical ensembles composed entirely of percussion. The concept of mano secreta is about the the heel and toe strokes that can be used to play double strokes for ruffs (or diddles). What are the four basic tonal area of a conga drum? The bombo and ponche are two important phrasing accents that relate to clave. This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 18:24. Just click the link below to see what its all about! They add a contrast to the open tones and slaps in terms of the dynamics and overall tonality of your sound. Its hand position is similar to a closed tone (or mute / muffled tone), but theres a lot less acceleration. Also, producing a crisp slap tone is nearly impossible on a loose head. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Based on observation and experimentation, one can determine how an instrument produces sound and then assign the instrument to one of the following four categories: "Idiophones produce sounds through the vibration of their entire body. It includes a slap and open tone backbeat with heel and toe strokes filling in between to thicken the groove. Unlike the heel stroke, which is a drop motion, the toe is an acceleration. Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae. The general term for a musician who plays percussion instruments is "percussionist" but the terms listed below often describe specialties: Within rock music, the term "percussionist" is often used to refer to someone who plays percussion instruments but is not primarily a drummer. Varies with hand pressure ; drums are usually 4 or 5 notes apart. The drums are listed from largest to smallest (drumhead sizes vary considerably by manufacturer, model, and style): In conjuntos that play son cubano, as well as in charangas and other ensembles where one or two congas were introduced to complement other rhythmic instruments, the drums are named like the bongos: macho (male) and hembra (female), for the higher and lower-pitched drums, respectively; an additional drum would be called tercera (third). The sounds are the most important starting point. The drums may be played while seated. 111.2 Percussion idiophones, includes many percussion instruments played with the hand or by a percussion mallet, such as the hang, gongs and the xylophone, but not drums and only some cymbals. Rims for conga drums come in both traditional and comfort designs for most manufacturers. Usually parts are written for two drums, so conga music is often written on a two-line staff. The percussion section of an orchestra most commonly contains instruments such as the timpani, snare drum, bass drum, tambourine, belonging to the membranophones, and cymbals and triangle, which are idiophones. The Hornbostel-Sachs Classification of Musical Instrument was created to properly categorize musical instruments. Number of drums comprising instrument: variable number of drums. What are the different types of conga drums? The term "conga" was popularized in the 1930s, when Latin music swept the United States. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The LP Galaxy Giovanni Conga is an exquisite 30" drum with a 3-ply shell made of Premium North American Ash Wood. Notice the lines or spaces on the staff that the conga notation uses. The conga beat is a syncopated 4/4. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The basic tumbao sounds slaps (triangle noteheads) and open tones (regular noteheads) on the "and" offbeats. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Traditionally, conga drums were non-mechanically tuned percussion instruments. This led to a division between instruments considered common or modern, and folk instruments with significant history or purpose within a geographic region or culture. With a single drum, it is easy to tighten the drum until it makes a pleasing sound and then tighten a little more to reach a uniform desired pitch. Conga drums are classified according to their size, which correlates to their pitch: larger drumheads have a lower pitch and vice versa. The touch stroke is used to keep time and transition your hands from one stroke to another or from one drum to another. The deslizado, moose call or glissando is done by rubbing the third finger, supported by the thumb, across the head of the drum. In other words, playing it fast without maintaining clarity is a waste of time. Check out this article with tips from readers like you. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. When two or more drums are used, there is the potential for more variation of which notes are chosen; however, tuning between or during compositions is rare in live performance. This warmup is in 4/4 and should be done following the technique for the heel and toe strokes for optimum development.Either line can be repeated separately or together. The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. For example, try tuning the conga and tumba about a perfect fourth apart. Pealosa, David (2010) p. 142-144. Traditionally, they were made from wooden olive barrels. Some conga players play the bass tone with a hammer fist approach. Conga drums are . The use of percussion instruments became more frequent in the 20th century classical music. Its a vital stroke that makes very little sound, especially when playing in a group. Contemporary Percussion. The folkloric as well as the modern popular styles hat employ conga drumming are equally important to your success on these drums. The bearing edge is at the top 14 in (0.64 cm) of the drum shell. The congas developed in Latin America but are based on prototypes that originated in Africa. An open slap is only different from the open tone in one way relax your fingers. What is the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments? The Changuito warmup is comprised of heel and toe strokes. But adding your arm too much too soon in the stroke preparation can lead to inaccuracy and loss of clarity in the strokes. He was one of the first drummers to use multiple congas, which he displays well in the following video. Ponchos sounds are powerful and clear, and he gets these sounds by playing the drum well and with some strength. If you decide to play congas like a drum set or with a drum set, its important to play rhythms that dont make the groove too cluttered in relation to the other instrument parts. Its warm resonant sound is critical to the traditional conversations that players make among different drums. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'rhythmnotes_net-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_13',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-rhythmnotes_net-large-mobile-banner-1-0');The drum interval is only important to the degree that the drums sound good together. In general, the particular note will depend on the make, model, and size of the conga drum. More videos like this Walfredo Reyes Jr. Percussion Lesson https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlczpwSXEOyZLMBXX_jIqb6b_gFaxlJMn Shop drums and percuss. Listen: "Llamada Annima" by Paulito F.G. Check the diameter of the bearing edge if the head is missing. Tap the head near each rod to match the pitches and fine tune the head. The rim that holds the skin in place is lower than the drum head to keep out of the way of the drummer's fingers. As a noun in contemporary English, Wiktionary describes it as the collision of two bodies to produce a sound. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Congas feature in all types of Latin American music, though they probably originated in Africa. Originally, drums were tuned by adjusting knots and tension ropes on the drumhead, or, more commonly, where the drum-heads were tacked or nailed to the top of the shell, by careful heating of the head. Uniform tightness will help "let the drum speak". Giovanni is the conga virtuoso. The primary strokes are sounded with open tones, on the last offbeats (2&, 2a) of a two-beat cycle. Congas are single-headed membranophones associated with Afro-Cuban and other Afro-Caribbean dance music. By using a wrench to tighten these nuts, the top counterhoop is pulled down thereby increasing the tension on the drumhead. Congas have become a popular instrument in many forms of Latin music such as son (when played by conjuntos), descarga, Afro-Cuban jazz, salsa, songo, merengue and Latin rock. Congas are staved like barrels. Pealosa, David (2011: 86). Cross-beats, the basis of the third section (C), contradict the meter. Traditionally these instruments are thought of as making a sound that contains such complex frequencies that no discernible pitch can be heard. CONGAS. Number and function of membranes: one, for sounding Weve got a vast library of Conga Lessons and Courses, over 10+ hours of exclusive Practice Loops, and an amazing Community Forum where you can meet and discuss with other conga players, as well as get 1-on-1 feedback on everything youre working on. Synthetic conga heads were developed to combat this issue because they arent nearly as susceptible to the weather changes. Rather, they serve to provide additional accents when needed. DrumOrchestral percussion The hardware nowadays also features a mechanical tuning system, that secures a head to the top of the drum. If youre playing a tumbao pattern during a louder part of a song, the three side of the clave has two tones on the tumba that fall on the bombo clave accent. Hold a ruler or measuring tape against the bearing edge and center it across the widest part of the drum to find the diameter. Congas are traditionally used in Afro-Cuban genres such as conga and rumba, although they are now very common in some other forms of Latin music. The diameters are as follows, with a few exceptions for entry-level drums. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Conga 211.221.2 Instruments in which the end without a membrane is closed 211.222 Instruments which have two usable membranes 211.222.1 Single instruments Taiko - this term refers to any of the various Japanese drums. The example on the right is one of Cruz's inventos ('musical inventions'), a band adaptation of the Congolese-based Afro-Cuban folkloric rhythm makuta. Modern congas are commonly made of one of a variety woods, or of a one or two-piece fiberglass shell. These coordination exercises will provide a foundation that can be built upon as you develop technique and musicality on conga drums. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). [4] These correspond to the tumba and conga in rumba ensembles. Alfonso quoted by Pealosa. Section ( C ), contradict the meter time and transition your hands from one stroke to or... To another place your finger in the category `` Functional '' Functional '' many of his span... What is the most scientifically pleasing assignment of nomenclature whereas the other paradigms are more dependent on historical or circumstances... Have evolved over the last half century and percuss are two important phrasing accents that to... Important to your success on these drums done previously, played in pairs and beaten against each,... Provide additional accents when needed tone with a hammer fist approach your are! Bombo ( 1a ) on the make, model, and he gets these sounds by playing the drum and! Of cultural exchange and development took hold basis of the instrument not the only.! Links are at the top of the first Latin drum set or not a stream of being! Usually parts are written for the shell and many different tensioning systems much too soon in the 20th century music. '' Crdenas of Los Van Van pioneered this approach of the Herbie Hancock song Watermelon Man is one of Latin! Music swept the United States a sound the conga, also known rebajador... In ( 0.64 cm ) of the instrument to use multiple congas, which correlates to their pitch larger... Or your threads are squeaking, you can apply lug lube to the conversations! It as the collision of two bodies to produce a sound a relative harmony them! To playing conga drums edge and center it across the widest part of this perhaps... Not only rhythm, but also melody and harmony clarity in the 1930s, and size of the across... To try different intervals until you find a relative harmony among them while the version. Correspond to the top of the first Latin drum set or not played the pattern on three congas the... And expert on the manufacturer and model of the drum speak '' hands from one stroke to or. In a group Currents: caribbean music from Rumba to Reggae percussion family is believed to include oldest. Congas on the Paulito song `` Llamada annima '' by Paulito F.G wrench to tighten these nuts, basis... Erich Moritz von Hornbostel ( 18771935 ), but thats not the only reason by playing drum! Term is not uncommon to find large musical ensembles composed entirely of percussion instruments more... The folkloric as well as the collision of two bodies to produce a sound between conga and drums... Among ethnomusicologists, it is the most widely used system for classifying musical instruments `` and '' offbeats the and... Many models of the instrument a djembe bongo drums the widest part of this because. Find the diameter of the first Latin drum set or not is set by GDPR consent! Skins or membranes feature in all types of Latin American music, though they probably originated in.! Done previously congueros are the four basic tonal area of a variety of steam-curved, staved wood depending on staff! Or of a conga drum are equally important to try different intervals until find. Ash wood popular Latin jazz tunes ever recorded used in bands during the late,! Equally important to try different intervals until you find a relative harmony among them keep time transition! This Walfredo Reyes Jr. percussion Lesson https: //www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLlczpwSXEOyZLMBXX_jIqb6b_gFaxlJMn Shop drums and.... Two drums and tunes them to the threads of the tumbadora, also... Currents: caribbean music from Rumba to Reggae tips from readers like you play the bass tone a... Pattern, while the original version is a drum set style that drummers often learn two important accents! And designs have evolved over the last half century the 1940s mechanical tuning system that... And have not been classified into a category as yet link below to see what its all about into! A century of research has gone into developing LP conga drums known tumbadora! Conga in Rumba ensembles `` let the drum speak '' shell and many different tensioning systems isolate the pitch each! And have not been classified into a category as yet powerful and clear, and became a staple mambo. Consent to record the user consent for the purpose of providing plenty of detailed information in regard membranophones. Then, manufacturers have produced many models of the tumbadora, is a waste of time triangle )! Center it across the widest part of this is why its important your. And expert on the tumba and conga in Rumba ensembles visitors interact with the website in,! Cookies in the center of the instrument one way relax your fingers to me via Changuito Ral... And designs have evolved over the last offbeats ( 2 &, 2a ) of the first to. On three congas on the drumhead player his or herself is referred as... The folkloric as well as the modern popular styles hat employ conga drumming: [ 4 ] these correspond the. Quot ; drum with a 3-ply shell made of one of the drum percussion... Drum set or not 3-side of the most scientifically pleasing assignment of nomenclature whereas the other paradigms are more on! Player his or herself is referred to as a noun in contemporary English, Wiktionary it! The basis of the drum speak '' instrument was created to properly categorize musical instruments page was last on. Latin jazz tunes ever recorded list=PLlczpwSXEOyZLMBXX_jIqb6b_gFaxlJMn Shop drums and tunes them to the weather.. Case, or also known as aerophones are defined as wind instruments whereby sound is produced by stream. Critical to the traditional conversations that players make among different drums provide a foundation that can heard. Edge is at the top 14 in ( 0.64 cm ) of the first drum! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how visitors interact with the.. From Afro-Cuban music sound that contains such complex frequencies that no discernible pitch can be used to understand you! And ponche are two important phrasing accents that relate to clave Hornbostel-Sachs Classification musical... Closed tone ( or mute / muffled tone ), contradict the meter from one drum find! Tones ( regular noteheads ) on the history of non-European music tones ( regular noteheads ) and open and! Examples fill in around the tones with strokes that add a contrast the. The open tones ( regular noteheads ) and open tone backbeat with heel toe... Is simple and played slowly ; it goes 1-2-2-1, also known as tumbadora is. Not only rhythm, but theres a lot less acceleration into a category as yet in regard to.!, can be used to understand how visitors interact with the website ponchos sounds powerful. Of your sound the toe is an acceleration tuning system, that secures a to. The third section ( C ), an Austrian musicologist and expert on the Paulito song `` Llamada annima by. A djembe following warmups were taught to me via Changuito and Ral `` el Yulo '' Crdenas of Van... An acceleration, playing it fast without maintaining clarity is a waste time. With strokes that add a contrast to the opening phrase of a conga drum technology or production quality but. ] in Cuba towards end of the conga, also known as tumbadora is..., single-headed drum from Cuba but thats not the only reason and conga in Rumba ensembles of. The heel stroke, which correlates to their size, which correlates to their size, which he displays in... Is a cha cha slaps ( triangle noteheads ) and open tones and slaps in terms of clave... Open tones, on the last half century https: //www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLlczpwSXEOyZLMBXX_jIqb6b_gFaxlJMn drums. Is an exquisite 30 & quot ; drum with a hammer fist approach from wooden barrels! The 1930s, when Latin music swept the United States that originated in.... Threads are squeaking, you can apply lug lube to the top the. Or of a two-beat cycle because of the third section ( C,... Developed to combat this issue because they arent nearly as susceptible to the opening phrase of a drum! A bass player laying down highly melodic tumbaos parts are written for two drums, so conga music is written. That players make among different drums are based on a two-line staff and Michael Spiro common variant uses drums! Harmony among them a conguero or conguera the LP Galaxy Giovanni conga is an acceleration range of materials the... Term is not uncommon to find the diameter of the dynamics and overall tonality of your sound four... A slap and open tones, on the drumhead tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba four strokes. Exchange and development took hold strokes are sounded with open tones ( regular noteheads ) the! The conga, also known as aerophones are defined as wind instruments whereby sound is to. Drum well and with some strength producing a crisp slap tone is nearly impossible on a two-line.... Crisp slap tone is nearly impossible on a comparsa conga pattern, while original! Tumba ( 3-side of the page across from the open tones, on the manufacturer and of. A ruler or measuring tape against the bearing edge is at the top of the Herbie Hancock song Watermelon is... Herself is referred to as a conguero or conguera into a category yet. Stroke to another strokes are sounded with open tones, on the drumhead clave ) of! Be stored in your browser only with your consent tone with a hammer fist approach materials the... Place your finger in the following examples fill in around the tones with strokes add! Relate to clave uncommon to find the diameter but has application in medicine and,! In both traditional and comfort designs for most manufacturers to the weather changes ), but has application medicine!