Conga Drumming Do's and Don'ts for Beginners

[@patrickfarley8036]

Meditative and strength building are exactly why I started playing conga. I'm a set drummer of over 50 years and a degenerative back disease has all but taken my ability to play the kit to my liking. As a result I haven't been in such a great place in my soul. I don't like to use the word "depression" but more like a mournfulness has been trying to take up residence in my spirit where music once thrived! I've had congas and timbales and timbalitos and a host of other percussion in my drum studio for decades and honestly never got serious about any of them before the start of this year. They were great for recordings and grabbing one to take to a fireside jam but I never connected to them as I find myself doing now. But my wife bought me a Bodhran for Christmas with a nice padded case and tipper and picking that up has sparked something in me. Funny, as I'm writing this, I can equate it much to like having lost ones spouse, going through that sadness and uncertainty and then finding a new partner. Albeit with some trepidation. That's about how I feel putting time into my folk percussion instruments. I can only hope I'll find my stride on them, but in the meantime I will accept with great appreciation the benefits of healing they can offer. Spiritually as well as physically. If I may offer a tip to others about practice time on any instrument, I would say if you have a metronome use it if only to get use to a click track, but the best thing to listen to while doing your rudimentary exercises are records, CDs, mp3s, etc. Don't play the song, play your exercise over that song. Keep it steady and don't deviate from your pattern. You'll calibrate your internal metronome very quickly plus you will learn so much more about playing you'd have never even thought to ask before. It would seem I was meant to find this video today! Thanks for letting me vent. 😉 Continued success and God bless!

[@RhythmNotes]

Thanks for sharing, Patrick. We share many of the same sentiments towards drumming. … And a big thanks for the tip. That was one of the best tips I got from my first drum set teacher. Wise words, for sure.

[@GrootsieTheDog]

First, my DONT is DONT play WITHOUT EARPLUGS. Tinniktus is for real and no joke. Most drummers will get it eventually if they don't start early. Second - Really helpful! Technique is not an issue for me (I've been a kit player for years) but knowing the "rules" has been more esoteric to me. How much can I experiment? How much do I have to stay traditional? Do I have to play the rhythm exactly or can I add a little of my own sauce or hand pattern to it? These questions are more difficult for me. Being able to play Neil Peart doesn't mean Im ready tp start playing conga in a band even though I am capable of creating some very complex rhythms and grooves. So ya, this helped a lot! Thanks!

[@GrootsieTheDog]

Also, do you have any listening suggestions for conga outside of the strict latin jazz. More like free jazz that has conga players in the band? This is another example of a really cool conga sound and vibe but Im having a hard time finding other examples: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5SvaYasrrCne5Y

[@RhythmNotes]

Don Alias played some really cool conga parts on Bitches Brew ... about 3 and a half minutes into "Pharoah's Dance" he starts playing freely, for example. "Sanctuary" is another song on that album with some cool conga parts.

[@RhythmNotes]

I'm glad this video helped! ... And, I agree about protecting the ears. When I toured on drum set, I always enjoyed playing with in-ears and a digital board because I could mix my own monitors and control the volume. Plus, the better I could hear everything on stage led to all of us playing at lower volumes and cranking the signals in the house.

[@JordanScott999-x4y]

I like your show Kevin, knowledge is power, and you are powerfully in control with your teaching of music, you're blessed and I appreciate that.

[@RhythmNotes]

Thanks Scott. That means a lot!

[@paulmiller8367]

Played percussion for a long time and yes there a lot of different things that can be done I remember setting in with the Stan Kenton big band the the percussion player played Lp Drums black fiberglass what got me was both drums was the same Tumba drums I asked him why he played to bass drums he told me it was all in the sound and tuning great player and great show good video

[@RhythmNotes]

I've never heard of anyone playing two tumbas. That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing, Paul.

[@henryzamora9756]

Came across your videos. I have learned lot in just 2 conga videos. I'm self taught & learned alot by playing & ear training (69 yr old). Your a great versatile drummer percussionist & found you to be great instructor. I'm now learning the correct names/patterns etc. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Will subscribe 👍

[@RhythmNotes]

Great to hear! I'm glad you're finding value in these videos.

[@jimbeama]

I'm right there with you. Self taught and I hacked away in local bands with people complementing me but never sounding the way I wanted. Now I'm 66 and retired. I just joined a new three piece with two talented guitar players. Unlike the others, this band is the one motivating me to learn and practice. Thus I found this channel. The music that I've played tends to be rock and blues with me playing what feels right to me using a tumbao pattern as a foundation for most of the songs. Until today I didn't even know that pattern had a name! Thanks for your efforts Kevin Z. I'm subscribed and will checkout your library of videos. BTW, I learned the hard way about hurting my hands. Thankfully I adjusted my technique such that I never hurt my hands anymore.

[@ilyasamartsev633]

One great technique would be having a gajate (or another similar) pedal with a jam block and keep that left foot clave on. Helps tremendously to understand where your conga rhythm is supposed to be "feel-wise" and makes it easier to find your way in a band setting in case you get lost somehow.

[@RhythmNotes]

Great tip!

[@M0NN1]

Hey again! Definitely better sound than on the last one. Especially the bongos were popping greatly in the beginning :) Been playing for 2,5 years and as you said every one should know that developing any skill takes time and comes just from your passion inside to that instrument / hobby. There are no shortcuts to be "good" at something. I'm kinda stuck on the tip #4, where I often play tumbao and not other rhythms, but I am working on it

[@M0NN1]

I'll add one of my DO's to this list: focus on training your hands and rudiments often and with patience, e.g. heel / tip movement, open tones, slaps DONT's: play when you are too tired to practice / focus

[@RhythmNotes]

I totally agree about no shortcuts and thanks for your critique of the drum sound. It helps.

[@KreigDay]

Thank you for this video

[@RhythmNotes]

You're welcome!

[@ambervalleydrumschool]

Great video...everything explained nice and clearly as always! Many thanks

[@RhythmNotes]

My pleasure!

[@bmuhamad]

Great points Kevin. Thanks again.

[@RhythmNotes]

Thanks for watching!

[@David-sw3on]

Hey, I just want to give a shout out to you on a very incredible video!!! Good Job. I'm a newbie at this and you helped me out a lot.. especially the part where you said it should be a form of meditation; that feeling. I play piano/keyboards and that's what all instrumental music should be about. Thanks Again👍😉🇨🇦

[@RhythmNotes]

Glad I could help!

[@naftalibendavid]

Very, very helpful.

[@RhythmNotes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@terrenceolivido741]

yeah well, i played passionately and hard for 17 years on mainly djembes. getting old i decided i wanted to finish this passion as a " master. " over the years i recognized the most notable of a master hand drummer is the tone they produce off the drum. i came to south america and starte congas. saw " Tipico Jam " with Giovanni (youtube video) and immediately realized his velocity was absolutely impossible with extra tension. than i went frame by frame and saw his hand strike. his hand EXPANDED on the drum - did NOT contract. so i started examining my hands - they were in a constant state of contraction. i started trying to stretch my muscles . i looked up a scientific paper on stretching. the scientist said " muscles do not stretch. " ... it is our nervous system that controls the length of the muscle - our muscles are long enuf to do any unusual feat that we see others do. the problem is re-training the nervous system. so, as crazy as it sounds ... " yoga for the hands " is what we practice. mis-conceptions about yoga will slow your progress. it is about teaching your nervous system to allow your muscles to lengthen more. a child growing up watching a master at home will NOT have to do ANYTHING to retrain their nervous system. that is why - for instance the stick drummer " Buddy Rich " claimed never to practice in his life - because he started with all the right role model for his hands and instinctively did it. 10 minutes a day of concentrated training to lengthen and relax your hands is about 90% of the best you can do. the nervous system is very very conservative and changes very slowly. but do not despair, because the most important work you do on the congas - and all percussion instruments - is being " on time " and our sense of taste - essentially being a musician.. ... anyway. sure - flashy technique may get a drummer hired - but real professionals usually want " bread and butter " work to support and back the melodic instruments.

[@RhythmNotes]

Very well said! And thanks for the info on muscles and nervous system. ... Since I made this video, one of my sons has started to perform in the percussion section of his middle school concert band. He is progressing faster than I have ever seen without structure private lessons. The only explanation that I can think of is that he is growing up in a house with a lot of musical situations. Almost every room has instruments and the basement has been a rehearsal and recording studio for most of his life. I totally get what you're saying about 10 minutes is about 90 percent of the results makes a lot of sense. Thanks again for sharing what you've learned about developing your hands as a drummer and musician.

[@oh_rhythm]

Yup, good tips bro🌹

[@RhythmNotes]

Glad you liked it

[@HenkJanDrums]

I remember banging on the wooden bearing edge. I can tell ...that bearing edge is harder/tougher than my fingers. So my recommendation is drum on the head and not on the bearing edge/rim. A remark of a famous percussion professor (Santana) he said 70% of my concerts they dont hear me . Not always there is amplification or a perfect sound engineer. Percussion is very visual so ...using that can help also for a good performance.

[@RhythmNotes]

Good points!

[@Trommelkiste]

Good stuff!

[@RhythmNotes]

Thanks. Glad you like it!

[@gregchick3311]

Eric Burdon did a some on his "Winds Of Change" album. The sone is "Man/Woman", the bongo is the music and the bohemian attitude of the song. If you like Bongos, listen to the song, it is the before his time with the band War, it is about desire & love.

[@RhythmNotes]

It reminds me a lot of Bongo Rock, especially when the drum set kicks in. Thanks for sharing!

[@pasqualemarino2449]

Thank you master. The concept of warming up and studying in a relaxed way and with the metronome are the ones that make you grow in technique. I ask you if you have any suggestions for the study of timbales. Hello.

[@RhythmNotes]

Have you checked out my timbale videos? kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6OsYnaBptaYmdE kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKvMhn2bjZmNf9k kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXyqqIKQhqasatk

[@naftalibendavid]

Do: spaced practice. A half hour a day for 4 days beats two hours for a day and then 3 days off.

[@RhythmNotes]

That's a good practice routine recommendation, Mitch.

[@jpb93360]

Word.

[@normlor]

A VERY GOOD VIDEO FOR BEGINNERS BUT I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR ABOUT 55 YEARS AND NEVER SOLOED. ALSO, I HAVE NEVER LEARNED ONE OFFICIAL PATTERN FOR I LOVE STANDARDS, JAZZ, AND POP. WHEN I'M PLAYING ANY SONG LIVE OR HERE IF I THINK OF ANY PATTERN IT WOULD NOT BE GOOD. IN FACT, I DON'T LISTEN TO THE SONG BUT WHAT I FEEL FOR THAT SONG AND TRANSLATE FOR WHAT THE AUDIENCE HEARS WHAT I AM DOING. ONE IMPORTANT ISSUE OF HITTING THESE TOO HARD IS AT ONE WEDDING WHERE I WAS AN EXTRA AS MY FRIEND INVITED ME. THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH MICS AND ALTHOUGH I NEVER HURT MY WRIST TENDONS, MY HANDS BLED FOR 2 DAYS FROM BEATING THEM LIKE A MADMAN JUST TO BE HEARD. AFTER THAT WHEN PLAYING LIVE I NEVER HIT HARD BUT DEMANDED MY MICS BE AT THE LEVELS I WANTED. NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IS NEVER A NEED TO HIT CONGAS HARD AT ALL!!

[@RhythmNotes]

I could not agree more. And feel your pain for many years. I used to play 150 gigs a year, and always had to tape my fingers to keep them from being shredded, and that was with sound support. I eventually matured and started bringing my own mic and preamp setup to ensure some clarity in the mic. Thanks for sharing.

[@SingYourselfWell]

my Don't: don't play with rings on. Ouch! Always take them off first, for your and the drums' sake!

[@RhythmNotes]

I could not agree more!

[@rachellejeanty9489]

Very very cool Infos. Thx Kevin !

[@RhythmNotes]

You bet!

[@RawPrecisionDefense]

I believe that some teachers of Conga are so stuck in only their genre or style that they limit the students ability to express themselves without thinking! One thing about the conga is I have heard players who have never taken a lesson in their lives and don’t even know how to tune a drum but play by ear what they feel and sound great. I believe Conga and other hand drums when played without fear or thinking too much are a connection of Mind, Body, Soul and the Earth! Whether you play salsa, bachata, plena, Guaguanco bomba , dance hall, roots rock, blues, country, GoGo, R&B , Jazz , KuKu, Mozambique, songo, mambo etc etc it all originated in the Mother Land. If you can talk conga then talk !

[@RhythmNotes]

You make a lot of good points. ... Additionally, one thing that helped me grow as a musician was realizing that we are all born into a culture that greatly impacts how we view the world and how our interests fit into it. ... ultimately, your last point is all that matters. If you can, then go for it. ... I have to admit. When I first started to get serious about conga drumming and developing technique as a professional, I wasn't as accepting or appreciative of drummers who play non-Afro-Cuban techniques. I was young and narrowminded, but I also grew into my identity as a musician once I realized that music appreciation is very subjective and should not be squeezed into a few boxes. Since I've developed this understanding, I've grown more confident as a musician and it's easier to appreciate a much wider range of musical contributions than before.

[@RawPrecisionDefense]

All professional Players go through what I call the “Giovanni” phase got hooked and only wanted to try to be Gio for like 10 years then you realize you ain’t never gonna be Gio so be you 😆 😆

[@RhythmNotes]

Haha ... no kidding. I like to think we all grow up at some point. I'm guilty of wanting to be like Gio and was humbled at PASIC in Dallas many years ago. He did a clinic that was all right hand lead with his lowest pitch on his right and then did a performance in the common area all left hand lead with the drums set up completely opposite and killed it! I knew then that he, and many other conga players, are on another level.

[@apollo0823]

謝謝！

[@RhythmNotes]

不客氣

[@andrejameslira1535]

Man o man me to play Mano percussion it lot of hard work

[@RhythmNotes]

For sure!

[@georgemeeksjr9926]

Do have any video on how play 9”&10” congas?

[@RhythmNotes]

Here’s my playlist for conga techniques kzbin.info/aero/PLfaZqBOzNnofr-qIVbpSibYUC8fiDzsKP

[@whyyouasking9744]

What is a good conga for a beginner?

[@RhythmNotes]

I like the LP City Series for beginner drums. www.zzounds.com/a--3979390/item--LATLP646NY ... but it also depends on your budget and goals. These drums are a little smaller than standard sizes, but you get two drums for what one professional drum would cost.

[@whyyouasking9744]

Ty

[@johnjezak349]

Very good, how do I join?

[@RhythmNotes]

rhythminsider.com

[@jay_effreds]

Playin guaguancó on top of a pop track has to be a sin, right? I mean it HAS to

[@RhythmNotes]

I think you need to separate the difference between one player playing basic guaguancó drum parts and what guaguancó means to a group of people playing rumba music and dance. It's not the same thing. ... perhaps the sinful act would be playing toques on ceremonial batá drums for a pop track (I don't even like writing that in a comment). Any drums with metal parts are not sacred, so it's not so much the rhythms that are the problem. There's a lot more to the religious side of this music, to which guaguancó is derived but not directly associated.

[@juantellado9235]

( kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIjJomp9h7SosJY ) Hi, my name is Juan, I live in Puerto Rico and I ran into your video and I thought that you would enjoy the practice of this Puerto Rican percussionist who is a very sound conga player. He has played with almost every band of fame that Puerto Rico has produced. I like your teaching and I believe that you can learn additional styles in this business. Thanks for what you do with the conga and I hope you enjoy this clip above at the beginning of this paragraph. His name is Kachiro Thompson!

[@RhythmNotes]

Thank you for the video link. I am very familiar with Kachiro Thompson. He's great! ... I have not seen the video you sent me, so I am greatful to you.

[@juantellado9235]

@@RhythmNotes I'm glad to hear that you know Kachiro's work. He is just the local for Puerto Rico there are many more. I appreciate that you replied to me. Thanks and may God bless you and your family! Juan

[@RhythmNotes]

My pleasure ... and God bless to you as well!

[@debbiestauffer6216]

Have hard time sometimes playing with christian music....i hear one thing and the piano person hears another

[@RhythmNotes]

I get it, for sure. When I played at church regularly, I often asked for song lists ahead of time so I could listen to different interpretations. Even will all of that preparation, I sometimes found myself with players that heard things differently and perhaps struggled to explain how they wanted the groove to feel or what kind of style / beat the song needed.