Cuban vs American - The Best Conga Technique

In this video, you'll hear from Norm Bergeron about one of the questions I get a lot from students. What's the best conga technique? And we break it down into the Afro-Cuban and American techniques and discuss the different contexts in which you'll find these techniques.
You can find Norm Bergeron at normbergeron.com
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[@tr4st0r]

Cuban technique has been developed for years in order to adapt the conga instrument sound and melody to the popular/modern music. This is the answer on why Cuban music has so many rhythms, each one focusing in the fusion with foreign music. For example the "Songo" was implemented in order to find a good mixture between the afro-cuban music and American Funk rhythms. Also the modern technique improves arm and hand care in order to mitigate the early fatigue of muscles and joints during long period performances, allowing faster response between different sounds. I also want to mention that traditional Cuban music rhythms requires specific sounds to be played, for ex: "Son montuno" If you are skipping or missing one of the sounds from the pattern that will not be considered Son montuno, it will be something else. This doesn't happens in modern music where the patterns can vary considerably and the music does not follow such a strict pattern. This is my humble contribution to the video.

[@michaelbettinger3486]

I like that it was a discussion about the congas and not a conga lesson.

[@RumbleFish69]

Man, what a fantastic discussion! I can hear this kind of of conversation going on all day! Just when you think you've heard all there is to hear, you get a fresh new perspective. Great chat!

[@harimau1115]

I studied from the streets and learning some rhythms from the R&B, Latin Jazz world as well as the early Santana stuff. For me it all depends on what song is being played and whether or not what i'm playing matches with the song. I personally don't think of whether or not i want to use the heel toe method, i just play along and somehow it just works.

[@MyKingjames3]

Great information for especially congueros. I've tried the so called traditional way of playing congas and found that hand technique for sound is important regardless to how it's being used. I mostly use the slap, muff, heel finger and occasional bass tones. I incorporate these beats in my playing of guanguaco, tumbao or son montuno and rumba beats with my playing of mostly gospel genres. Thanks & I hope people would stop trying to make conga drum playing a "cult" of one nationality!

[@vernonbaros1195]

I just discovered your channel. As a conguero, I like you take this drum seriously and you go in depth. Keep it up! the editing is cool too

[@ericwinter4513]

Norm was my first percussion teacher, and he has had such a huge impact on me as a musician and as a human being. Such a wonderful, thoughtful guy. Because my introduction to congas was mostly through Cuban and Afro-Latin music, my technique has been largely shaped by that.

[@Jayvacano]

As a percussionist I have to admit that I stand corrected and humbled by the opinions expressed in this video. Thank you for this insight. ALL valid points 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@nhdyz]

I started by learning the cuban traditional technique but i quickly gravitated towards a DC Go-Go approach; it changed the WHOLE game for me.

[@sunrise77ful]

Fascinating interview! As a student conga player really enjoyed the this discussion

[@Spimp4]

Thank you, you answered a lot of questions

[@olowasegun6829]

Cuban is the best it has more flavor

[@bmuhamad]

Right now, I prefer Changuito's style. That rocking, especially of his left hand, on & close to the drumheads. Now I'm understanding why, Giovanni hooked up with him in the first place. Also Gio's conversations about tunings of the congas. Who, why, & what...

[@joaquinmcwhinney5767]

Great discussion. I was trying to explain this very subject to my girlfriend that is learning how to play djembe. Many years ago I took a few lessons from a great percussion and local hero in San Diego Tommy Aros, and he showed me the heel toe technique that you demonstrated. She really caught on to the basic fundamentals rather quick but at the same time I wanted to explain that the technique I was teaching her was afrocuban and maybe not what she is intending to devote herself to. Anyway this video explained exactly what I was trying to convey to her. Very valuable!

[@normlor]

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING CONGAS FOR ABOUT 55 YEARS AND NEVER LEARNED ONE LATIN/AFRO BEAT NOR WILL I EVER. I LEARNED HOW TO LISTEN TO SANTANA AND I NEVER HEARD ONE SONG THAT HAD THOSE RYTHEMS IN THEM. POP AND AMERICAN STANDARDS ARE WHAT I LOVE PLAYING TO AND FOR ME NO MATTER WHAT BEAT I DO IS FINE AS LONG AS IT FITS THE SONG. A GREAT VIDEO SHOWING THE DIFFERENCES!!

[@johnrodriguez9977]

Hand to Hand concept to my interpretation with ghost notes on Congas is either fast or slow with heel toe. For instance, if you play a Cha Cha Cha faster it turns into a Mambo. Or soloing, it is more what I consider turns into ghost noting. On Drum set playing "Ghost notes" is just more of a "Fat" sound. Which is good for whatever interpretation of rhythms you are playing.

[@sebastiaoapolinario3152]

It is a very instructive and enlightening discussion about percussion. I have a familiarity with the hand to hand technique from my brazilian background, and l studied and learned the heel and toe approach of the Latin/ Cuban technique. I believe that as a percussionist, my approach has always been the feel l want to convey within the context of the song/ rhythm being played and most importantly to attain a flow or groove in the concept of the piece or song. I think that the flow is the most important and challenging aspect of it because it dictates the feel and fit of the rhythm.

[@JohnnyConga]

Pure and simple the Cuban methodology... there are the Academic drummer/percussionists(Eliel Lazo, Roberto Viscaino Jr. and others) and then their is the Folkloric drummers of Rumba in Cuba I grew up in NYC in the 60;s and 70, s at the beginning of more drummers coming into the fold. Our influences in NYC at that time were Mongo Santamaria, Frankie Malabe, Ray Barretto, Candido Camero, Sabu Martinez, Patato Valdes, and they all had their own individual hand print in drumming... we also didnt think like 'academics' we were taught 'rhythmic parts' as the people at that time taught us...no theory at all ..just time and groove as we were told.. no deviations. Im 74 years old and have been playing for 60 years(Santana, Sergio Mendes,John Klemmer, Gloria Estefan and many others) Todays playing seems to be based on just one thing "speed" and playing a minimum of 5 congas.. I wont speak on that now.. too much to say..but this is what i think ..thank you

[@victormarshall9765]

When you mentioned the heel touch are hand to hand. The Conga playing style that was created was a combination of what I coined a diasporic fusion that encompass the African traditions in both musical cultures. The difference between the Afro Caribbean style is the emphasis of that triplet which is central. In popular music because of playing in the 4/4 time signature the pattern that work was that kind of backbeat that had that accent. It was still the hand to hand but more of a swing to it. It also work well with the drum set player. When I had my first debut as a studio percussion playing with artist Gary Tom's on his album Turn it Out on MCA records in 77. I played two different styles. I played a more Latin Rumba on Don't Knock My love and Don't fight the feeling I played in a funk calypso , West African 4/4 feel . So yes there are so many directions you may have to incorporate. Eddie Bongo Brown was great at doing that. Great video.

[@ebomicsgarfias2132]

This is dope bro