What way is faster ?

[yoni]

Well, no thread is too long in my opinion.

Beautiful stuff, Gemma. True for me also - choice of drum, feel, sound can vary with mood and moment. Lately I'm into the "oneness" of one drum, mostly dahola at the moment, easier to reach gigs with, too, as I have no car. But I have several other drums I've picked up over the years and often can't resist... Oh well, we're all human...

Here's to a new thread!... :O

all the best,
yoni

[untaltumbador]

Hola Gemma! I agree with Yoni that’s some good stuff you said. I feel the same way towards fiber glassed congas; to me that’s the beginning of them becoming synthetic, like Howard Hughes said in the “Aviator”, “that’s the way of the future”. How do you feel about the comfort curves rims these new congas have?

I think the day will come in which we will be able to have a Rumba via the internet. Imagine, I can hear and see you play; we can all hear and see each other play just as if we were next to each other,,, well perhaps… But no, no, well, may be for instructional purposes only.

Adiós

[yoni]

Hola Untaltumbador!

What a great idea, an internet Rumba! Maybe we can call it "Rumba Virtualismo"!

May be doubtful, but if all have internet access, I think the day will also come when the net will make formal education obsolete.
This is a great site to learn things and meet people.

Saludos, Shalom,
Yonatan Bar Rashi



Edited By yoni on 1108483388

[Gemma]

Oh yes! A virtual Rumba! Great idea!

I remember how I started to play congas in the summer of 2003, knowing nothing, just feeling that permanent pulse within me, but with no idea about thechnique, different conga types etc, etc. And when I see what I can and know today! I just know that I wouldn't have reached this level without the internet and, in it, places like this site one is. I mean, I know that the important part were all the many many hours I have spent, still do, and hope to continue doing, practicing! practicing! practicing! But it was the internet, which opened all these informative doors for me. The internet cannot, should not and never will substitute the actual practicing and playing, but it is a magnificent asset, a great invention which, somehow, has turned this huge planet into a small village. I mean, think about it, I'm from Madrid, sit here in Frankfurt and can communicate, learn and exchange thoughts and experiences with all you drummers from around the world!!!

Which leads me to an idea I had a couple of days ago. How about starting a new thread called: "The Drummers Diary"? A thread where we can simply write down (always respectfully) our experiences, thoughts, eventualities, discoveries, how the gig last night was, etc, etc. It all could be written in the first person singular, a diary-like reporting method which could enable us to achieve a sort of "global-band-feeling".

What do you think?

Be all greeted!

... y que sigua la marcha, siempre!!!

Gemma



Edited By Gemma on 1108564102

[yoni]

"The Drummer's Diary" - what a fun idea, Gemma!
Count me in!!!
Maybe it's best posted in the "Open Discussion" section.
I'm tempted to start right now but... ladies first, and it was your idea anyway. Let the journals begin!

All the best,
yoni



Edited By yoni on 1108585819

[untaltumbador]

Gemma, I also like your idea, but I am not a musician, just a person who likes to play with congas. I do like the instrument sound and theories but fall short of its application. I have learned more in these past month than in all the years of having a drum around me. I am game, count me in.
How do we start?

Adios

Untal

[BCongero]

The second is surely faster and this is the most important technique to master on congas. RLRL: heel- heel, toe- toe. You should start this very slow and can actually play both hands together and then displace one hand or the other----Do it left hand lead and right hand lead. LP's website has some good resources and I think drummerworld.com has some good one's too.

Bass tones and toes were the first things I was taught and will teach to my students. I hope everyone knows about the "drop" for bass tones/heels... the fundamental element in all conga playing. That's why Giovanni Hidalgo can play the way he does and of course very well developed and limber forearms for the wrist action.

Relaxation is a huge issue when it comes to congas.

[Simon B]

To me the problem with that second way is certainly worth practising, and perhaps could produce a very efficient sustained double roll. However, its weakness would seem to me that for quick and efficient attacks and phrases it is essentially a special method of single stroking. Now single stroking is great and has a fundamental place, but I think that most kit drummers and many congueros would agree that if your doubles get good enough they can do things that singles can't, especially with regard to speed.

Take the simple three-stroke ruff with an accent on the third note. The h-h-t-t method means you HAVE to alternate stroke, and I reckon this is inherently slower and mentally complex than the double-stroke ruff of two strokes on the one hand and then an accent on the other.

Just my thoughts. I will admit that I haven't spent much time on rolling with the second method, although I do use it a good deal for traditional rumba patterns - several Cubans I know have taught me its use here.

Simon B

[BCongero]

If you look at tumbao, your left hand has to do exactly what you do when using the alternating method. If you can do heel-toes fast without breaks just think of the speed you could have with your tumbao. And of course doubling has it's place too. There are many times even in Rumba where you just do a heel-toe(a double).

I remember that someone mentioned that when using the heel-heel, toe-toe (RLRL) that they thought the sound was uneven or sounded like a horse or something. That just means that you have to work on the strength of your toes. Make it all even! That is what is going to drive the band with your tumbao too. Strong toes will lead to stronger slaps, opens, muffs, everything!

Remember!!!! You can't push your self too hard to fast or you might hurt yourself. You have to build the strength and gain the flexibility. You can get more out of going slow and relaxed than fast and tense or frantic. *The second can actually do more harm than good.



Edited By BCongero on 1108806469

[James M]

Hey fellas. Been a while. I've been busy but thought I'd drop buy and check out the forum.

An exercise I picked up somewhere (can't remeber if it was here, in a book, from a friend) is the triple THT roll:
Straight 8ths, just spaced for hand seperation.

<span style='font-family:Courier'>T THT THT THT THT THT THT THT
R LLL RRR LLL RRR LLL RRR LLL

Then 9/8:
|: O HT S THT O O
R LL R LLL R L
L RR L RRR L R

And 4/4
|: O HT S THT O O HT S TH O O
R LL R LLL R L RR L RR L R

O HT S THT O O HT S TH O O
L RR L RRR L R LL R LL R L</span>

A little practice and can get really fast, you know, if that's your thing :laugh:



Edited By James M on 1108837532

[Tonio]

What's up James, been gone for a while.

T

[yoni]

The second is surely faster and this is the most important technique to master on congas.
I hope everyone knows about the "drop" for bass tones/heels... the fundamental element in all conga playing.

Hi all, hi BConguero - welcome to the forum!

If you see this I would be glad if you could elaborate on what I quoted from you here.
I do the first way fine, second way slower but will work on it more now, taking your word for it that it's important.
What do you mean by the "drop" for bass tones/heels? Thanks,

Yonatan Bar Rashi

[BCongero]

I do the first way fine, second way slower but will work on it more now, taking your word for it that it's important.
What do you mean by the "drop" for bass tones/heels? Thanks,

Yonatan Bar Rashi

Yonatan,
The drop technique is what allows players to play relaxed and almost effortlessly. You are using gravity, not muscle. Something you can try to get the feel of it is grab on to the opposite arm, lift it and drop it, not using any muscle from the arm you are lifting and dropping.

Then you have to use this when you play. You have to start slow and be sure to stay totally relaxed. This is how players can play 4-6 hour gigs. Of course they might be tired, but they could play the entire gig strong.

Another important thing about this relaxation is to rest your arms whenever possible. After you play a tone don't lift your hand off of the conga. You of course have to allow your fingers to rebound but after the tone you should even let your fingers relax.

I want you to try something: Hold your hands like 3 inches above your conga head as long and you can and compare that to how long you can rest your hands on it. There should be a big difference in how your arms feel. Most people probably get tired because they don't allows their arms to rest whenever possible.

Conga technique is totally different than playing djembe. It might be good to know how to do both, but to play a djembe you have to lift your hands off of the head. Conga technique should be just the opposite.

Well, I hope this makes sense and you can understand why it's important.

Peace,

Brenden

[BCongero]

I just wanted to add something that has helped me work on going from certain tones to others. Do a one handed tumbao very slowly at first to make sure you are playing good strokes and are staying relaxed.

[yoni]

Thanks BCongero!

I sure agree with you, relaxation is key! I always tell students to keep hands low, close to the congas, and that the arms and hands should be relaxed, like wet noodles; one can play much faster this way, providing of course they start slow and build up speed.
Not to mention the doubles techniques, affording just about infinite sustain... they fly as if all by themselves once you get them down.

Interesting point about letting gravity work for you... lately I play a lot of darbuka... the sideways position sort of neutralizes the gravity effect, except for minimal strength needed to keep hands over the drum...

happy drumming!
yoni