One percussion instrument at a time? Or more?

[bongosnotbombs]

I do come down more on the folklore side of things. It's purely a hobby for me,
I already have a profession. My respects to those that are in it as a profession. So I'm mainly
playing folklore and what some guys call "straight" jazz.

I'm kind of looking at it from a hand percussion "skin on skin" point of view. Bongos aren't
really a folkloric instrument, but for me they go with the congas and bata as hand drums.
Timbales are played mostly with sticks and have bells and cymbals and even kick drums sometimes, in
my head they are more closely related, physically to trap drums.

Of course if your a salsa / latin jazz guy it's going to be timbale, congas and bongos as the 3.
As for making it as a folklore versus a salsa player, well even Sandy Perez fills in on
timbales in a local salsa group.

[niallgregory]

I think we should all strive to learn as many of the instruments as possible .Congas are indeed my first love , but to me you cant be a well rounded conguero if you cant at least hold your own on bongo , timbal etc in the dance scene and shekere , bata and cajon etc in the folkloric scene . All the instruments inform each other greatly .Its a welcome break for me from the congas to pick up my bongo or shekere and the get a trio together and play some bata toques .It inspires me when i get back to my congas .Nearly all the best percussionists i met in la habana could play all the instruments and play them well .In saying that i did see a great folkloric drummer struggle with a salsa band .He just didnt have a strong enough tumbao to keep the group swinging ! Dont get me started on the Brazilian instruments i love to play pandeiro , repinique etc .I need another lifetime to get my shit together !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[OLSONGO]

Learn it all , as long as you apply it well; it will always be to your advantage. It also opens the doors to get called for all kinds of gigs and studio work. To excel at all of them is a difficult task ...but not impossible. Do make sure that the basic fundamentals are there, CLEAN.. smacks, open tones, rolls, apply the correct rhythm pattern, keep it simple in the groove and go off on the solo. I find that all those guys amateurs and superstars who play a lot of licks and crave for speed, most of the time are stepping on someone in the band. I am not going to mention any names, because they stick out.. but I have seen guys with big endorsement deals, who always rush and are very square with the swing.
Yes play it all ,but do justice to the musical piece you may be playing. It is a short life after all.

Paz
Olsongo

[flaco999]

I wish I knew?

I'm struggling with learning all the different forms of Bembe , and the whole genre of Rumba , Bantu, Arara , Abakua , Oru seco , etc.. Plus , I sing and am learning all these cantos to the bell.
I wonder if this is the way to go about it?
I have to say that I think learning all these things at once makes me understand the music much more , but hurts progress towards being more technicaly proficient on my instruments.

You have to admire a player like Pedrito . No matter what situation he's in , he's a virtuoso.

[zwar]

i d say it depends on how long you play every day. if you play 1 h or less its better to stay with one intrument for a while before jumping to the next. if one is playing some hours the day, its more efficient to change the instrument. and do not forget small percs like bell, tambourim, shekere, triangle, chimes, guiro or whatever. if there is only one percussionist in a band, his or her job is to bring colours into the song. wide spreaded skills on different instruments are important for that purpose.
of course there will be dearly beloved instruments (maybe changing as time goes by) and thats ok.

greetings

zwar

[zwar]

edit: double post, sorry

[umannyt]

It's funny: Some folks can just pick up any set instruments and become proficient in them (even master some) in a very short period of time (I'm thinking of the likes of Stevie Wonder); while others can never master one instrument even if they spent their whole lives trying to achieve it.

Life just isn't fair, isn't it?

Moral of the story? Go figure.

[Tonio]

how odd is that? I thought my previous post was a gonner server issues.

Is it me or is this site bogging down like molasses?

T

[Tonio]

another error??

lets see if this gets posted crawling, crawling............

Marcelo

EDIT: hmm that one was OK, whats happening

[ABAKUA]

I here ya bro.

[vinnieL]

Ive noticed the board is definitely slowing down.