Taping hands - Out of style??

[bongosnotbombs]

I see a lot of old pictures and videos of famous older conguero's like Patato, Candido, Pancho and Mongo, and they all have a ton of tape on their hands.

I recently saw some concerts last year where I saw Armando Peraza, Francisco Aguabella, Micheal Spiro, John Santos and Giovanni Hidalgo, none of them had any tape. From what I remember seeing of Anga, he didn't use tape either did he?

So whats the deal, why did everybody stop using tape? I am not really a tape user, I've used it when I had a split here and there, but just on the one finger till it healed. I can't think of anyone I know personally or see regularly that uses it regularly either.

But these other guys I mentioned, sometimes it seemed they taped their whole hand at one time.



Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1201282773

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... amaria.jpg

[bongosnotbombs]

candido

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... andido.jpg

[bongosnotbombs]

Patato

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... -dance.jpg

[bongosnotbombs]

Poncho

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... nchez1.jpg

[windhorse]

Just say no.. :p

[yambu321]

THE USE OF TAPE,
IS USUALLY ONLY USED, TO MINIMIZE ANY FURTHER DAMAGE, TO FINGERS THAT HAVE SPLITS. WHICH CAN BE QUITE PAINFUL.

SOME ALSO USE TAPE AS A SPLIT PREVENTION METHOD. SOMETIMES WE WILL FIND OURSELVES DOING BACK TO BACK VENUES WHICH IS HARD ON THE HANDS.

WE SHOULD ALWAY'S KEEP OUR HANDS MOISTURIZED.
IF WE'LL DO THIS, IT WILL HELP OUR HANDS MAINTAIN A HEALTHY READINESS, FOR ALL THAT WE'LL PUT THEM THROUGH.

CHARLIE "EL COQUI" VERDEJO



Edited By yambu321 on 1201360374

[Gallichio]

I don't think it is an old fashioned thing. I am sure some players have a need for it. Or just to protect their hands and fingers. I also think we have so many great products now to protect our hands. If you have dry hands your skin can split. I have very oily skin so I never had a need to tape. But I do use shea butter sometimes.



Edited By Gallichio on 1202165648

[bongosnotbombs]

So these guys either have splits on every finger, or are worried about getting splits on both of their little fingers?

I think a lot of it's function, but I think there's a some fashion involved too. Kind of like how some guitar players hang their guitars really low or something.

[akdom]

Hi all

I almost never tape my fingers unless I have splits or burns or scratches etc...

But, remember how these old guys used to play.. Mongo, Barretto etc used to knock their drums as if they were fighting for there lives..... so I can understand them taping their fingers...
Ponco is always taped too but doesn't really hit his drums the same way, and plays on plastic.. so here, I have no answer.. Maybe as prevention, as mentionned earlier.. or style...

I personally do not like the feeling of tape.. When I use it, I use the medical tape, no band aid (they fly away after 2 minutes).


B

[zumbi]

what do you mean, gallicchio? i am 7/8 italian but my skin is not oily: it is just right
i don't use tape unless i have a cut for other reasons (usually from the kitchen) in which case i will use a band aid.
peace!

[CongaTick]

Congaticktape. Fingers split in dry winter weather.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... -Tape.jpeg

[Thebreeze]

Either way, it's a good topic and it's good to hear everyone's views on it. I have come away with a need to moisturize my hands more. I agree that if your hands are dry, they are going to split much easier. So to avoid the tape, keep the hands from getting dry, and keep a good moisturizer handy prior to playing the drums.

[Gallichio]

zumbi
Must be the 1/8th that has all the oil. :laugh: :;):

[zumbi]

quite the contrary, gallicchio, you should read posts more carefully, paesa'.
since you referred to being italian as the reason for your oily skin (something someone may see as a racist statement if you weren't italian yourself) i was just saying that although italian myself i have normal skin.
if anything my non-italian 1/8 should be so dry to balance the greasy italian 7/8
peace & blessings!

[pavloconga]

I think there are some conga players who use it more as fashion statement/effect, almost like a macho thing.

I can think of a guy that I used to know who is quite a decent player and a good guy too, but always has all fingers taped up.

One time last year I was about to go on stage to start the first of 3 x 45 minute solid sets of salsa/merengue/cumbia when a friend of his (who is a musician but doesn't know anything about playing congas), said to me something like, 'Oh yeah, xxxxxxxx , he's such a good player, whenever he plays all his fingers are always taped up'.
I just thought, 'Huh? Tape on fingers = good player? What's up with that?' ???

If you really need to tape to protect your fingers, I reckon do it. But not to impress others. my 2c

In all the time I spent in Cuba and Africa not once did I see anyone with taped fingers - and they play the skins very, very hard.



Edited By pavloconga on 1201756972