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Hi Guys,

I have a question for everyone.

I start recently to study the congas again, after having studied for 6 / 7 years when I was 14, now
I decided to devote three hours every day.
You with this time, how you will set the study?

I refer mainly to the technical part, how to divide the various materials available within three hours of study.

Sorry for my english.

Thanks
Giovanni

Here's some tips from one of the top drumming educators in the USA. - Steve Houghton
It applies to any instrument also.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-estab ... ne-244389/

Another good guide on setting up a practice routine is by the
legendary jazz drummer - Charlie Persip. He wrote a classic little book called
"How Not to Play Drums"

http://www.amazon.com/Charli-Persip-Pla ... 91-5091809

....and one more link with good advice on practicing.

http://www.rockdrummingsystem.com/under ... e-time.php

My personal take is to
- find an authentic teacher or guide, not just a drummer who dabbles in hand percussion
- set up a practice space where you can focus and feel comfortable
- work on proper technique ( you want to avoid future nerve damage )
- strive to create clean articulate tones
- do this very slowly with a lot of relaxation and thoughtfulness
- Then exercises - slowly also at first to warm up
- Work on rhythms & styles
- Learn to read music and counting
- listen to the various claves until they become 2nd nature to you
- study some of the folkloric drumming from Cuba, Africa, Puerto Rico, Brasil, Caribbean, Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Haiti
- learn the bell parts, the palito (kata) stick patterns
- many conga players eventually gravitate to studying bata - which can expand ones knowledge
- work on your own innovative ideas and soloing to have fun and explore new personal territory.
~ apply some of the above with any other music you like
- get out and play with others !!!
- stay fit & healthy
- have fun
- there's no limit to where we can go...if we put in the time and self-discipline.

this should keep you ( and me too ) busy for the next few decades !!

One day you may spend more time on technique, another day on just freely expressing yourself & inventing a creative solo break of your own... Maybe even keep a log book to see your own progress. In between practice sessions - do a lot of
listening... and to music that you may never have been familiar with before. There is a trend to also apply some drumstick
rudiments for congas to build speed. I'm not a big fan of that stye, but it is a valid approach. Giovanni Hidalgo has in addition to that, also applied Indian Tabla rhythms and techniques to congas. Eventually if you also move to timbales, you'll have a new
vocabulary to bring to your congas. I've spent many years studying north african and yemeni rhythms, and have been applying
them to timbales and congas...they already used bongos in those countries.

For a list of the great congueros of the past . . . there are many great threads here.

~ ISAAC

Jamirox, stick to what Isaac said
Isaac, your words got me goin and remembered me on some facts Great guidance indeed!

Groove on and enjoy!

P.

Giovanni,

I agree with Isaac's guidance, it is most excellent! To expand on the "exercises" portion, I always have a group of 5 exercises assigned by my teacher which I practice for 5 or so minutes per exercise. At my teacher's recommendation, the first exercise (warming up) is always to do singles to a metronome, with focus on correct sound and technique for both hands (such that they sound identical). This is followed by four other drills (which sometimes change from lesson to lesson), such that the first 30 - 45 minutes of practice is always very discipline intensive in nature. Doing these warm-up exercises has such a profound effect that even if, on a given day, there is not enough time for a full practice, I will at least do them.

And, as you probably know from reading other threads, speed is not important because it comes on its own. Working the exercises with a metronome, at a comfortable tempo, steady rhythm and precise sticking, will help your hands develop rock solid timing.

Get some tips from what Issac says and then, my advice, listen to MONGO!

Dario

Go SLOW to be fast.. REAL REAL slow....