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The Tomas Cruz Conga Method (book 1) differentiates between the "open slap" and "closed slap." Anyone able to offer a better explanation (in words) or video (or audio) of the technique and application of these strokes? It seems that in the rhythms notated in the book, this open slap is rarely used ... Looking for some practical advice here.
Best,
Lars

Hi, what about simply doing a LITTLE search on YouTube? Sorry for being a little peevish, but this is really easy to find...

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... +slap&aq=f

The book comes with a DVD - in it he shows all the strokes in great detail - if your book does not have the DVD you may want to return it.

But that would be an interesting thread if we put it that way -
When do you prefere closed and when open slap ?
(style, manner, tradition, feel, speed, etc ...)

Thanks. I have done the searches on YouTube, etc, but was searching for a more conceptual take on how you (as gigging congueros) feel slap technique should be applied in the real world setting - even in, say, your playing with non-Afro-Caribbean groups. IE - where do technical differences between open slap and closed slap fit in.
Best,
Lars

To answer the first question, the main difference I can tell between open and closed slap is that the open slap "bounces" off the drum and allows for a little more vibration, and in the closed slap your fingers stay on the drum and just stops there. So in terms of "application" you'll probably want to use closed slaps for marcha/tumbao, merengue and other fixed patterns. In my experience i mostly just used open slap for fills or soloing.

Miguel7 said what I was gonna.

There are quite a few slaps on the conga...please go to youtube.com type my name in search and see How to slap the Conga drum video...

Actually, when you muffle the drum head with the other hand, like the way it should be done in order to play an accurate "marcha" (or "tumbao"), the difference between a closed slap (traditional) and an open one is not that big. Sometimes, when I have to get off the skin quickly to execute the next stroke or reach over to the other drum, I don't bother too much about closing my slap. I keep it light. It doesn't make a big difference in sound, but it gives me more velocity.

Thomas

I agree,the open slaps gives you more speed,in my opinion is litle higher in tone due to the losen skin.Timba styles uses a lot of slaps instead of open tones.

@ joazinho: I was rather referring to open slaps than open tones, because the thread is about closed and open slaps.

TA

Yes I know,but in Tomas Cruz dvd's you listen and whatching timba style.

New to the forum here. very interesting by the way.

Yup soloing would be my main application of open slaps. Maybe a fill within a marcha could work? They do have more spoeed by virtue of being open so whenever spedd would be needed would probably be the best answer on my side.

I see that this discussion has been quiet for a few years, but my beginner question seems to belong here.

People in this discussion and elsewhere seem to be saying that they like open slaps for soloing, improvising, fills... What is it about open slaps that makes them good for those particular things? Is it simply about being faster than a closed slap, or are there other reasons?