by Firebrand » Mon Jul 19, 2004 4:57 pm
Otto,
It all depends on what styles of music you are playing, and what instruments you are playing in a particular setting.
I don't know what others might say about non-LP products, but I've been playing since I was 9 (I'm 25 now) and most of the timbaleros, bongoceros, and drummers I find have LP products, and I'm definitely an "LP man" when it comes to Latin music products.
I've heard their Black and "Salsa" models (the chrome ones), and I definitely prefer the ring of Salsa models. The Black ones, I've always thought, maybe good enough for Rock applications, but not for serious salsa playing (but, someone may dispute this. To each their own preferences). They sound real dead to me, like I just pulled a metal pole from a construction site, and started to hit. Not good.
On to applications. If you are a bongo player in a salsa band, just get a BONGO bell (the biggest one). That's the one to keep the time with the Ki-Ki-Pum pattern. If you are a Timbalero in a Salsa setting, you'll definitely need the Timbale Bell and a Red Wood Block from LP (Clave) (basic setup). You can get the Blue Wood Block if you want a higher pitch clave sound, but I prefer Red Block (and most other timbaleros seem to as well).
If you are into serious songo, mozambique, and other timbale patterns that require interaction between different sounding bells, consider adding a Cha-Cha-Cha Bell, which is the bell used to play Cha-Cha-Chas, and intricate, multi-bell/clave block patterns.
Finally, if you are a Latin-jazz drummer, without the addition of a bongo player (playing alone, or with a conguero), you only really need a Drumset-clampable Bongo bell (LP sells drumset and handheld versions). In the absence of other percussionists, you only really need a Tumbao pattern in the congas and a nice Bongo "ki-ki-PUM" in the drums to really spice up a Latin-Jazz night. I'm a drummer, and in the absence of timbalero/bongocero, and with a conguero or playing alone, I play really "songeao" ki-ki-PUM patterns on the drums (filling up the absence of other percussionists with a more "busy" snare drum & bass drum interaction, songo-style), to contrast from the cascara patterns I play on the Hi-hat or Ride cymbal in quieter sections of the song.
I have a Bongo, Cha Cha, Timbale Bell, and both wood blocks, but, I usually just use Bongo bell and wood block in my daily appllications (since I play a lot of Latin-Jazz gigs in which I'm the only percussionist). When there are other percussionists, it frees me to play timbale patterns on Timbale Bell and Wood Blocks, with snare drum and Bass-drum, ala Samuell Formell or Jimy Branly (from Cuba's Los Van Van and NG La Banda).
Hope that helps. Buy the Bell that fits your playing applications, or get the three (Bongo, Timbale, Cha Cha), if you play in varied settings.