Switching from bongos to cowbell - When, where and why?

[120decibels]

I couldn't help but do some research. See below. I'm not saying that bongoseros aren't likely to get anemia, but I looked all through my medical references and found nothing about boxers, bongo players or anything like that.

Can you give me a credible source?

Zach



A quote from a medical encyclopedia:

Anemia is a lower than normal number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood, usually measured by a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the red pigment in red blood cells that transports oxygen.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The cause varies with the type of anemia. Potential causes include blood loss, nutritional deficits, many diseases, medication reactions, and various problems with the bone marrow. Iron deficiency anemia is most common in women who have heavy menstrual periods.

[yoni]

Hi 120 decibels,

It's true, one can piss blood from playing too long and hard - and I'm pretty sure it's for the reason I wrote. It's happened to me and others I know also.

It's nothing to be scared of, just not to let it happen often.

As I wrote earlier, breaking blood cells with bongos is more likely than with congas, as bongos are tuned tighter and the hands are down (in traditional bongo position) - the blood is pushed down and hands swell faster than with congas.

Bongos are beautiful and I won't stop til I drop! Nothing like their highs - but for the reasons I wrote, I do think they are the most "dangerous" instrument known.

Hey, I only write this because I have met some "old masters" who did get affected, weakened, and who can only play very softly now.

Musical reasons for switching to the bell are of course endless, as is music!

I just add my observation because I wondered why some piss blood after playing, and I only found out why a few years back. Switching to bell is good to give hands and blood a break from rock-hard bongos.

No need to fear, but no need to get stupid with the volume either.

respectfully,
yoni

[yoni]

hi again, 120 decibels,

I will try to find the source I read about this from - it was a few years ago - if I still had the source I would have posted it. But I'll try to get it from a friend who still might have the book I read it in.

all the best,
yoni

[120decibels]

Yoni,

Thanks. I'm always a skeptic when it comes to these sorts of things. I'm still somewhat skeptical, but I'll take you're word for it.

I've played many times for hours on end. Never pissed blood. Maybe it's because I've never played bongos the whole time.

Like I said, the forum never ceases to amaze me. You learn something new every day.

If you find a source, it would satisfy the scientist in me. Thanks.

Zach

[yoni]

Hi Zach,

I'll try to find that source, but it will take some days.

Maybe you never pissed blood because you didn't play over-hard (like too many slaps) in those hours-long sessions. Hope you never do!

When it happens, the pee isn't necessarily all red, but darker in color, (eeew!) and a conguero or bongo player can feel unusually tired the day after playing too hard for too long.

I think if one doesn't hit too hard too often, the body easily replaces any lost red blood cells.

yoni

[Fish]

It seems that everyone's more interested in Johnny pissing blood than in any serious health risks in playing the bongos....

Seriously though, I'm an enormous believer in the human body's ability to recover from virtually anything and I find it hard to believe that bongo playing could cause anaemia. And if so why do we not hear about manual labourers who work day in day out with their hands developing anaemia. RSI maybe, but anaemia????

Pay no attention to me though, I know nothing about bongos and even less about anaemia.

On a similar but unrelated note I heard recently that circular breathing as employed by didjeridu players can shorten life expectancy dramatically - something about creating pressure inside the skull. As a novice didjeriduist (that's not really a word) I was a little worried by this but then I considered that the didjeridu has been an integral part of Australian Aboriginal culture for at least 40,000 years - it is the world's oldest wind instrument. Surely in this space of time they would have figured out if didj players died 5 years younger than everyone else as the research suggested.

So, I really don't think there's terribly much to worry about unless you're a didj-playing bongosero who pisses blood regularly.

Fish

[yoni]

"So I really don't think there's terribly much to worry about unless you're a didj-playing bongosero who pisses blood regularly." by Fish

My sentiments exactly!

But it seems like I opened a can of worms here. Now my theory is getting shot at by a didjeriduist who might have pressure in his head. What next?

Fish, I agree, the human body is amazing at healing itself if given half a chance.

The difference between hand drumming and most manual labor is that hand drumming involves impact, while most manual labor does not.

It is the impact - the blows - that can pop red blood cells in the capillaries in the hands & fingers. Too much of it can cause blood in the urine, and way too much of it might lead to an anemic condition - curable, but dangerous, as a weakened bloodstream can make the body more vulnerable to all sorts of nastiness.

Been playing about 35 years and have once or twice had the same experience as Johnny Conga, after some marathon jamming when I blew excessively hard.

I've also heard several other hand drummers say they pissed blood under the same circumstances, so I thought it might be worthwhile to mention it - not to be paranoid, but cognizant that exaggerated blasting with hands can be harmful - obviously to hands & wrists - less obviously but more dangerously to the bloodstream.

Hey, maybe this is why they invented the drumstick.

I'm so thankful that Giovanni came along and brought drumset
technique to hand drums - allowing us to accomplish more with less effort. The double stroke roll I learned from him is amazing and opens new worlds in hand drumming. It takes time and obsession to master it, but once you do, it flies as if all by itself... in the end it takes much less effort than the single roll, and when you start putting accents and breaks in it, it gets really fun.

You don't need to hit hard at all to get a super-high slap from congas or bongos - it is much more a matter of focus, touch or snap, than power.

Giovanni mostly keeps his hands quite close to the drums and doesn't hit nearly as hard (usually) as, say, Chano Pozo or some of the other old masters did.

He can get a super-high slap even hardly moving his hand off the drum at all. So can I, and if I can do it, anyone can!

Anyway, I promise I won't bring up this "bloody" subject again until I find the source where I first read about it!