SOLOING TIPS

[boogie]

OK FIRST LET ME START BY SAYING THAT I HAVE TO LEARN TO SAVE SOME FOR LATER,I KNOW THATS ONE OF MY PROBLEMS I WANT TO SHOW EVERYTHING I KNOW WAYYYY TO SOON,THEN WHEN IT'S SOLO TIME I END UP PLAYING MOST OF EVERYTHING IN MY ARSENAL...DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTION AS TO HOW I CAN EFFECTIVELY APPROACH THE ART OF SOLOING?IM NOT A SPEED DEMON BUT I DO PRETTY WELL..HELP

[Diceman]

Think Hollywood blockbuster.

Introduce the characters, then tell the story, and have a big car chase at the end

Diceman

[JohnnyConga]

First it's called "Improvisation" solo just means 'alone'....so how do u "Improvise" on congas?....there is much to learn about "improvisation"....first i would immerse myself in "listening" to "conga solos" by Mongo-Ray B-Candido..Giovanni...etc....the concept of "2's and 3's" in playing "in clave"...how to play "space"....counting bars...concept of dynamics...."power riffs"..."connecting riffs"...tricks....also there has to be a beginning and and end to your Improvisation...so u have to learn "how to build" your "solo" from the "bottem-up"....if u start out "up" there is no where to go,unless your Giovanni.,. ....cause he can go anywhere he wants hahahaha....so I hope this helps and gets u on the right road to Improvisation on Congas....peace..."JC" Johnny Conga...

[windhorse]

Thanks Johnny, that's good advice.. And I'm only now capable of beginning to understand it..
I would add that it's nice to have a long recording, or put one on repeat and loop it over and over - of the base of the song or clave you're playing the solo over.
I've got two CDs of computerized Guaguanco parts that came with Cliff Brook's Quinto book by Mel Bay. I'll put the the last three tracks from CD2 on successively for a good half hour and practice patterns over and over until they become habit and well defined. If you can stick the fundamental parts of what you're trying to say pretty much every time at slow speed, then you'll be much better when things get fast.
And thanks Johnny,, I'm working on that too!!!

[JohnnyConga]

I was fortunate to grow up in the "heart of rumba" "Da Bronx'....where I was able to "hone" my quinto and Rumba chops...to be a 'good" player U NEED TO PLAY RUMBA!....it is the only time where u can play with other drummers as skilled as you, that you can play with and learn and listen...I learned to "improvise"on quinto FIRST before i knew what a 'solo" was on congas in a band...and that didnt happen till much later for me, cause i concentrated on just being "afinqao", and in the early days of "dance" music, there was NO "solos' for the conga drummer, just playing tumbao all night....which is hard enough to do..ALL NIGHT....if u think improvising is hard just try playing straight tumbao for 4 sets at high energy....NY style!...."JC" Johnny Conga....

[akdom]

Hi there

Soloing is a hard thing to do...

First, if you are playing latin music, you have to think "clave". It is very important.. too many really good musicians still count 1, 2, 3, 4 and they do not have the latin groove..

You do not need to speed up nor impress by technique (at first).. listen to Poncho Sanchez... His style is very simple and it works fine. I always recommand him to beginners..

It is not the amount of strokes, but where you place them and how the make space visibles... spaces are as importants as notes....

Make your congas breath and if you have to play one noe in a bar, as long as it "means" something, just do it..


B

[folkloricoSD]

Everyone has posted some great advice!! I really recommend listening as much as possible. Once you start listening to a lot of conga "solos" you will hear phrases that are played by all congueros. The more you listen, the easier it is to identify those licks and them play them yourself. All of my teachers have told me that when your just starting out on improvising, it's ok to copy the style of other congueros because you have to start somewhere. Eventually you will develope a style of your own. I really do recommend listening to Poncho Sanchez because his improvising style is simple, but great at the same time. Plus he takes a lot of solos on his albums, so you can find his solos on different styles of tunes (like 6/8, cha cha, son, etc...) He is one of my favorite congueros and has helped me build my style a lot.
Good luck my brothers... Just remember we are all on the same path right there with you!!!