by jorge » Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:24 pm
Learning for your first few years on a single drum would be time well spent. After 40 years playing I still practice on one drum most days, and at rumbas I usually play one drum. Practicing on a single drum helps you get clearer, cleaner sounds out of the drum and helps you learn your technique better. If you can really play one drum, playing 2 is a pretty easy transition, and learning to play 3, 4 or 5 goes much quicker. Many people I have heard playing 3 or more drums don't know how, and you can tell they never really learned how to play one drum. Probably 95% of the work and skill is in learning to play one drum well. Unless your hands are really small, I would not recommend a quinto as your first drum. There is not enough room to play all the sounds comfortably and cleanly and develop the best technique. Get a conga, between 11.5" or 11 3/4". Investing your money in one good drum (Matadors are good, I just don't recommend getting a quinto first) and a good teacher would be a much better strategy in the long run than buying 2 drums now.