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Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:36 pm**

FIRST OF ALL THIS IS JUST A VENT .I CANT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS HOLDING ME BACK FOR SOME STRANGE REASON I CANT GET WHAT I WANT TO PLAY OUT! I TRY TO CLOSE MY EYES AND LET MY HANDS GO BUT IT DOES'NT SOUND LIKE I WANT I NORMALLY PLAY WITH 3 OR 4 CONGAS TO GET MANY OF THE SOUNDS OUT BUT I THINK THATS CHEATING,IVE HEARD MANY PLAYERS GET OUT ON 2 CONGAS WHAT I NEED 4 TO DO,SO I TOLD MYSELF I WOULD NOT PLAY ON 3 OR MORE CONGAS UNTIL I FELT I CAN GET ALL I CAN OUT OF 2...ANYONE ELSE EVER FEEL THIS WAY?

Posted: **Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:53 pm**

Sounds like not a bad method to approach the drums...some that play 4 or more drums can't play efficiently on just two drums...it happens...i wouldn't get frustrated about it, but to me if you can't get more sounds out of four drums that you can out of one drum you should stick to one drum and develop your chops on one...if when you play more than 3 drums you are really saying something and not just show than you got something there...i usually play just two drums unless i am playing a gig where i know i will be playing some rumba, abakua, bembe stuff...and thats if there is enough room on stage for 3 drums!!!!!

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:54 am**

Practice your different tones on one drum over and over and over again... beat it into your brain, literally. Sit down and play slaps for 15 mins strait (use a metronome if you have one). Then do the same for open tones, muffled tones, bass etc. It may be boring, but it will pay off in the end. Create some heel tip exercises playing 8th notes or 16th notes at a quick but maintainable speed, change up the patterns tho like this:

Ex: h t h t h t h t h t h t h t h t h t h t h t h t
R L R L R L R L R R L L R R L L R L R R L R L L
L R L R L R L R L L R R L L R R L R L L R L R R

h t h t h t h t h t h t h t h t
R R R R R R R R R R R R L L L L
L L L L L L L L L L L L R R R R

I usually warm up by running through each of these 10-20 times. Substitute slaps, open tones, etc for the heel tip. This stuff may seem basic, and it is, but it will pay off in the end.

Technique is key to a good sounding player, the drum in most cases is not the problem with a bad sounding conga player. However on the other hand your problem may not be with technique at all. Maybe it is the drum, or the heads, or poor tuning? I've played on alot of congas and there were some that I loved, and some that I hated. Everyone has different preferences, maybe you havn't found the right congas for "your sound".

I hope this helps, goodluck!

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:28 pm**

THANKS GUYS DEAD HEAD I THINK U MIGHT BE RIGHT I RECENTLY UPGRADED FROM MATADORS TO LP CLASSICS I ONLY USE FIBERSKYN ON MY QUINTO BECAUSE I USE THAT MOSTLY FOR SOLOING AND THE SLAP IS CRISP I KEEP THE OTHER REGULAR HAND PICKED HEADS ON THE OTHER BUT WHEN I SWITCHED TO THE CLASSIC I NOTICED I WAS ABLE TO GET MORE SOUNDS THAN WITH THE MATADOR..SO MAYBE I NEED TO JUST GET MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE CLASSICS..THERE GIVING ME SOUNDS I COULD,NT PRODUCE AT FIRST....THANKS

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:54 pm**

Boogie,

Everybody hits a wall of some kind. The basis for my drumming has always been the single drum and my ability to modulate its sound and make it a strong rhythmic voice. The additional drums fill out my tumbaos, adding tonal/melodic dimension. But the prime directive starts with you and a single drum. Be gentle with yourself, and understand this is another step along the way.

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:11 pm**

CONGATICK THANKS MAN...IM LOOKING DEEPER INTO THIS WALL IVE HIT AND I ALSO THINK IT DEALS WITH THE AREA IM IN AND THE MUSIC THAT IS PLAYED AS TO WHY I CANT GET OVER THIS HUMP.I REALLY NEED TO TRY TO FIND SOME CATS THAT ARE MORE INTO WORLD MUSIC.I LOVE AFRICAN AND LATIN RYTHMS BUT BARELY GET TO USE THEM..I THINK THATS WHERE MY FRUSTRATION IS ALSO

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:18 pm**

WWW.TRIBALJAZZLIVE.COM NOW THIS IS WHAT I LOVE TO PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted: **Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:45 pm**

For those that may not know it but Giovanni has come out with a "Beginners" Book with CD....I am using it with my 10 year old student and even he can read and play with it.....so for those that are working on technique and starting out I would recommend this Book and CD by Giovanni....."JC" Johnny Conga...

Posted: **Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:41 pm**

Boogie
part of your frustration is being frustrated. when practicing i have found that being calm and relaxed bring more positive results. if you are frustrated you can rush your practice and your patterns and that in turn can make it less effective.
whenever i am learning new patterns or rudiments i start slow, very slow till my hands can do the pattern without me trying to, then i start picking up the speed.
whenever i get frustrated with a pattern i stop and do a pattern that i am familiar with and once i settle down i try it again. hang in there, we all get frustrated. work through it and it will come to you when you least expect it.

oz

Posted: **Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:36 am**

Hey there everyone,

I think deadhead is right on the money Boogie. You must get your chops down first. Learn each drums tone and bring it out. After that you then move on to the next drum. The trick to blending the melody of the drums would be in the "mano secreta", secret hand.

Robert

Posted: **Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:39 pm**

GOOD ADVICE ROBERT07 AND OZ ,I THINK THAT FRUSTRATION THING REALLY GETS ME,I THINK IM GONNA GO HOME TONIGHT PULL OUT 1 CONGA HIT THE LIGHTS BURN SOME INSCENTS AND LET IT FLOW..THANKS FELLAS!

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