Problems With The Conventional Conga . . .

[smcolema]

Fellow Conga Crazies,

I'm a grad student at a design school in NC. My current project is designing "The next generation conga."
So . . .

1. What would you say are the biggest problems with using a normal traditional conga?

2. Would you like to see a new design that is all digital, or something that still incorporates a tunable head?

Thanks for your help!

>Sean>

[bongosnotbombs]

Congamyk said it best:

Ideally.....

I'd like quinto+conga+tumba and they would only weigh 1 LB each.
They would be foldable into a wallet size space for easy transport.
They would be twice as loud as any drum on earth.
They would never give me callouses cause they would feel like playing fluffy clouds -even when cracking the loudest slaps.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5213&start=15

Please design these congas.

[Mike]

1. What would you say are the biggest problems with using a normal traditional conga?

That you always struggle for the best sound, but that is not a problem, rather the challenge we all love to face!

2. Would you like to see a new design that is all digital?

What....?

something that still incorporates a tunable head?

Sean, we are talking about musical instrument with a rich history, with "natural ingredients",wood & skin,
sweat and passion of the players, not drum computers

Sorry, but honestly, you should think your project over, it is leading nowhere.

[Jibaro]

Sean, we are talking about musical instrument with a rich history, with "natural ingredients",wood & skin,
sweat and passion of the players, not drum computers

Sorry, but honestly, you should think your project over, it is leading nowhere.

While most of us here are traditionalists who appreciate those things you mention, there may well be some kind of demand for what Sean is trying to do. He just asked the wrong group of folks for advice.

I laughed when I saw the first electric violin and electric upright bass too - but they're here to stay.

[smcolema]

Yeah, I figured I might get similar responses from this community.
Actually, my new drum design is meant to cater to traditionalists and people who love the feel of the drum.

I am thinking of something that still features a tunable head but with an innovative and simplified way to tune it. Also it would feature extremely light weight construction and the only "digital" part would have to be with plug-in or wireless amplification.

[congamyk]

design a conga so when you rub the side a genie comes out

[congamyk]

Some issues where an innovative design might help

1) too much overtones or "ringing".
2) lighter weight is a great idea - as long as it doesn't affect the sound or integrity of the drum.
3) a better way to mic congas and maintain a full sound is also a great idea
.

[Mike]

Some issues where an innovative design might help

1) too much overtones or "ringing".
2) lighter weight is a great idea - as long as it doesn't affect the sound or integrity of the drum.
3) a better way to mic congas and maintain a full sound is also a great idea
.

Congamyk, these are problems we all face indeed, but it does not automatically require
space technology or innovative design to reach 1)+2) in my opinion, but taking a good look
at the ingredients of conga I mentioned earlier, experimenting with wood and skin types.

I do not oppose any progress, I have even played fiberglass congas
To be serious, regarding 3), micing Congas is always a problem, but the question is if you want
to stay with a "real" skin in the future or rather have a "soundpad" yielding the perfect tone or whatever.
But this can be reached by perfect microphones and sound engineering I would say.

As to real-life playing, i.e. in your garden, living-room, or on the street, park etc.
I would predict that hardly any conguero finds playing the tumbadoras in any way too cumbersome
in these situatoins to jump on a different train.
In my fantasies of the horror type I envision a blinking plastic box labeled "conga" with 10 different sound presets
or something like that...
If that was the genie coming out of the bottle then I would go....

[bongosnotbombs]

As a design professional myself, I have thought of some conga alternatives.
The main thing I would like to do is to tune the drum more quickly, but any system
I think of, has a diminishing return due to increased complexity versus the current simple
and robust method of tuning.

I would like to see advanced metals like titanium, lighter and stronger than steel,
and also more corrosion resistant, being used for congas. However that adds significant
costs to congas that few are willing to pay.

Sometimes I think about getting a spare wood conga, and mounting all kinds of pickups,
cord jacks to it and volume and gain knobs, so I might run the conga through wah wah pedals and other effects,
and amplifiers to mess with the sound just to see what I could come up with.

[JohnnyConga]

i ONCE MET A GUY WHO made a set of Conga drums out of PLexiglass...they sounded great, they were 'see thru' and thick....he actully had X-mas lights in them as well for show ...so they would go off every time he hit the heads...never saw that ever again...think about it ...Plexiglass congas....ummmm..."JC" Johnny Conga

[Tonio]

Sometimes I think about getting a spare wood conga, and mounting all kinds of pickups,
cord jacks to it and volume and gain knobs, so I might run the conga through wah wah pedals and other effects,
and amplifiers to mess with the sound just to see what I could come up with.

That reminds me of Mtume, that guy was a innovator.

You can use a trigger set up and run through a amp. Actually my dad got me a mounted type trigger, but we never got it to work?

T

[RitmoBoricua]

i ONCE MET A GUY WHO made a set of Conga drums out of PLexiglass...they sounded great, they were 'see thru' and thick....he actully had X-mas lights in them as well for show ...so they would go off every time he hit the heads...never saw that ever again...think about it ...Plexiglass congas....ummmm..."JC" Johnny Conga

Reminds me of the Vistalite drum sets back in the day. Not bad a new breed of plexiglass/acrylic congas with LED lights in the shell.

Another way to create the next generation of congas is to use materials and technology that is more earth friendly.

[bongosnotbombs]

Another way to create the next generation of congas is to use materials and technology that is more earth friendly.

You mean like hemp congas?
http://hempworld.com/shop/MainPageHempB ... erials.htm

congas_web.jpg (17.53 KiB) Viewed 7550 times

I think biodegradable wood, recyclable steel and natural skin congas are very earth friendly.
Except for maybe some of the paints and chrome process. Now guys are using
powder coat and stainless steel. Of course, lots of drums are left natural and unpainted as well.

[RitmoBoricua]

<<You mean like hemp congas? >>

Hemp material Wow. I think Remo make their congas out of this material they called "acousticon" and then of course most mass produced congas are made out of plantation rubberwood that is cut down when it does not produce anymore "latex" and I guess new trees are planted making it sort of a renewable source.


<<I think biodegradable wood, recyclable steel and natural skin congas are very earth friendly. Except for maybe some of the paints and chrome process. Now guys are using
powder coat and stainless steel. Of course, lots of drums are left natural and unpainted as well.>>

You got that right. Making our infamous "footprint" smaller is important.

[smcolema]

Thanks for all of the feedback you guys(and ladies). I also received feedback from my studio professor- he said that it would be the wrong project if all I was going to do is change the materials. So, since my project is only a concept, and seeing as how successful the electric keyboard and guitar have been- <Cringe> . . . . I am going to step off the edge and design a digital conga. My target user will be the "new age" population of percussionists with the theme of portability. That'll let me explore all sorts of outlandish ideas for the body. On a final note, my design will still feature a head that feels like a conga head- not like traditional digital drum pads.


Note: My definition of "new age" population are those people who don't mind trying radical new things (musicwise)

- Props to all for your input!!!