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Hi, This is my first post.
I'm a learning player and would be grateful for suggestions - here is the situation.

I host an open-mic and added a set of congas as a house drum set. I'm a beginner and learning to play. I have two LP Aspire drums, one 11" and one 12". I also have the standard hanger stand for them. I've had them at two open mics, mic'd with a Shure SM57 overhanging from a boom, and they've gone over very well, with a few hand drum players stepping forward and going to work.

I would like to add a few more percussion instruments to the set. So this is my question, if anyone has a suggestion for adding more percussion sounds - including details on makes and models of the suggested instrument, and if they are freestanding, mount to the present conga stand, or require a new stand, or if there is some type of tray that attaches to the stand to hold them.

I'm very appreciative for any guidance.

Thanks,
Dave

wetwonder wrote:Hi, This is my first post.
I'm a learning player and would be grateful for suggestions - here is the situation.

I host an open-mic and added a set of congas as a house drum set. I'm a beginner and learning to play. I have two LP Aspire drums, one 11" and one 12". I also have the standard hanger stand for them. I've had them at two open mics, mic'd with a Shure SM57 overhanging from a boom, and they've gone over very well, with a few hand drum players stepping forward and going to work.

I would like to add a few more percussion instruments to the set. So this is my question, if anyone has a suggestion for adding more percussion sounds - including details on makes and models of the suggested instrument, and if they are freestanding, mount to the present conga stand, or require a new stand, or if there is some type of tray that attaches to the stand to hold them.

I'm very appreciative for any guidance.

Thanks,
Dave

inb4 comment on Aspires.

Clave, kata (not a jam block), maruga/maracas, cowbells - that's the sort of thing that is usually associated with the conga drum.

For pop etc. anything goes.

set of bongos probably. Try to get a better model than the aspires if you can. Tamborine maybe?

All the above and a good shaker, shekere, campana, guiro, chimes, triangle.
Try the LP single handed triangle..... looks silly, but works very well.
Anything that makes a good noise........

Hi there

All these suggestions are good. But it also depends on the kind of music you want to play.

D

Thanks for the suggestions. The type of music is most often acoustic guitar rock, folk, alternative, and singer/songwriter genres. The instruments that have been suggested, how are they attached or kept with the set on stage? I realize the suggested bongos would be mounted above and behind the congas.
Thanks,
Dave

Dave,

Welcome to the forum, there is a wealth of good advice and good intentions here.

For anything with an attachment clamp look at the Meinl conga lug clamp and the Pearl multi percussion rack.
Try a Stagg percussion table for non clampable toys.

Have fun

Dice

Uhh, a djembe to add some bass thump. Am I really the first to jump in with this.

Hi Dave,
Here's just a few suggestions. I think the only limitations are budget and your skill level to play the instruments.
Anyway, I think the most useful things to add first are things like:
- different kinds of shakers, (If money is tight you can even make shakers yourself quite easily using things like rice, seeds, and old coffee tins or plastic containers painted up colourfully)
- a cabasa (e.g. LP)
- a jam block
- a percussion table / stand (you can improvise here by using an old slide projector stand from a second hand store or garage sale - drape a colourful cloth over it and no one knows the difference.)

A range of bells etc (just as an example, here's what I use):
- mountable brazilian double bell (e.g. Sonor brass), mountable LP cha cha bell and a mambo salsa cowbell (LP and others make these - just Google)
- a medium crash cymbal and stand
- hand held tambourine
- mountable tambourine
Photo attached of bell set up I use with 3 bells, jam block and tambourine.
Attached to cymbal stand using a bracket with room for 4 posts.

Pavlo

Hello!

Dicemanb, thanks for the info about one handed triangel from LP, haven't know it till today, and propably it's my next order.
To Dave: Make yourself a good seat i mean cajon. I find this 'box' very good and you spare some playing space too.

my 2 cents,

PimpS

Hello!

Dicemanb, thanks for the info about one handed triangel from LP, haven't know it till today, and propably it's my next order.
To Dave: Make yourself a good seat i mean cajon. I find this 'box' very good and you spare some playing space too.

my 2 cents,

PimpS

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Hey Leedy,

I am with you re: my learning. However I host a couple of open mics and use the set also as the house set for the open mics for any percussionists that may show up. So I just wanted to add some useful other instruments to round out the sounds they can produce. I was just looking for the basics for that purpose, for the open mics.

To rephrase, maybe, if you were to go to an open mic and they had a percussion set for you to use, what several instruments would you like in addition to a basic conga/tumba set to augment the percussion?

hi Dave,welcome to the forum. I would avoid adding anything too loud i.e. Bells ,Jam Blocks etc.,from my experience with open mic.'s you will get people playing too loud and it detracts from the performance,esp. singer/songwriter stuff.

shaker,cabasa...maybe a triangle

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