Lifting conga with feet - techniques for lifting conga with feet

[Omelenko]

Mongo's main influence was Chicho (Clemente Piquero) who played bongo' with Beni More' and other son groups in Havana.
It was probably Chano who started lifting the tumbadora of the floor on stage. Dario

[ozrivera]

When I started the post I was lifting the conga but, not very efficiently. I decided to ask thinking that there was a trick or technique that would make the effort easier without practicing. Almost immediately I realized that there wasn’t any trick that would improve my technique overnight. So, I began to incorporate the lifts on my regular practice routine and in just a few short weeks I had it down packed. I know that there are stands and all other stuff that you can use to get that rich bass tone
But, I wanted to do it the old school way. Since I have been practicing the lifting on regular basis I have found that readjusting your feet on the bottom of the conga after every lift is a must. And again it doesn’t really have to come off the ground more than 2 inches.
There are also some control factors that have to be taken into consideration once the conga is lifted, if the conga is not adjusted to the right position when you lift it will tilt forward or backwards and may cause you to move your hand from the playing surface to hold the conga. But like I mentioned practice makes perfect. I was just being lazy, trying to get over on practicing the lifts, it is challenges like this that help me keep me grounded and realize that there’s no substitute for practice. Just because someone makes something look easy doesn’t mean it really is. I’m sure many of us have vested hundreds and some thousands of hours to make some of the things we do look easy. Just my personal opinion.

Oz

:;):

[zaragenca]

Your are good DARIO,Mongo's influences were three percussionists,Silvestre Mendez,Clemente 'Chicho' Piquero,and Chano Pozo...Chano took the articulation of the comparsas groups were he played,and used in it different setting when he was called by Gilberto Valdez,and later by Dr. Obdulio Morales in the 'Batamu' shows,Mongo used this experience of working with to monsters directors and several 'comparsas', to create the show,'Congo Pantera' and later in the 'Conjunto Azul' for RHC,Radio Cadena Azul,...he was the one which brought the bass tone and using the elbow to create higher pitch into the Conjuntos...And is one of Mongo Santamaria's Idols..but there is one which used it before Chano....You see brother Dario,there is always something under the table,till next one.Dr. Zaragemca

[zaragenca]

Note,I'm sorry replace the name, 'Mongo used this experiece,etc',... for the name, Chano Pozo. I cann't edit.Dr. Zaragemca