Manufacturers, brands, skins, maintenance, stands, sticks, michrophones and other accessories for congueros can be discussed into this forum ...... leave your experience or express your doubts!
Does he start playing the big drum on the 3 side towards the end or am I not listening correctly? Maybe hes tapping in a way I cant tell the 2 from the 3. Olsongo what do you mean by dragging not enough pep or that he is behind the rhythm? I'm not critisizing just learning I think it sounds nice though.
Abakua, is there any way you can move this thread over to the Videos thread?
BNB, Olsongo is right, the conga player's timing is very uneven on that song, he is behind the beat sometimes, sometimes on time, the breaks are very sloppy, and he comes back in late after the breaks. This makes the rhythm drag, the beat doesn't come where you expect it, it is often late. Maybe trying to play bell and clave with his feet is throwing him off, or maybe he just has bad timing. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, it would probably sound better if he just played the congas and concentrated on keeping time. Timing is key in latin music, the rhythms need to be played very precisely in time or they don't sound right. The swing depends on even timing. Also, he is hitting the low conga much softer than the high conga and you can't hear it, but until he gets his timing straight that is a lower priority.
To show you what I mean, here is an example of really even timing from one of the Cuban master conga players, Roberto Vizcaino. Except for a little speeding up slightly in a couple of places, which is normal in guaguanco, his timing is rock solid.
Also, listen to any Tata Guines or Mongo record and you will hear how precise the timing can sound, and how that precision gives the swing to the music.
Yeah your right, now that i listen to it again more closely, I just came across it running through the craigslist ads....I guess I looked at it more than listened to it.