3-Conga Setups

[Bongo Boy]

This probably qualifies as a Frequently Asked Question, but...what are the more common arrangements for 3 drums that you've seen?



Edited By Bongo Boy on Mar. 28 2002 at 14:48

[timo]

It depends on what your playing and what feels comfortable, some rhythms require a different set up for more agility...
i mostly use the "half" circle, but I'v seen people play with the congas as a triangle in front of them. Depends on the person.

[Bongo Boy]

Okay. So there's no Big Rule or anything? I was surprised to see Bobby Sanabria's setup with the tumba to his left--I thought the low drum would traditionally be to the right. But then again, I suppose this depends on if you're left- or right-handed, too.

[timo]

On the video in LP's web page Giovanni plays with the tumba on his left .
http://www.lpmusic.com/Play_Like_A_Pro/Tips/giovanni.html

And Patato plays (from left to right, around him):
Low Tumba, Requinto, Conga, Tumba.



Edited By timo on Mar. 29 2002 at 11:23

[JohnnyConga]

Hi Guys here is my perspective. when I started out,I'm natural righty I played to my right conga-tumba. when I started to play 3 congas I played all 3 to my right, but felt unbalanced. So I took the conga to my left quinto in middle and tumba to my right. When I play 4 congas its 3 across and one in front middle but i kinda diamond shape it . When I play 5 congas its 3 across 2 in front and the set up for me is Left-conga-middle quinto-right-tumba then in front of the 3 I use 2 congas and tune them accordingly to my ears and sound. I have seen guys play 4 to there right Like Patato-Jerry Gonzales,etc. I"ve seen crazy Ritchie Flores try and play 7 with in a V shape with 3 on each side and one in the middle, but that is overkill, for me and doesn't really work,especially with Latin music. And I have heard,there is a blind drummer in Africa that plays up to 10 drums. So have fun and experiment with positioning and sounds....try it you'll like it! At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA.....

[Bongo Boy]

RE: Giovanni with tumba to the left...he's left-handed so that's consistent, I guess, with other players.

[zealot]

For me (I'm right handed) the best position seems to be conga to the left and tumba in front between quinto and conga in a triangle shape. I'm still not convinced this is always the 'best' way but it does mean I can easily reach the conga and tumba with my right hand, and I can get to the tumba with my left without getting in the way of the right. I am, however, self taught so I may be introducing a wierd new innovation , but I think the best positioning is that which works best for you. The only way to find that is to experiment and practice.

[JohnnyConga]

Yo Zealot ...DO UR THING BRO.....Xperimenting is how u grow and learn. I have seen cats play every way imaginable. There is a guy named Peanuts in the Bahamas that has his own club and he sits in a revolving chair with at least 10 drums in a circle around him...to each his own, I guess huh?At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA....

[Simon B]

Hey that Peanuts character sounds interesting JC. Is he a good player?

Unlike stick-drummers congueros do not have augmented reach, and congas themselves are chunky things. I reckon five or six congas (sat-down) must be about the limit you can play with real facility, i.e. without having to make annoying stretches and twists. Having said that I don't have any experience playing that number.

By the way who thinks that the most common number of congas that you see a conguero use (i.e. someone who is specialising mainly in the congas as opposed to a whole ;load of other multi-percussion) is three? Because I do. When I see a guy on two, which cannot be said to be uncommon, I feel good (partly cos I play on two). When I see a guy on one I have real respect - this seems very rare if outside of a folkloric setting.

Simon B

[JohnnyConga]

Well Peanuts has his own style and it leans more to show than anything else. It's his club.If your ever in Nassau,just ask where is Peanuts Niteclub everyone knows. I got to touch and try to play his drums but they weren't even tuned to anything in particular and some of them even had plastic drum heads on them,but visually it looks good on stage.......One of the Best one drummer Conga drummers is "One drum Tommy"-Tommy Lopez who played in the band "La Perfecta with Eddie Palmieri",sweet solos,rarely used 2.3 drums are quite common today and have been for about 20 years now. I am comfortable playing 4 congas 5 streaches it a bit,but possible to do. Try playing on stands with 4 or more it's better for your back......AT your Service.... JC JOHNNY CONGA....

[michael rosario]

i've have been playing 2 congas= quinto and congas, i have decided to add a 3rd conga a tumbadora, my question is, is it really necessary, what are the advantage of playing 3 congas in a latin/jazz setting?.... how is this set up..congas on my left.. quinto in the middle... djembe on my right instead of a tumbadora?

[Simon B]

I'm about to put my order in for a third conga (a 12 1/2 inch tumba) and am pretty excited. The main things for me will be to get the extra melodic tone(s), so the sound can be filled out, also to be able to release the left hand and let it play the same as the right in escaping to the other drum. I mean a drum either side is a more natural position than a drum only on one side, so your body and mind are conditioned only towards that direction.

In terms of musical needs, I don't think I would always play the third drum for gigs. A friend once said to me in criticism of another conga player - "he didn't know how to use three congas because he hardly ever played the third" and I thought, "well should he?". Wouldn't it be nice to save the third for soloing or only for particular patterns, rather than trying to load as many tones in as possible at all times. Of course in the right musical context and with the right approach three, four, six drums can sound great. I just don't agree with the 'big's necessarily best' idea. Many's the time I don't use my tumba in a number and just play the quinto: to me, if you can't get good sounds out of one drum alone then you shouldn't be moving onto another.

Simon B

[James McKaskle]

I've been playing for about a year and a half (very new at drumming) though I've been studying guitar for 12 years, so I may be able to add something to this <extremely old> post. From what I've experienced it's true that sounding good on two or three tuned congas is easier than on just one. I have two quintos (because I am very poor, and don't really care) and a set of bongos that I sometimes play together. High quinto wood/skin on the right, low quinto all fiberglass on the left, and wood/skin bongos between the legs. This creates a very unique sound, and I like it. When I get a segundo and/or tumba, the setup will change accordingly. But the challenge of being interesting on one conga is the whole reason I've taken up latin percussion: they don't teach rhythm to classical musicians. When you have one conga, it's all about the rhythm.

[Johnny Conga]

Well like one of my teachers said to me "you gotta learn to play one drum beffore you can play 2 and so on. 3 drums is the norm for today's drummers. Quinto conga and tumba. Some guys use 2 congas and one tumba, some use 2 congas one quinto and a tumba. So it's what works best for you. Plus what you don't mind lugging to a gig.... JC JOHNNY CONGA...