Acoustic duo - Guitar, Congas w/ Egg and Finger Shot

[busyflyin]

Hi JC - it is actually another member who posted the shaker/conga vids:
TonyB
Busy just made comment.

Cheers

I sent JC an email to note that. Thanks!

[TonyB]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the input. Been real busy since I last posted. I have to do a big Xmas show a state over in a couple of hours and am waiting on the van to pick me up. I appreciate all of the input, positive and negative. I do have off on Tuesday of this week so I will respond properly tonight or tomorrow.

All suggestions are appreciated.

We do a lot of country, blues, Motown, rock, and folk. Traditional rhythms don't really work with a lot of those styles of music. We have come a long way and I know we will be recorded at least 3 times this week. I will do my best to get up some recent material ASAP. I am thinking Sunday or Monday will be my first chance.


I would love to see some percussionist doing acoustic accompaniment. I am always looking for new ideas.

Thanks,
Tony

[JohnnyConga]

http://youtu.be/xfT6eYqwG20 acoustic trio and me on congas...
http://youtu.be/1PEzNn-f0T4 and this Im on bongos...

[busyflyin]

http://youtu.be/xfT6eYqwG20 acoustic trio and me on congas...
http://youtu.be/1PEzNn-f0T4 and this Im on bongos...

Now THAT's my kind of music! JC is jamin, but the guy playing harp and guitar is pretty good! I play guitar and harmonica, but playing them together is a very different skill level.. AND he's playing barre chords. Very nice JC.. thanks a ton for sharing!!

[TonyB]

Hi guys,

What I am trying to do is emulate more of a drum kit sound than play traditional conga rhythms.

I do have a gajate bracket but haven't had too much time to practice with it.

The Finger Shots only make sound on one direction. I have a couple of the Pearl Shakelets in the mail, as well as other finger shakers that look like they make sound on both directions, and some other types of rattles and shakes that strap on the wrist. I am always trying new things. I may find something I like better or want to use on certain songs. I may incorporate it with the eggs or may use them by themselves or in a whole new combination. Like Windhorse said, it is all about the backbeat. I think busy rhythms would take away from the style of music we do as a whole - there is nothing worse than a percussionist who over plays.

There wasn't a ton of work for me when I was doing traditional playing. There are so many waterside venues within a hundred miles, any direction, that cater to acoustic musicians and a ton of inside places that don't have the room for full bands. I, now, rarely have to drive more than 30 mins for gigs - I have 3 within 2 miles of my one house this week alone. I am fortunate enough to have enough work that I can't do all of the gigs that are offered to me. I will be 39 in a week and am having the best time I have ever had in my life. I am not getting rich, but I am not behind on any bills. We are already filling our calenders for next Summer and the venues are getting bigger and better all of the time. I know I am lucky and I have to keep growing as a musician if I want to keep the ball rolling. I hope I can get some recordings this week for you to hear. Things have changed a lot, all the way down to our PA, mic configs, repertoire of songs and styles, even their guitar rigs and my drums. We all get along so well too - that makes it great for the soul. I have a very supportive lady who deals with my crazy hours , musicians always coming over to jam at odd hours, me practicing or learning new instruments, etc and she never has a negative word to say about it. I know I am lucky.

Johnny, I would love to take you up on your offer. Things are slowing down for me in the next few weeks. I would love to learn some new things. Nice videos! I will shoot you a PM next week, if that is cool.

I have a few PM's that I need to respond too but I can't right now. I told the Mrs that I would make dinner before I head to the show.

Thanks for all of the input and suggestions.

T

[busyflyin]

For the "drum kit" sound, I use a cajon that I made myself. It has snare wires in it and the band loves it! Sometimes the conga just doesn't fit. I also use a djembe. Yup, I'm a full service hand drummer!!

[JohnnyConga]

Tony B when your ready let me know via johnnyconga@hotmail.com and let's do it!....JC

[TonyB]

Hey guys,

Here is some newer stuff using Rhythm Rings as my shakers. This was at 8 in the morning and Jeff lost his voice so we had to pick other songs to fit in the 3 minute slots at the very last minute. The music starts at about 50 seconds on both clips. These have been great to shop to new venues since everyone seems to do business over the net nowadays - it was worth the speeding ticket I got trying to get down there on time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqWtvkRu4vo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIB1mbTRx8U


Try not to hurt me too bad.

[JohnnyConga]

Hi Tony in Cuba they sometime use "wrist shakers" so it frees up the hands..as I can see you have to keep your fingers tightly together, which also is affecting your sound on the drums...just MHO..so u might want to go for 'wrist shakers' instead..u will just have to make them yourself ..the ones in Cuba use a metal casing that has a wrist band going thru the bottom of the casing or attached to the sides like a watch band ....I forget the Cuban name for them ...you will see a quinto player wearing them during a Rumba...not for everyone...

[bongosnotbombs]

Hi Tony in Cuba they sometime use "wrist shakers" so it frees up the hands..as I can see you have to keep your fingers tightly together, which also is affecting your sound on the drums...just MHO..so u might want to go for 'wrist shakers' instead..u will just have to make them yourself ..the ones in Cuba use a metal casing that has a wrist band going thru the bottom of the casing or attached to the sides like a watch band ....I forget the Cuban name for them ...you will see a quinto player wearing them during a Rumba...not for everyone...

Johnny you are referring to nkembi, notably worn by jesus Alfonso Miro, you can see pictures of him wearing nkembi here...

http://rumbainstruments.blogspot.com/20 ... -miro.html

[rhythmrhyme]

Tony B - good on ya for posting your stuff and sharing with the board!

I'm just in the process of getting a "gypsy" group going - a Rumba Catalan type thing, so I appreciate what you're all pulling together.

Johnny Conga could probably give you some good pointers on your conga technique. When I don't watch, and just listen, I can hear the rhythm your playing - I think there are more efficient and crisp ways to lay it down. JC's definitely got the goods to help you along.

I like the idea of the shakers but for the way I play they would definitely need to be around my wrists, and quite securely for that matter. It seems that having them on your hands may be causing you to play a bit more stiffly than you would otherwise, perhaps having them on your wrists would allow you more flexibility in how your hands and wrists move.

Nice exposure you're group is getting with the TV spots!

Cheers,
RR

[JohnnyConga]

Thank you bongosnotbombs...nkembi...yes..and I was thinking of Jesus exactly...

[TonyB]

Thanks guys.

They beats are intended to be "straight" for these songs - a country shuffle for "Miss Ohio", and a straight rock beat for "Wayfaring Stranger". I get to go loose on some other stuff we do.

I am adding some new stuff in the mix, like a cymbal and http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-pe ... ell-beater , and http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-pe ... inch-mount .

I have been looking at these for a bit to free up my hands http://www.x8drums.com/Schlagwerk-Shake ... p/sh10.htm . They look pretty neat, huh? Any of y'all used them? I can only find one place in all of the USA that sells them.

Thanks,
Tony

[TonyB]

Some new stuff from the TV.

The three of us don't play together much anymore. We seem to do more TV and radio spots than gigs. We all have multiple other projects going on, but it feels like home when we do get together.

Check it out, and feel free to tell me where and how I am messing up.

The both start around 1.25


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAhVNy4 ... UZF35MFa4Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHUDecvlscQ