Gloves, Taping, or PAIN!

[The Radman]

Please tell me how the proffessional's play their rigs 320 night's a year. Are they taping their hands up? Or using gloves? What techniques would you recommend for still having a bit of tonal control and yet save the hands from the punishment of constant rapid fire slaps and hits. My thumbs are hitting the outer edge of the rim: I don't think of this as proper technique: I am using this as sort of a velocity brake to gauge the speed and power with which I am playing. My thumbs are getting really abused. Any and all comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And thanks to all in advance for your replies.
Peace Love Electric RAD
The Radman.

[timo]

its not good that your breaking your thumbs while playing, you have to keep them close to you palm (side of palm) and
as high as possible, and not let them bounce onto the rim however hard you hit. or as some player do pull, your thumbs back toward yourself and out of harms way. i prefer the first method.

[JohnnyConga]

:0 Gloves are a no no of course,nothing like skin on skin. Now taping is an art in itself. To watch Mongo Santamaria tape up before a show is like painting. takes his time,he has used "rubber fingers"(they look like real small condoms),with cut and shaped cardboard inside the "rubber fingers". I use 1 inch nexus bandaids.I overlap one half over the next one. Usually 3 bandaids to a finger 2 for the pinkys.one around the knuckles portion of my thumb,cotton part of bandaid to cover outside of the thumb which strikes the rim of the conga, not the "hoop" in the skin. If you play with your thumbs in the air or away from your other fingers puts stress on the hand even more,for those that try and play with "open" fingers.To get proper tone your hand must be closed with no air escaping between the fingers. Try hitting with "open" fingers first then "closed" and you will hear the difference,trust me.......At your Service JC JOHNNY CONGA....

[timo]

i have never used taping, but i'm wondering what does taping your fingers help, i see people use it but i have had to try?

[Bongo Boy]

I've been playing now for less than 1 month, but I only had trouble smacking my thumbs for one or two practice sessions--got THAT cured right away. I'm wondering how long you practice at a single sitting--it seems to me you simply can't do anything to rush the natural transformation of your hands.

I do keyboard/paperwork for a living and have no calluses whatsoever--I play about 1 hour a day, sometimes 2, and that's about all my hands can take right now. But, this is just muscle fatique, and I notice I'm relaxing more and playing much longer without tiring, and certainly with no pain at all.

ALso, my hands never come up more that about 4-8 in. (10-20 cm) off the head when I practice. Are you really beating the crap out of the drum?

I'd say tape won't help much in the case where you're hitting your thumbs on the rim--this is just going to hurt no matter what.

[JohnnyConga]

To become a player Callous will be part of your hand as long as you play, if your really "hitting" the drum. There are a lot of cats out there do what I call "tapping' the drum. Sorry NOT! There is NO Tapping on congas,only Hitting. No way around it. If u want to Tap pick up a doumbek,or Tabla. Congas u have to HIT! And when your with a band or at a Jam hit HARD.....there is no easy way around this instrument . If you think that, your lying to your self....... Callous is inevitable ,if ur thumb hurts when it hits the conga ,just tape it with a bandaid or two.both of mine are calloused and I have never had to tape them,just my fingers from playing a lot. At your Service....JC JOHNNY CONGA....PS Use hand lotion before u play ,to keep ur skin from cracking and bleeding.At your Service.....JC JOHNNY CONGA.....