Wood Block Foot Pedal

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!

Wood Block Foot Pedal

Postby Marcus » Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:20 pm

Good Day,

I am looking for an inexpensive foot pedal with wood block so I can play the clave and various beats while I am playing conga. I have seen these arrangements and started an internet search but there are lots of foot pedals of various costs and the blocks need a mounting and then the block. Does anybody have any suggestions of an assembly? Thinking of going into the 2nd hand market but I really do not want to spend a bunch of time here. would rather play than make this a big effort.

thx, marcus
Marcus
 
Posts: 167
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 5:06 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: Wood Block Foot Pedal

Postby markab » Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:18 pm

I don't have any great suggestions here but here's my two cents as a baby conga player who is also a baby pedal player. But mainly I don't see any option as being much cheaper than any other option.

I started with a basic pedal (Monoprice, no longer made), an LP Gajate bracket/mount, LP jam block (plastic wood block), and an LP cowbell.

The basic felt beater that came with my pedal was too soft for the jam block, so I added a wood one.

I would be afraid that a downsized bracket/mount, like in LP's new cowbell pedal pack, might not allow some other instruments that have a more awkward shape or something. (For example, I've since acquired a tambourine and a mountable pandeiro.)

My first jam block was LP's high pitched blue one, but I prefer the medium pitched red one I got later. (Obatala plays clave on a red one in some of his conga videos.)

I recently got a second pedal (DW 2000) and another Gajate, working on playing a cowbell on the beat along with a jam block clave.

-Mark
markab
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:31 pm

Re: Wood Block Foot Pedal

Postby Greensail » Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:11 pm

I have used several foot pedals over the years, a lot more when I only played 2 congas. I find it much more difficult to play now that I usually use 3 drums. I think I am with Mark on a lot of things. My favorite pedal is a DW 2000 (DrumWorkshop). Now I am NO kit drummer but this brand feels the most responsive to me of any I used. I have used various blocks, and am quite pleased with the LP plastic blocks. They make various sizes depending upon the tone you desire and again I am with Mark - I like the red one. With regards to a beater, you want something pretty hard to strike the block. I came across a rather old felt beater in which the felt had hardened a LOT. Likely no good for a normal drum but excellent for the block. You could also fashion a piece of hardwood to fasten to the as opposed to felt. I also have a tamborine that I occasionally connect. A softer felt beater works better for that. A cowbell could also be used but I have no experience with that. My advice, the block adds a nice touch to many songs but use sparingly. It can get old. Don't remember the exact quote but Thelonius Monk once said something like - you need to leave space to let the music breath. Enjoy.
Greensail
 
Posts: 81
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2013 4:18 pm

Re: Wood Block Foot Pedal

Postby Marcus » Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:33 pm

thanks guys, great advice.

I was thinking my use would be slow and soft and just to basically internalize beats, clave and upbeats. Don't think I could keep up with a high bpm. That job is for the metronome. I also prefer a lower tone block. Had not consider plastic as I was thinking wood but that is now an options. I hear from friends than don bennent's drum shop on the eastside of seattle works with a lot of used equipment. Will go there next paycheck.

enjoy, marcus
Marcus
 
Posts: 167
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 5:06 pm
Location: Seattle

Re: Wood Block Foot Pedal

Postby JoePasko » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:49 am

Here is a very inexpensive idea. It's a different sound than a wood block ... but you can play clave and other patterns with your foot, and it will cut through, nicely. (You could use this together with a foot-powered woodblock or jamblock, for variety.)

Several manufacturers, including Meinl, make hinged castanets... intended to be stuck to the side of a cajon, and played by hand. I cut an old board, attached velcro and castanet(s), throw it on the floor and play with my foot.

castanet_meinl.jpg
castanet_meinl.jpg (12.86 KiB) Viewed 25462 times



castanet3.jpg


castanet1.jpg


castanet2.jpg
castanet2.jpg (36.3 KiB) Viewed 25462 times


stool_rig_2.jpg
JoePasko
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:54 am

Re: Wood Block Foot Pedal

Postby burke » Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:08 pm

Very Cool!
I'm all about the cheap and innovative... I am not looking for a foot peddle, but that hinged castenet has me thinking about a washboard project I have in my garage ... thanks for sharing ... and welcome to the forum
Burke
burke
 
Posts: 753
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2004 2:50 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Wood Block Foot Pedal

Postby JoePasko » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:52 am

burke wrote:Very Cool!
I'm all about the cheap and innovative... I am not looking for a foot peddle, but that hinged castenet has me thinking about a washboard project I have in my garage ... thanks for sharing ... and welcome to the forum


Sounds like a good idea, go for it. LOL .. I do washboard gigs too !


acordion_tuba.jpg.JPG



(see, with this setup, I have castanet and other foot-devices velcro'd to an overturned milk crate; and I can put my hardware into the crate when I pack up)
JoePasko
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:54 am


Return to CongaSet and accessories

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests