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Posted: **Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:00 pm**

I'm gonna second Tonio here, in conga playing "size" does not matter..hahahaha.... uh seriously you need a daily regimented routine of exercizes to work on "your" sound and development... learning rhythms without knowing how to play correctly will not help u learn them any quicker and trying to play them faster does not help u to learn how it's played either.....u have to learn to hear the "inside" of a rhythmic pattern, and how it works, to be able to break it down in sections, and to fully comprehend it....dynamics and "restrained" playing as I call it, is another technique that must be learned and understood....any questions?....

"JC" Johnny Conga....

Posted: **Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:41 pm**

I had to take a step back and work on some exercises to improve my strength, endurance and technique. Prior to that I was doing some exercises but not enough and I was spending a lot of time learning new rhythms. That was fun but I needed to get better to make them sound good. Why do so many people place so much importance on loud and fast? I think that was covered in another thread but I like to play clearly, with intensity but in the pocket.

Posted: **Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:50 pm**

What about microphones? It's very good to know how to play soft like you're already doing.
But....also you need to know how to take it up a notch when that's what the song or
energy level requires. Some songs require some OOMPH!
With good slow practice of technique you shouldn't hurt your hands! You should try for some
extra volume sometimes in your private practice sessions.

Your fellow players with only
loud open monotones are going nowhere fast and are very limited in their knowledge.
You needn't follow their advice. They may end up with nerve damage.
They aren't even aware of how much they don't know !
That's called "unconscious incompetence".

Once one realizes there's more to it
then you move to the 2nd stage of learning called "conscious incompetence" - meaning
you suddenly become aware that there's is indeed a lot more to it and you need to work on it.

The 3rd stage is "conscious competence" - when you're working on it seriously
and are very aware of your every move, making the effort to get it right most of
the time, but having some good days and some not as good.

The final learning stage is "unconscious competence" . Here your sailing away confidently
having put in the required homework to confidently perform without having
to think about it. It just flows more automatically at this stage. Your not just
"playing congas" here but are making music and enhancing the whole.
Your'e part of the energy flow. ( You don't want to be clinically analyzing
your technique during sex either)

Some players make it to stage 4 easily but can often slip up without
a regular practice routine. They humbly need to go back a step to learn new
concepts. Many of you know this feeling. Sometimes we don't know
how we actually know what we know, or are supposed to know. It's a continuing
process - we're all really still students.

ISAAC

Posted: **Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:11 pm**

here here Isaac!

T

Posted: **Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:45 pm**

Thanks guys, thats a lot of good advice Ill keep all that in mind.

Posted: **Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:31 pm**

Great stuff, Isaac, JC and the rest of the pros. Thanks.

Posted: **Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:00 pm**

Well Put Issaac, Brilliant Infact!

Posted: **Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:17 pm**

interesting topic

yes, in most settings playing loudly is not cool, or needed.

But often, in a folkloric setting, one needs to play with force and violence. Play a Palo softly and you will be tossed, quickly.

This is directly from the lips of Regino Jimenez. If you dont know who he is, look into him.

that reminds me. the best tact i have taken in this tradition, and i highly recommend it, is:

only listen to those who have learned from the great players in Cuba, or the masters themselves. All others have questionable information.

This is a big problem in this tradition, as there are many ways to skin a cat, even in Cuba. All kinds of people told me all kinds of silly things from peeing on my hands for my health, to drilling holes in my tubs to cut a ring ! (yes i know giovanni likes to pee on his hands)

I only listen to those who have studied directly with the masters of Cuba. If you dont have access to such info, do your own thing and take all advise with a grain of salt.

Hope that helps,

Tony

Posted: **Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:46 pm**

My reason for getting a second opinion here is exactly because of that. I have noticed that most of these guys that I run into don't really know all the things they should ( not saying I do ) so Im suspect about their advice. I had a guy that says hes been playing for 15 years show me how to slap last weekend and I saw the edge of his nail disconnect and start bleeding. He said that this was normal and that it happens sometimes. So what I do is try to take whatever I can from them like a marcha or anything that I can add to my playing and just ignore the bad advice. I also went over technique with another guy and his heel tip was the same volume as mine even though I did it without the effort he put into it because I used the bass tip instead even though was playing "harder". This was one of the guys telling me to play harder. It seems to me that my research is on point so I will continue doing things my way until I see a better way. I understand about volume depending on the situation but this is during regular playing. Thanks

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