In the Gio youtube video...

[Chapo]

Solo from his home in Kissimee Florida, can anyone tell or show me what he's doing from 2:10-2:26 and 2:42-2:56? I'ts F##kn Smokin and I'd love to learn it.

[Mike]

Which video? Have you got the link?

[Chapo]

This one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbyIv9n_-d0

[ABAKUA]

Decyphering a Gio solo, always a huge task.

In the first part you asked, I believe Gio was the first to do this at this level (correct me if Im wrong) playing quarter notes on a high pitched quinto as the role of the bell, the groove he sets with the other drums is one similar to that which I use for fast tempo 'descarga'. For the second one, he plays a role similar to tumbao with one hand just the open tones as if it were on 3 congas, but the other hand improvises... Sorry I aint got much more than that for the 2nd section.

I think we can all agree Gio is simply beyond genius.


(of course many many congueros both in and outside of Cuba have played bell with their left and continued to play congas with their right or vice versa, but to use a quinto tuned very high to replicate the role of the bell while continuously playing an already heavy groove such as descarga at this type of level is something I have only seen from Gio, it even sounds like 2 people playing! - like I said, I may be wrong, but I can only speak from what I have seen and read)

[Whopbamboom]

The first thing I noticed when I wateched that video was that it was going to be really difficult to tell what he's doing much of the time because of the relative jerkiness of the video due to digital processing. And my internet connection is pretty decent. The hands just move too quick to be able to see exact hand technique on a detailed level, and the camera doesn't pick it all up. But you can guess approximately.

The next thing I noticed was that he's apparently playing LP Giovanni ash-wood series drums, WITH LP skins!!! MAN, he sure gets a different sound out of his drums than I do out of mine...... I wonder if maybe his were tuned up considerably tighter than I tune mine....

The third thing I noticed was that he's got 6 drums there, and there are only four in a Giovanni set. I'm guessing that maybe he's got two each of two of the sizes, and is tuning them differently??

[ABAKUA]

The next thing I noticed was that he's apparently playing LP Giovanni ash-wood series drums, WITH LP skins!!! MAN, he sure gets a different sound out of his drums than I do out of mine...... I wonder if maybe his were tuned up considerably tighter than I tune mine....

The third thing I noticed was that he's got 6 drums there, and there are only four in a Giovanni set. I'm guessing that maybe he's got two each of two of the sizes, and is tuning them differently??

He is actually playing LP Palladium edition Giovanni series congas. Ive never had a problem with LP skins during my time endorsing LP, sure though, I do actually get to pick which skins will go on my drums though and some are better than other, while nothing compares to the mule skin on my current conga, my Palladiums sounded great, maybe its understanding how to tune them? Have a listen/view at them here during a gig I did a few years ago on TV with my Palladiums at the time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tp89pMkPqs

My other vids can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=Masula123

[Whopbamboom]

You're right, those are palladiums! I can barely see the metal band at the top, but it's there and the badge is from the Palladiums, too. looks like he's still got more than one of a couple sizes, though.

Nice music in that video... I'll have to pick up a CD if one's available.