Tuning - Can a Quinto be tuned to middle C?

[CongueroLI]

Hi Guys,

I'm pretty new to drumming and I'm struggling a bit with tuning. I've read a lot about it in this forum, and many people suggest that you tune your quinto to middle C. I can't even tune my (12.5") tumba to middle C and get a tone out of it. Does anyone really tune to Middle C? The best tones I've gotten have been with tumba tuned to G above mid C, conga (11 3/4") tuned to B-C (above middle C), and quito (11") tuned to E, but then the set is tuned very high, and not pleasing to my ear for solo practice. I'm not sure they should be tuned this high. Can I damage them? Thanks to all the great drummers out there for any insights!

[Thebreeze]

Hi CongueroLI....May I suggest you take a peek at Topic Titled "Sweet Spot on a Conga". I started that topic because I realized that each drum, quinto,conga,tumba, has it's own sweet spot. That's the point where the drum reaches it's optimum resonance and sound. I remember once having a King Conga 10 1/2 incher. I tuned it to it's sweet spot, then decided to tighten it up a little more and when I did that, I got the higher pitch I wanted, but the resonance was gone. Please look at the Sweet Spot on a Conga Topic and I think you will find a few really good comments on the subject and also how some people tuned their drums taking the sweet spot into account.

[burke]

I tried to tune mine using a gituar tuner (can't recall what notes). Can't really do it cause of the overtones. You get the needle swinging through a range (sharp/flat). I got one close then tuned the other one to the interval that many folks use. Its more about the interval than the notes (I Think) - I forget the interval but its the first two notes of "Here comes the bride".

PS its my 100th post AND my birthday. Good ju ju eh!

[zwar]

ho

i usualy tune a 2set on g-c, a 3set either g-b/flat-c (what is more common) or g-c-d. the interval of 4th (g-c) is most important.

greets

zwar

[jorge]

How you tune the quinto depends on a lot of factors, including personal taste, type of music, acoustics of the venue, or other instruments playing. In rumbas, sometimes we tune the quinto above its "sweet spot" and get a dry tone that is shorter (less sustain) but cuts just as well through the other sounds. This sounds good in a room with lots of natural reverb, you don't get the drum's sustain competing with the reverb from the walls. A quinto with a longer sustained sound, like when it is tuned to its "sweet spot", sounds better outdoors, but doesn't feel as "fast" when you play it, and sometimes does not sound as good indoors in a club or dance studio.

Sometimes in a rumba it sounds better to tune the quinto low, just a step or two above the middle drum. This can sound nice in a slow guaguanco or yambu, where it lets you really play with the rhythmic patterns formed with the other 2 drums. If the quinto is tuned closer to the other drums, it is easier to make them all sound like one unified voice rather than a quinto soloing over other drums. In a rumba, the relative tuning of the drums is more important than the actual notes. Playing with a band with bass and piano, tuning the drums to harmonize with some of the most frequent chords can really sound nice. This is all part of the art of playing congas. Experiment, listen to the old (and young) masters, experiment some more, and decide what you like best.

[CongaTick]

Good stuff, jorge.

[CongueroLI]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. As I mentioned I'm new to percussion.

Jorge you shed a lot of light on things. I have a tendency to expect to get everything from my teacher or from a book. I'm just starting to understand that, like you and others have said, a lot of it is experimentation, and personal preference. After technique, of course

Zwar, the tuning you suggest seems to be working nicely for me and my 3 Matadors.

[Whopbamboom]

Burke, the first two notes of "here comes the bride" form a perfect fourth.

[burke]

I thought so - but wasn't exactly sure, so I opted to not anciently embarrass myself.

[burke]

Instead I figured it would better to click too quickly on spellcheck and 'anciently' embarrass myself 'accidentally'!

sigh!!