Tuning question

[masterdj]

Hi everyone,

I tuned my drums as below

Tumba-E
Conga-G
Quinto-C

I would normaly tune my Tumba to G and Conga to C.

I am a new player and i dont think i will be able to do quinto solo's for a long time, so thats why i tuned it where i normaly used my conga.

Is there anything wrong with this tuning?

Do you think i should forget my quinto for a while and excersize with Conga© and Tumba(G)?

I am focusing on basic tumbao pattern at the moment. This will indicate my level of playing!!

It would be great if you could give me some advice.

Thanks......

MDJ

[Congadelica]

Do you think i should forget my quinto for a while and excersize with Conga© and Tumba(G)?


Id stick with this pattern , did you get the DVD of Tomas Cruz yet ? You could do worse than spend at least 30 mins a day going throught exercises and rudements . these make your playing stronger .

Im sure you are like most new people and just pound away at these amazing drums , when your bored with that then you will start the real stuff . its like anything the more practice you put i the better the sound will be .
I try to keep it disciplined of late and the more exercise i do the stronger I seem to be getting . I find it easy to pick up a new groove , when i do at it untill its drilled into my mind and body .

Its still cool to groove out a little from time to time .

marco

As for the tuning I would not worry too much about a dead on accurate tune I tune mine by ear , ny ears have been tuned by listening to lots of Cuban music , its that simple . Im finding my hard work over the past year paying off now and can see how everything comes toghether . so Practice your rudements and exercises as priority the rest will come .

DOnt forget I think I told you I started less than a year ago well last february . I have practiced every day for at least 30 mins . but mostly 1.30 mins 20 min warm up etc...

marco

[masterdj]

Hi Marco

I hope you are ok mate.

I am training evry night after work with my conga ( its quinto now) in the garage.

I can produce all the tones(must be the fiberglas!!) with confident as well as playing the tumbao pattern,

I have really big hands and i found it difficult to play with quinto as a main drum.

Thats why i asked if it would be better to train myself with my conga drum when.

I have the thomas Crus DVD but i am mainly studying from the book at the moment as the livig room aways occupied by my family.

I think i am good and i can be a good basic player if i keep the pace.

I can play basic tumbao with two drums for 4 min a salsa song playing.

If i tune my drums as Tumba G Conga C what would quinto be? Below E?

Thaks..

MDJ

[yambu321]

MASTERDJ,

THE FIRST THING YOU MUST WORK ON, IS PROPER TECHNIQUE. HOW TO USE YOUR HANDS FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:

ROCKING MOVEMENTS WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE HEAD OF JUST ONE DRUM, OPEN TONES, TAPPAS (MUFFS), BAJO (BASS), CLOSED SLAPS, AND OPEN SLAPS. TAKE YOUR TIME WITH EACH TECHNIQUE. PRACTICE EACH FOR 5-10 REAL MINUTES AT A TIME AND OFTEN UNTIL IT FEELS NATURAL FOR YOU.

MY THREE RECOMMENDED VIDEO'S FOR YOU ARE:

GIOVANNI HIDALGO'S MANA A MANO, IN THE TRADITION, AND VIRTUOSO VIDEOS.

"MANO A MANO" WILL TEACH YOU, PROPER TECHNIQUE, EXERCISES FOR INDEPENDANCE OF BOTH HANDS, WRIST, RUDIMENTS AND MORE.

"IN THE TRADITION" WILL TEACH YOU: MORE OF BASIC SOUNDS, TIMING AND TECHNIQUE, SON MONTUNO, BOLERO, CHARANGA, AND DANZON PATTERNS FOR CONGAS, BONGOS, TIMBALES, AND GUIRO. WITH BAND SETTING DEMOS, AND SOLOING.

"VIRTUOSO", WILL TEACH YOU, HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR TUMBAO WITH UP TO THREE CONGAS, TECHNIQUES AND IDEAS FOR SOLOING FOR CONGAS, BONGOS AND TIMBALES IN A BAND SETTING.

ALSO THE FOLLOWING RHYTHMS ARE EXPLORED: JIBARO, PLENA, AND VARIATIONS OF BOMBA. IMPROVS FOR EACH. AND MORE RUDIMENTS.

ALL THE ABOVE VIDEOS ARE AWESOME. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LISTEN, PAY ATTENTION, STAY FOCUSED, DON'T GET DISCOURAGED, TAKE IT SLOW WITH NO DISTRACTIONS, AND PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND PRACTICE. LIKE WINE THAT GETS BETTER WITH TIME. YOU WILL IMPROVE WITH HARD WORK, AND AS THE YEARS GO BY. THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS. ALSO TRY TO FIND OTHER DECENT PLAYERS, AND A GOOD TEACHER. SOMEONE LIKE JOHNNY CONGA, SOMEONE THAT IS GOOD, AND KNOWS HOW TO TEACH, AT A FAIR PRICE.

YOU SHOULD PLAY ALONG WITH THE MUSIC IN YOUR HOME. ALSO AS YOU LEARN YOUR RHYTHMS, PRACTICE EACH ONE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, THEN LEARN TO SWITCH FROM ONE TO THE OTHER WITHOUT PAUSING. ONCE YOU CAN DO THIS SMOOTHLY, ADD SOLOING TO THIS AS WELL.

OVERWELMING, NO!

JUST TAKE IT NICE AND SLOW. IT'LL COME TO YOU QUICKER AND BETTER THIS WAY. NICE AND SLOW!

PRACTICE IN DIFFERENT WAYS: ON JUST ONE DRUM, WITH TWO DRUMS, AND WITH THREE AS WELL, EVERY DAY, IT'LL COME. JUST HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF. WATCH YOU POSTURE, DON'T TENSE UP, ALWAYS BE RELAXED AND WATCH YOUR BREATHING.

ABOUT TUNING WITH THE ABC, D,E AND F'S, I HAVE NEVER TUNED MY DRUMS THAT WAY I KNOW HOW TO TUNE THEM EASILY BY EAR IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT I AM DOING. JUST WHAT I HAVE LEARNED SINCE MY EARLY YEARS, "OLD SCHOOL".

YOU CAN LEARN THIS SKILL AS WELL.
JUST LEARN YOUR DRUMS, BECOME ONE WITH THEM. KNOW THAT YOU'RE THE MAN, AND THAT THE CHOICES YOU MAKE ARE YOURS.

WHERE EVER YOU GO, ALWAYS HAVE YOUR OWN HIGH QUALITY WRENCHES, AND YOUR OWN DRUM THROWN. JUST SHOP AROUND FOR A NICE COMFORTABLE ONE AT MUSIC STORES. DON'T HAVE TO SPEND TOO MUCH, JUST MAKE SURE ITS GOOD, AND COMFORTABLE, WITH EXCELLENT FEATURES. I PAID JUST $49.00 FOR A REALLY NICE ONE.

ALSO, ALWAY'S HAVE YOUR OWN BOTTLED WATER, AND ATLEAST A FACE TOWEL. DOING ALL THIS WILL KEEP YOU READY, AND READY IS WHAT A PRO, OR SERIOUS PLAYER, MUST BE. GOOD HABITS ARE THE KEY!

TAKE CARE AND GOOD LUCK ALWAYS,

CHARLIE "EL COQUI" VERDEJO



Edited By yambu321 on 1200850445

[masterdj]

Thank you.

Well explained.......

MDJ

[zumbi]

that was one nice piece of advice and encouragement, yambu321, bless you!
more power to those who teach and share on the path of love and respect for the instruments and the music...
as to the specific question, every drum have her own "perfect" pitch were she resonate more fully,
the standard range of tuning is because a drum of a certain size will likely resonate the most around a certain pitch.
if you tune her much lower you can end up killing the tone.
also the kind of response you get from the skin is based on how tight or loose it is
just get to know your drum, as the brother said, she will tell you how she wants to be tuned and touched and feeled...
peace & blessings

p.s. and in case you wonder why i use the feminine pronoun to refer to the drum...
tumbadora is a feminine noun, latin languages don't have neutral.
(not to mention duke ellington's suite, the drum is a woman...)

[Gallichio]

I have always tuned by ear. I know a lot of players that invest a lot of time on tuning. If it sounds good thats it. No wrong way here. Experiment. You should tune evenly around the drum so your crown is not crooked. Have fun!

[yambu321]

ZUMBI,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS MY BROTHER.

MAY YOU ALWAYS BE BLESSED AS WELL.

CHARLIE "EL COQUI" VERDEJO