The speed and right technique in manoteo (heel-toe).

A place where discuss about secrets, tips and suggestions for practicing on congas and to improve your skill and technique ...

The speed and right technique in manoteo (heel-toe).

Postby TAMTAM2205 » Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:31 am

Hello everyone!!!

My cuestion on heel - toe exersize. El manoteo. How it is better to get nice speed from it?
I would like to ask los congeros who already has the right technique and speed. How did you practeced with manoteo? Maybe you could suggest me something from your own expirience. I wil be very glad. :D

Thanks a lot.
TAMTAM2205
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:56 pm

Re: The speed and right technique in manoteo (heel-toe).

Postby CongaTick » Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:08 pm

TAMTAM,

High level pros here can give you the best advice. As for me, it was -- and still is-- practice every day. The most important thing, once you have hand positioning right and have mastered basic conga strokes, is to START SLOW and master a slow speed first. The more you come back to it every day, the more you will notice greater ease and a gradual increase in speed. TAKE IT SLOW FIRST. Good luck.
CongaTick
 
Posts: 1256
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2002 3:49 pm

Re: The speed and right technique in manoteo (heel-toe).

Postby pavloconga » Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:06 pm

If you don't have a high-level accomplished player to learn from (and when you're a beginner it's hard to know who knows their stuff and who doesn't) the best advice I can give is study from a video like "Evolution of the Tumbadoras" by Jose "Changuito" Luis Quintana.

He demonstrates the technique and what you have to do to develop it. i.e. learn the right technique and hand movements first and start out practising that technique slowly every day and gradually building your speed. There are many other great DVD/video resources out there: anything by Giovanni Hidalgo, or Miguel 'Anga' Diaz . Other people here at Congaplace may have more suggestions.
If you learn the right way to start with you won't have to spend time undoing poor technique/bad habits later.

regards
Pavlo
User avatar
pavloconga
 
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 12:41 am
Location: Australia

Re: The speed and right technique in manoteo (heel-toe).

Postby alabubba » Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:58 pm

pavloconga wrote:If you don't have a high-level accomplished player to learn from...

regards
Pavlo


If at all possible, find that teacher and hook up with him, even if only for a few lessons, even if it means a bit of a drive, because starting out with good technique will open the door for learning at a dramatic pace for the rest of your life, and also get you to where you can competently play gigs much faster.

It is really easy to think your interpretation of good technique from a video is ok when it is not - the video only shows so much, and relating what it shows to your own personal posture, arm position, relaxation, breathing, wrist action, and striking technique may be next to impossible, because you can't accurately see what you are really doing, like a teacher/mentor/coach can. He will also give you the right exercises at the right time to bring you along as a player and "set the table" for future progress. A good teacher is worth his weight in gold, at least that has been my experience. I will be forever grateful to JC for hooking me up with my teacher!

And, I fully second the advice to practice slowly at first, always with the goal of using good technique and achieving correct sounds. If you speed up and notice any sacrifice in sound quality, however slight, slow right back down and start over slow again, making the right sounds, never sacrificing sounds for speed. Also, it really helps to develop your sense of timing using a metronome when you are doing drills.

If I recall correctly, there was a post made here sometime last year which stated "the speed shows up on its own." With just over a year of lessons and many hours of practice in my basement behind me, that statement has proven itself true over and over again. It is simply a matter of putting in the time and the repetitions slowly, day after day, then one day you realize that you can command it at any speed!
Bob

vids
User avatar
alabubba
 
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:41 am
Location: Alabama

Re: The speed and right technique in manoteo (heel-toe).

Postby JohnnyConga » Fri Oct 16, 2009 4:58 pm

Hi Bob your very WELCOME!...iM GLAD JEFF has been helpful on your journey with the drum...Im here for anyone who needs help with the drum..."JC" Johnny Conga
User avatar
JohnnyConga
 
Posts: 3825
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2001 7:58 pm
Location: Ft. Lauderdale,Fl/Miami

Re: The speed and right technique in manoteo (heel-toe).

Postby alabubba » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:05 pm

JohnnyConga wrote:Hi Bob your very WELCOME!...iM GLAD JEFF has been helpful on your journey with the drum...Im here for anyone who needs help with the drum..."JC" Johnny Conga


Hey Johnny,

MORE than helpful, he's been the key. Jeff has taken me from a dead start to where I have 4 gigs this week - in about a year! :D :D :D
Bob

vids
User avatar
alabubba
 
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:41 am
Location: Alabama


Return to Congas Technique, Rhythms and Exercises

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests


cron