Slap on LP Aspire - Help!

[carlo-1961]

HI all....I just got a new pair of LP Aspire congas. My problem is that I cannot reproduce the slap
and I've tried for hours.....not a single stroke can get near the high-dry pitch that one should hope for.
I keep getting sounds that are way too close to the open stroke. I tried tuning it tighter, but still the same problem.
In fact I think it's too tight, as compared to open sounds of congas I can see here online. I am pretty frustrated!
Might this have to do with the head? The congas themselves? Any help is appreciated. The slap sound is the one I like the most on the congas, without that sound it's not congas for me....

Carlo

[Anonimo]

POST REMOVED BY THE AUTHOR

[roberthelpus]

OMG, you've tried for hours. HOURS!

Whenever I've seen someone get slaps the first time they sit down at a drum, they almost never get them again for a while. Finding a teacher, as Leedy2 says is great idea. Meanwhile, you can use the search function to find more info.

After playing regularly when I had just started, I was making some fairly slap like sounds. At about two or three years in, a light bulb went on over my head. Another two years or so and another light bulb. Now, with over 14 years under my belt, I don't think that I will have any more actual eureka moments but there is certainly more for me to learn about, not only slaps, but all of the playing techniques.

[carlo-1961]

I did look online at various videos articles, etc. and from those never really got the impression that the slap should be *that* difficult, at a point of not being able to reproduce it once in ...yes, hours. I'll try again, and again, but my question was posed in order to eliminate the possibility that I will NEVER be able to do it right given the specific drums, or my specific hands (not big, nor thick).

[Dangler]

hi carlo,greetings from a fellow beginner.After spending many hours studying you-tube vids and DVD's I was still struggling with the slap.After I finally found a teacher I was slap happy after a few minutes.As the veterans here will tell you,there is no substitute for having someone doing it right in front of you and correcting any bad habits sooner than later.

Where are you located?

[carlo-1961]

Thanks for the help guys, and for the threads...I tried looking but there were too many entries...

This site will help...in the meanwhile I'll try striking again and again. (and setting up a private lesson)

I'll let you know if I got it eventually.....

Carlo

[Quinto Governor II]

I did look online at various videos articles, etc. and from those never really got the impression that the slap should be *that* difficult, at a point of not being able to reproduce it once in ...yes, hours. I'll try again, and again, but my question was posed in order to eliminate the possibility that I will NEVER be able to do it right given the specific drums, or my specific hands (not big, nor thick).

Welcome Carlo,
As a beginner, some things will come faster than others. Everybody is different. The slap can take many years, as has already been stated. Even if you are able to produce the sound you are looking for, doing repetitions, you may still not be able to get that same sound when you attempt it during the process of actually playing a pattern or rhythm. The techniques used in conga drumming takes a lot of practice hours to master, even to each individuals level of achievement. I would not approach learning any of the techniques with the sense that they may be easy to learn. As much as you reach levels of achievement, you may never be satisfied with where you are. The drum is not the issue. It just takes a lot of time sometimes.

[JohnnyConga]

The 'slaps' are the hardest things to get on the Conga drum..first it's about technique and approach to them..I say 'them' because you have a 'closed' slap' an open slap, a muted slap, and what i call the 'bata or patato' slap...
.the other thing is in getting a slap is you really have to 'slap' the skin..so you should know first that you dont slap straight up and down..if u had to slap a person in the face you approach it from right to left(if ur right handed) that same approach should be used ..just not that exaggerated..never slap straight up and down..it's from out to in..and if your fingers don't sting when you slap the skin then your not hitting hard enough...the first slap you should try and learn is the muted slap..where you leave your left hand on the drum flat, and your right hand is slightly cupped and you slap primarily with your last 3 fingers with your thumb supporting your forefinger, keeping them all together for the stroke. Your middle finger of your right hand should guide you to the back of the thumb of your left hand(that is the strike zone)..slapping inside...let me know how it works for ya...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXAZIxAn3ac here is my video on getting a slap....

[pavloconga]

All very good advice above.
The only thing I will add to this is that when you slap you should feel the impact in the tips of your fingers. Though it may sting a little when you slap at first, you should not be hitting so hard that you are injuring your fingers.
Like JC said there are many kinds of slaps, important to learn the difference with a good teacher.
Practice, practice.
image attached
Pavlo

[percussionlover]

Hi Carlo,

I remember that get the slap was kind of hard for me too, one of the tricks that helped me back then, was kind of semi-closing my hand at the moment of slaping the drum, to get the pression going on my tips. Once you get it, with regular practice you will learn how to do it even your fingers straight.

[Dicemanb]

Het Carlo, thats quite a cupped hand there. The biggest lesson I learned was to relax the hand, make it really floppy. If you look at your hand relaxed it automatically assumes the same shape shown by Pavloconga. I had to relearn my technique to get it right, but now get a nice easy pop.

My two pennies

Dice

[JohnnyConga]

I would also add not to 'overcup' the hand or try and 'swipe' the slap....the first way I ever learned to slap ( and I have to download a video to show you how to slap actually 'flat handed" and from 'back to front' with the hand)..nobody slaps like that, it's more of a 'trick slap'...my first teacher showed me how to slap without raising your hand..it's almost like what they call in Kung Fu a 'knife hand' approach...but without like i said raising the hand or going from 'out to in"...i will see if i can download that today on to you tube and put the link up ....Sensei Conga.....

[JohnnyConga]

Here is my video of what I call my 'kung fu' slap with a couple of regular slaps thrown in to see the different approach...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2fkrplDeB0 Sensei Conga

[Mike]

Thanks for posting that youtube vid, JC!
Now I understand what you mean by kung fu-style slap,
it´s this forward movement. I have to admit that I am not
really into martial arts nor can I produce a slap that way easily.
Nevertheless that was very interesting to read and hear about!

Otherwise, the slap pic by Pavloconga shows the kind of slap that I
play most of the time.

[pavloconga]

That's one kind of slap I haven't seen before... and I've seen a lot.
Saludos
Pavlo