congaplace.com

Hi all.

There is this one groove I like to play over a certain song. It goes like:
OtStOOoooOttStOS
RLRLRLRRRLRLRLRL
t=touch, O=open on conga, o= open on tumba
All strikes are played as straight sixteenth notes.

The point is the three opens in a row on the tumba.
The beginning and the end could variate but it only sounds right when the low notes are there.
The problem is when the tempo is high enough I start to lose accuracy on the three opens.

My question is what would be the most productive way to get better at it.
The options I have in my mind are:
1. Just keep on practicing the 3 single notes in a row.
2. Develop my double strike technique to take away some of the hand movement. I kind of know how do double strike but it's not nearly as clean and controlled as my single strikes.
3. Cross my left hand to the tumba to do RLR instead of RRR.

I don't consider third drum an option at this time because it would mean more to carry and practicing technique is fun anyway.

Any input is appreciated.

I would say move your left hand over.

Alternately, you could work on your doubles and make it a double followed by a single: HTT

My suggestion is don't do it. Alternate hands. What is gained by doing three with one hand? What rhythm is this anyways and why do you want to play it?

Can you put a video whith this patern?

Bongosnotbombs...Tomas Cruz shows an exercise that goes like this

RRRL RRRL RRRL RRRL LLLR LLLR LLLR then work for speed ..... ANYTHING you can do with your hands, should be good for you
just MHO...

ah you are right JC, actually I take my comment back, a little too off the cuff, I played a ton of boleros yesterday and I realize that that rhythm is played with 3 strikes with one hand on 2 drums, but it's a rather slow rhythm.

Thanks everyone for responses.
Interestingly enough there was at least one supporter for each of the options I had in mind...
I guess with time I'll work on each of the techniques.

It seems I can't make a video with my webcam without getting the sound very distorted so I made just a sound file.
http://www.artomutanen.net/groove.mp3
It's based on a certain songo groove but I wanted to add a double tumba in the end of the 2-side and still begin the 3-side with a the tumba.
It just sounds right that way when played with the drumset, bass and guitar. I don't have the other instruments recorded so it may not make much sense by its own.
The recording is played with a manageable tempo (~100bpm). The actual song is played at about 114bpm and then I get into serious trouble with the triple.
The original songo pattern goes something like this http://www.artomutanen.net/songo.mp3. There is a double (or two in a row) with the right but that feels somehow much more easy than the triple.