Why Tubs?

[docarroyo]

Hello everyone just a question I guess Im getting old or something and do not understand the use of the term Tub for a Conga. Being retired Navy I have traveled all over the nation and world and never heard the expression used untill seeing it here. I have heard it used for old ships and boats in a mild negative way but just do not get it for a tumbadora. I've been playing for about 40+ years grew up in Brooklyn, NY and still go up at least once a month and never heard any of the guys in NYC refer to the Drums as Tubs. Before moving to New Jersey I was playing in Puerto Rico every weekend and went to many Rumbas and never once did I here that expression used. To me its sort of a negative term, I bathe in a tub, I buy a tub of butter, rubba dub dub three men in a tub, a tub of fat, I just don't get it please explain the expression. Im not being racial but is it a anglo (Im married to a Anglo) thing or non Hispanic expression because it does not translate into Spanish. Thanks for you input. By the way I would appreciate it it if my Drums, Tumbadoras, Tumbas, Congas, Quintos, Barrileles (for bomba drums), ect were not refered to in this manner. (LOL)

[thomas newton]

Hello everyone just a question I guess Im getting old or something and do not understand the use of the term Tub for a Conga.(LOL)

Hmmmm, I wonder if....

[Dicemanb]

It is an English term of endearment, not disrespect.
The English (and the French) have a way of making diminutive word substitution for something or someone we are very fond of eg my little pickle, mon petit chou, Baby, etc, I am sure other languages do the same. Not known for exaggeration, we also understate things as a way of praising them, eg he didnt do at all badly. So dont take it too seriously, it is just a figure of speech, and beside it is much easier to spell/write than 'tumbadoras'.
Whatever we call them, they are still our beloved drums.
Dice

[yambu321]

TO A FELLO NEW YORKER, AND SAILOR.

AN EXTRA SPECIAL, TWENTY YEAR RE-ENLISTMENT, ONBOARD THE NOW STATIONARY USS MIDWAY (CV-41), WOULD GIVE YOU THE ANSWER YOU SEEK, AND AT LIGHTNING SPEED.


OUT HERE, I COULD TELL SOMEONE THAT MY NAME IS CHARLIE, AND THE BLA-BLA-BLA WOULD HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY, "OH SO YOUR NAME IS CHUCK".

NO, BLA-BLA-BLA. MY NAME IS CHARLIE.

SO, I GUESS THE TERM TUBS, COULD ALSO = CONGAS.

CHARLIE.

[bongosnotbombs]

I personally never use the term, it's not like you need to shorten the word drum. However sometimes I use the terms "ax", which I picked up from the jazz guys, which they use to refer to their instrument.

[docarroyo]

Hey Diceman I understand what your saying, I lived in London for four years, jamed at Ronnie Scotts on several occassions and played on Sundays in Swiss Cottage with Lord Eric and his crew from Africa, but never once did any of the percussionists I knew there refer to the Tambor as a Tub. I mean a tub is a basin in which you wash your dirty shorts and socks in. ALL MY drums have a very beautiful shape to them almost female in nature I find the curvature of my drums almost alluring calling to me hold me between your strong legs and smack me, make me sing they seem to be calling to me, Play me, Play me, Please, just look at my sexy curves, don't you want to touch and play me. Then theres a tub some of which were kept under the beds in years gone by to piss and excrete in. I shall never refer to my Lovelies as tubs there just to Georgeous, come on guys look at your drums are they not sexy and alluring, almost tempting you to play them. Know go look at a tub and tell me you feel the same way. I hope all are having a good time with this post and I create no arguements ok CUCO were are you?. (LOL) Also guys give your skins a taste of your favorite Libation dry them and treat them to a little rub down with an oil or manteca tune them and play them, don't they sound goooood.

[docarroyo]

Chuck I guess your in San Diego, I miss driving down to TJ, I was actually at Camp Pendelton since I'm a Corpsman, but did a little time at Balboa also. Good luck on your reenlistment, I miss the Sea along with the good and bad times. Nothing like a good West-Pac to clear your mind. Fair winds and following seas Shipmate great place to reenlist THE MIDWAY a historic NAVY SHIP even at zero knots. Take care Charlie.

[Dicemanb]

Docarroyo,

Hahahaha, what ever presses your buttons, but I'm with you Bro'. My french wife never had a problem when I called her a small cabbage and she has the curves of a conga . I would be ok if we knew what congas/tubs/tumbadoras could tell us what they wanted to be called, but they only speak what we tell them to

I'm off to tickle my tubs
Dice (not my real name)

[ABAKUA]

Hmm been around the drum for over 20 years & in the culture from when I was born, never heard the term used anywhere else but on here from time to time. Strange.

[Thomas Altmann]

Not being a native speaker of your language, I have seen the vernacular term "tubs" being used for any kind of drums.

An ax is a tool; so whenever the word is used for a musical instrument, I understood it as a "tool of the trade", or the equipment.

I never got much excited over the use of these words. Like Dicemanb, I take them for "terms of endearment".

By the way, in Germany older musicians coined the term "Schiessbude" for a drum set. A Schiessbude is that type of shooting gallery booth that you find on fun fairs. Sometimes I use this word myself, because the German word Schlagzeug does not make a distinction between percussion i.g. and the drum set in particular.

So what?

Thomas

[docarroyo]

AHH so it must be european, but when I lived and played in Europe I never heard the term tubs used for trap or conga drums. Ax I understand, terms of enderment I understand, you could call your drums mon petite miel if you like. I guess Like many of the old timers here I'm just stuck in the past using the traditional terms for my beloved instrument, could also be my culture were the tambor originates, and I understand a rose is a rose but never shall MY Tumbadoras be tubs. Like I said I use to urinate and excrete in tubs and with our congas we express our innermost emotions, and make music with, they are musical instruments not something to do your wash in.

[Dicemanb]

Each to his/her own.
The English like to play with words, diminutions, rhyming slang etc and usually slang develops faster than the language. Come to think of it Australia has a similar tradition.
No disrespect meant to the beloved drum, but the fact that you talk about them as curvaceous and feminine and in need of handling carefully shows that you might want to use them for something else other than playing:wink:
I would prefer to think of them as a flower tub rather than a Guzunder
Its all fun
Dice

[docarroyo]

LMAO, Dice your correct in your deduction, as in a conversation which may be refered to as intercourse, I make a type of love to my drums. An old freind of mine Mark Diamond a latin and jazz pianist,(RIP) said to me "theres musician and musical technicians". One plays their instrument with a passion that reflects the emotions the other goes thru the motions but "just aint got that swing" and we all know if it aint got the swing it dont mean a thing. There is a Zen to playing any instrument but then again my ideas are just street corner philosphy. But as stated earlier a rose is still a rose, the rest is just fragrance or odor, LOL. Love Peace and happiness to all my brother and sisters in percussion

[guarachon63]

You know, I heard that term applied to congas for the first time too, but at one time it was fairly common "hep" jazz cat slang for regular (trap) drums:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=thumpin%27%20the%20tubs&defid=2645635

[Dicemanb]

Guarachon63,
Thanks for digging me outa the hole

Docarroyo,
Thanks for keeping with the vibe, its not what you call it its what you do with it. Do we concur or not??

Respect
Dice