NEW Giovanni Series Compact Conga

[NuSkyn]

I'm using the compact conga together with a LP worldbeat Cajon, and it gives me a very compact percussion set.

[tamboricua]

I'm using the compact conga together with a LP worldbeat Cajon, and it gives me a very compact percussion set.

Hi NuSkyn, hope all is well! What type of music are you currently performing with this set up?

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio



Edited By tamboricua on Sep. 12 2003 at 20:47

[NuSkyn]

My little (travel)setup (compact conga, cajon & small stuff) i use mostly for acoustic jamsessions (somtimes completed with a remo Djembe) Folk,Latin,Flamenco R&B etc.

I'm also the happy owner of a Remo Tuff-e-Nuf Conga set (4) when i'm in need for the"real" heavy conga sound.

I've just finished some demo recordings where i used the compact conga and it sounds o.k.

saludos to you ! jeroen (the netherlands)



Edited By NuSkyn on Sep. 15 2003 at 09:44

[120decibels]

I played the compact conga at a local drum shop last week...I was impressed. I stand by what I posted before regarding gigging with a compact conga. However, I was impressed by the sound (tones and slaps) that came out of it. I may just pick one up for situations like the one MCO described. I travel a lot on business. It might be a nice thing to stick in a suitcase, though it's probably too loud for a hotel room.

I guess my last post on this topic was a bit over the top, considering that I hadn't played the thing. It is definitely a step above the roto-tom. However, I won't be replacing my full size congas, even in a tight situation, yet.....I need the bass tones and full-sounding muffs too much.

NuSkyn, you posted that the compact conga sounded "O.K." in your demo recordings. What does that mean? Did it sound good, or just good enough? Just curious.....

Zach

[NuSkyn]

Hi zach,

it sounds very nice.......
we've done the recording with a SM-57 close to the skin.
I'm playing a shuffled tumbao in a bigband piece and it sounds very similar to an complete conga.

when you are very into afro-cuban drumming, you can't get all the low sounds from a "real" conga.

But last time we've played a Rumba Guaguanco and used the compact conga as the solo drum (tuned very high) and again it sounds fine.

It's a cheap(er) solution when you need an 3th or 4th drum........

note : buy a quality snare stand with it (not a cheap one)

for all the readers : go to your musicstore and give it a try........and don't forget " have fun"

[CongaCaja]

I finally tried one of these out at a local store and I bought it. It does sound surprisingly well despite the lack of shell, however, I can't imagine using it for any real live performance.

The one exception I could imagine is for a kit drummer that needs just a bit of conga-like flavor but doesn't want to lug around another drum just for that. In this situation, this little thing could make some performance sense.

All stroke types sound thinner than a real drum. Slaps are loud, but every other stroke is quieter or, in the case of bass tones, non-existent. Oddly enough, if you make the snare stand too tight wrt the 3 arms that hold the "drum", the open tones will be muted out. It seems that when the stand absorbs the vibration from the rim, the resonance drops off even more. So, tighten only enough so that it won't move around.

Btw, the box says that you could replace the synthetic (evans) head with a real skin. I suppose it is possible, but I haven't tried it.

I plan to take this along as a travel companion.

chris



Edited By CongaCaja on Nov. 04 2003 at 18:50

[congastu]

Has anyone tried out those compact congas I keep on seeing advertised? I just cant get my head around what they might sound like, although they look fairly useful.
Thanks in advance, Stu

[rhumbajo]

I actually had a chance to 'wham about' on one today. Note: I am a beginner and suck at conga, but love to learn.

The response of the compact was very nice and crisp, amazingly so, I could not believe how 'congalike' it sounded without a shell. Then, I hit a traditional conga (with a shell) and the difference became more apparent. The oval shell of a traditional conga seems to take the overtones and oscillate them... I think it has to do with the way the wave responds to the increasing / then decreasing diameter of the shell as the wave travels out.

FWIW - I would love to own one of those compacts, I think they sound wonderful, respond nice, and the portability is really a nice benefit.

[CongaCaja]

Stu,

Actually, there's been a lot of discussion on this board about the compact congas. Do a bit of searching and I'm sure you find some extensive dialog.

buena suerte,

cjk

[mangorockfish]

I think they sound pretty good for what is there, but seem to me to be kinda pricey. Around $100, the ones I've seen.

[congastu]

Nice one guys
CongaCaja, I found that old link and you were right- lots of discussion!
If I see one in the Uk, Ill give it a try- but Im not convinced enough to order one!
Peace and love
Stu

[Simon B]

I saw a percussionist play the other night on what must have been a compact Djembe version. He got some serious volume out of it on the slaps and opens, though as people have pointed out about the Compact Conga, the bass was weak.

Simon B

[yalla]

Well... if the bass was weak, then you cannot call it a djembe! Maybe something new, some unusual sounds, some sharp, loud, ringing tones and slaps. But not a djembe. ???

[105-1089935665]

Hey guys I havent played one yet but I here good things and bad things I want buy two of them because i dont the space for full size congas and for practice its great and I think in a live situation if you have a good sound engineer he can add some bass to it and make it sound like a traditional conga just like they drumset they gate them and make them sound better
so i think there good all around you can get two compact congas and some snare stands for about the same price as one matador conga

[Isaac]

I've tried them out a few times at stores. Here's what I think. They sound
pretty good. There's no sound in the middle really - no Bass at all. So Instinctively i reached for a real Tumba next to it and the two together sound fine. As a stand alone
instrument it falls short - but to complement a real conga or to minimize the
heavy lifting - it's a great idea. I'd love to take it on a trip just to
practice on...
~ ISAAC
Funky Traditio Percussion
funkytradition@yahoo.com