New to Congas - Where do I start?

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Postby bluezboy » Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:00 pm

Hello, I'm awaiting the arrival of my first set of congas and I could use a few tips on starting out on them. I've been a blues harp player for 8 years, so I do have a pretty good sense of timing and I know how to play with other people. I just don't want to begin any bad habits on the congas that I'll have to unlearn later. For example, how should I set up my congas since I'm a right hand player? I may take lesson eventually, but I want to let my instincts show the way for now. any tips you all can suggest would be helpful. You can email directly if you want. Thanks, Vern
bluezboy@bellsouth.net
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Postby ABAKUA » Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:25 pm

Welcome to the boards and to the world of Tumbadoras/Congas.

You have an advantage of already being musical.
However, you yourself said it..

I just don't want to begin any bad habits on the congas that I'll have to unlearn later


NOW is the time where you will either pick up the correct technique from learning with an experienced teacher or develop bad habits which will take you forever to undo as a result of self learning/discovery.

how should I set up my congas since I'm a right hand player


Traditionally speaking and since you are right handed, set up the smaller, higher tuned drum to your centre, directly infront of you, and the larger, lower tuned drum to your right of the main drum. Correct positioning, height, stance and execution of strikes should be shown to you by an experienced player/teacher, otherwise you can do damage to your hands/arms, back etc.

I may take lesson eventually, but I want to let my instincts show the way for now. any tips you all can suggest would be helpfu


If you have never played congas before and dont know where to start, then you really should seek out an instructor.
Your insitincts, which could be all good and coming from the right place, can and will most likely develop bad habits.

Instinct and feeling is a big part of congas, but you must first know the basics before you let the inner Rumbero in you come out.

This is my opinion and in no way am I trying to put you down, on the contrary, I want you to start off correctly and I think its great you want to see whats down this path, but as a wise man once said..

"Those who wish to know the path through the mountains, must first ask those who have already trodden it." :;):

All the best and good luck. :cool:

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Postby onile » Fri Jan 27, 2006 5:39 pm

Alafia Abure Bluezboy!
I hope that you are well and in an abundance of blessings!

I must echo the sentiments of Abure Abakua, find yourself an instructor, and if you can't, then obtain some Instructional DVD's for beginners. Abure JC on this forum is soon to release his, there are also others which you can read about on this forum under "books, videos etc"

The Tomás Cruz Conga Method, Vol. I is probably a great one to start with, it comes with a DVD and book to study. You can check it out here (price and comments);
http://www.amazon.com/gp....ng=UTF8

Either way, be kind to yourself and learn the right way the first time through, that way, as Abure Abakua stated, you won't have to break yourself of bad habits later!

Many blessings! and welcome to the brotherhood of the drum!

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Que Nsambi les acutare pa' siempre!
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Postby bluezboy » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:46 pm

Onile, thank you so much for your encouragement! If only the blues musicians here were more inclusive as all of you seem to be! I guess I've picked the right instrutment this time. I will be ordering the instrucional dvd as soon as I get this posted. Hey, my drums have jsut arrived. Is it okay if I unpack them, tune them and take them around the block for a while, or will I screw up my "Conga Mojo? Of course you know I'm going to do just that, but I'll wait until I get the dvd before I throw myself into full throttle. Thanks Vern
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Postby onile » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:07 pm

Yo Baby!
You know you gotta get your groove on, withoutta doubt my man!
Have fun, enjoy, but do so in moderation! :D :p :laugh:

I know what it's like to just receive a new set of drums, there's nothing like it! or is there? I just need to get out more often! :p

Sweet!
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Postby bluezboy » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:54 pm

Onile, yes I will have fun this weekend with them. I may even take them to my blues band practice! Stay tuned for more funky stuff! Vern
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Postby Bataboom » Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:03 pm

Bluezboy whats your online blues forum name in the blues world? I too am a blues harp player and a member at several blues forums. Matter of fact I own/run my own blues harp forum online. Switchin gears... welcome aboard good choice of instruments to try something new, I was introduced to percussion real young though it was set drums and not hand perc. my older cousin played drums in a band and he taught me how to play. I have played a lot on and off sense. years later :-) I bought my own set and played a lot, sense then I started playing trumpet in church also fill in set drummer. Later on I was asked to try hand percussion in church as well, so now I play congas and djembe's in church as well as trumpet. I also teach a school youth west african percussion class. I only have about a year or so experience in hand percussion but I feel I learned a lot sense I started. I am a self taught drummer I may not do things the "correct" way but I dont feel like turning back now I came too far. I never had access to a live teacher so I did a ton of research on hand drumming, finding any bit of info I could and participating in forums such as this has helped me a ton as well.

I may not play perfect but feel I do a pertty good job for never taking any lessons in real life :-)

I dont dismiss getting a teacher or someone with experiance to teach new players it is the right way to start, but in many cases such as mine, I didnt have a teacher availible neither did my fianances allow it so I did what I had to do. Im just now recently getting into Latin percussion and Im havin some fun with learning so far.

I am right handed and I do play backward, this is because I played drum set long before hand percussion and felt more comfortible with playing with my small drums to my left and big drums to my right, also I play with my left hand as my major slap and right hand as my major bass/big drum hitter. Im almost sure thats not proper but it works for me.

Anyway enough of my blabb just thought I would give you my story, if you can get a teacher do it right off the bat! If not do a lotta research and use them lesson cd's and books up.
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Postby bluezboy » Sat Jan 28, 2006 12:33 am

Hey Bataboom ( I love that name by the way!) I just go by bluezboy when I'm online. In the real world, I'm called various names, most of them nice, but I mainly go by just plain Vern. That's cool you're so talented on a few instrutments, hopefully my conga playing will bring a little something to my " band". We don;t have name yet, just 4 guys well over 40 playing the blues/rock/ whatever comes to us! I love to blow unplugged, but since I'm competing with a guitar player, you knw how they love to drown us out, I'm forced to be plugged in. I hate holding a mic, so fortunately our drum has a new sound system that we all plug into and I actually get to hear myself play for change! What kind of blues do you like to play? My first love is Piedmont Blues. Have you heard Phil Wiggins play? Wow, that brother can blow! I'll begin to look for a teacher soon. Keep on blowin' and drummin' Vern
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Postby Bataboom » Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:37 am

I love acoustic blues havnt heard phil but if he is anything like Peg Leg sam Or the old schoolers like Sonnyboy williamson sonny terry etc Im sure hes great! I also like blowin chicago blues now and again plugged in. I use an old Green bullet mic with a CM element, and a Jt-30 with a MC151 element into a 1960 harmony tube amp :-)

Such a wide variety of musical lovers here huh guys, I also like smooth jazz, gospel, latin jazz, brass oldies like dizzey, miles davis, duke ellington, some newers like Boney James, Rick Braun, Arturo Sandoval.

Anyhoo glad your hear bro if you got anything you needa know there is tons of knowledgible congueros here just shoot! And if your interested in more blues disscussion check out my blues site THE BLUES BOX




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Postby Igor » Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:52 am

Wellcome Bluezboy !

I am also beginner on congas, bongos and hand percussion (since last october).
But - after 25 years of piano/keyb. in music between jazzy latino, funk, some new age time after time etc...

As you know - sense and feeling for rhythm, timing and creativity within listening other musicians is common and universal for all kind of instruments on mother Earth. So - just go and listen yourself, play tones of DIFFERENT music and play along.
But remember - your space ussually lies between drummers snare (and/or rim shot) and bass guitar (and bass drum of course!) Do not step on their toes (sometimes we want to do this - play unisono slaps and drum snare - it s the matter of arrangement with your brother on drums). Anyway - you must sneak in and "stretch" the rhythm as possible you can.

My own experience is very simmilar to Batabooms.

But - with teacher or not - you must develop some basic technique to sound correct. Open tones, SLAPS, and ghost notes - it all matters.

Just for starting I recomend you Peter Lockett web site: http://www.petelockett.com/

For shure: good teacher will give you possibility for systematic learning the proper technique ! That helps and save time (and hands!)

Just go and groove ! Igor
:;):
Life is rhythm, listen to yourself !
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Postby bluezboy » Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:50 am

Hey Bataboom, thanks for the note. Yes, Phil Wiggins is a "old school bluesman who can really blow. He's part of a dual, CEphas &Wiggins and John Cephas is an incredible blues picker and singer. If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it. You'll leave their show amazed and inspired. They mainly tour around the Baltimore, North Carolina and PA areas, but check out their website for tour dates. I did make the pilgrimage with my piaon partner to Clarksdale Mississipi in December looking for a little blues mojo. We played an entire set at Morgan Freeman's blues club, Ground Zero during their jam night. Unfortuantely, it was on a rainy thursday night and we had an audiance of about 8 people! I still had a great time. Believe me, when you look around Clarksdale and the entire delta region, it's easy to understand how the blues got its start there, because there is a lot of poverty there. Okay, I'll stop my preaching now. Peace, vern
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Postby bluezboy » Sat Jan 28, 2006 12:02 pm

Hello Igor, thanks for the webite tip,I 'll check it out. I agree about at least starting with a knowledgable teacher to get me started. Yes, I'm used to having to "squeeze" myself into a song with my harp playing. Luckily for me, I know how to find the holes without stepping on anyones musical toes. The harmonica will still be my main instrutment, at least while I'm with the guys I play with and I'll be playing congas to round out our sound. Who knows, maybe 10 years form now I'll be good enough to just play congas full time! Wish me Luck. By the way, where is Slovenia located? I'll get our globe out later. Take care and good luck with your playing.Vern

Hey Bataboom, here I am at Ground Zero


Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... ero_05.jpg
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Postby onile » Sat Jan 28, 2006 5:52 pm

Great Pic Abure Bluezboy!

So blues huh? Congas can find a place in there too, it's sort of like a funky 'shuffle', and you can jazz it up from time-to-time. I believe that there are some brothers on this forum who can give you some rythms to work on with blues! I personally play a quasi-swing shuffle with a few riffs thrown in from time-to-time. :D

Many blessings!

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Postby Isaac » Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:57 pm

Welcome Bluezboy!

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Postby bluezboy » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:49 am

Hey Onlie, I haven't tried playing blues with my new congas yet, I did do a few songs with my bongos. I'll figure out a blues sfuffle for them sooner or later.Vern
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