Lateral movement - Speed up macho to hembra and vice versa

[arpa]

AFRO-HELLO,

How to get more speed to move hands from macho to hembra and vice versa?

The video 'Have fun playing bongos' has an open tone practise for a weak hand, where you always start bar with the wrong hand. It is good practice!

The Technique-page has a topic to apply common sports to play better... you know that Jackie Chan likes basketball, because it requires you to think fast... good for playing..? well, good physical condition is a bless without you cannot practice.

Personally, I would like to know if playing is more about elbow, wrist or some unknown muscules, nervous or simply about attitude...

[Charangaman]

For me Bongo playing relies heavily on a strong wrist and forearm action - I don't know what others might say..Since playing hand percussion I have developed or amplified certain muscles on the forearm below the elbow.

Throwing a frisbee is a good way to loosen up the wrists.

[Raymond]

Arpa,

In my experience, it depends. Some people could generate enough power and force to play with hands and forearms. The elbows are used when you want volume and sometimes is not that much. Technically, your wrists are the key. In my experience, develop the power that the hand/wrist movement is precise and with depth. Your forearms will help you develop the volume and you used them...(Lots of cramps at the beginning but it should not be that way...You should do this relax without cramping your muscles which is the most common problem when not dominating something that requires odd hits that you are not used to with your weak hand....Relax, Relax....Good chest musles come into play here too because another place you will feel the tightness if you tighten in your hands and wrists..) (We had here one topic about bongoseros who are more fingers and wrists and others which are more hand than anything....Is your style...)

The movement you are talking about is like everything...you need to do it slowly and surely before you start moving with speed. If it is one beat at a time..be it...eventually, it will come to you. It took me awhile to dominate the moving the hands from one drum to the other and viceversa. Trying to do things too fast get you bad habits.....

Like we mentioned in another post...the drummer rudiments most of the time overlooked by congueros and bongoseros come in use here...If I were you I try that George Stone "Stick Control" to help you develop independence and develop weak hands in coordinations with your strong hands....Believe me...helps a lot. You will see the difference in how you play once you are at it after awhile...

Saludos!



Edited By Raymond on 1130180948

[arpa]

There was a question here about to get more speed is good or not... It really is a tough question. Of course, speed and velocity is always good. How about creativity? Your practice time is limited. How do you use it? It may depend on your audience? I think that each hit should meet their place.

[Raymond]

A percussionist is like a baseball player...Some could hit home runs, some could run, some could still bases, some could field and some could do all great and some will do some beter and some not better. Need to identify yourself. Also, any additional skill you cold accomplish is a plus...So to answer your question, yes, it is a good thing to get speed to have it in your "arsenal" of skills in case you need it. Is up to you if you want to incorporate it in your style of playing....(Believe me you will need it...have you listen to those mambo songs in up tempo...that bongo player has to be fast and sharp....)! So, like a baseball player the more basic skills you dominate more people will go to get you in their team....(On the other hand, a specific team will look for you for a good skill you have and maybe is not one you want to be recognize for...but I hope you get the picture)!

Bongo playing is interesting...It is an improvisational instrument and there are different styles out there. Conservative and people who wants to show their chops or what they could could do all at once....

Remember there are some basic rules in any instrument that you most dominate after that is all you, either style or preference of playing. You will notice that somethings are like by other more and some are not....

So what is the point....Speed???? Yes, you should dominate that but at the same tocken you need to dominate slow. So, get your basic bongo playing, the martillo is called, and dominate that. Fast and slow....Then go with your improvisational beats and see how that gets out...Eventually you will become proficient enought that you will decide or you will notice you have a style of playing. You will change styles or some other things based in your likings and/or response by others.

One of the points that I mentioned in this old thread is that bongo and conga players overlook the basics of rudimients and independence and they need to work on that. I see a lot of good bongo and conga players but they are stucked because they lack the rudiments skills, which helps in your skills to play notes and use your hands to play notes and come in handy to be efficient in doing hand, ie., two hands, one hand, hands in sync. The dominance of rudiments will help you with the independence which being able to have your extremities, hands and feet, brain, and even your "humming" or any other activity, independent of the others so could play what you want with the extremity in question...

These are my 5 cents on this....First get yourself with the basics and then go slowly into that good night....Doing the second and subsequent steps is what identifies a serious player of a non serious player.

Saludos!

[zaragenca]

THIS IS ONE OF THE ARTICLES WHICH I DID A FEW YEARS AGO IN RELATION TO THE SUBJECT. "Brothers of drumming the foundation of drum practice is based in the establishing and reinforcing of the coordination between the brain-modules(right and left) and the limbs(arm,feet,etc)a psyco-motor connection which need to be generated by performing the proper exercise and reinforced with a good feedback and using all the joints(shoulders,wrists,waist,fingers,elbows,heels ,etc) together with a system to relax,which if set up properly, should provide at one point a faster development with less efforts".Gerry Zaragemca...more to come!
___

[franc]

Raymond, zaragemca, .,
much valueble insight in speed and and coordination!! make sense, yes!!!
!!!make sense. in my practices i do a lot of speed rudiments. which have help me a lot. you guys are pros!!! no question about it!! thanks. ache , franc

[franc]

Raymond,
believe you have , like we say in spanish ''tela para cortar'' you mucho knowledge !! why not write a book of your all around personal experiences in percussion!! yes!!! this no joke! with all my respect!! paz and ache!! franc