Bongo Virado - Playing them sideways

[Diceman]

Just throwing this ball into the air!!
Sometimes when the mood takes me or I want to do something different, I turn the bongos so that the macho is above the hembra ie in line with my legs. I tell you it gives you a lot of rhythmic options with the left hand (assuming you are a righty) on the hembra and, you dont get a problem with crossing hands while drum hopping.
It doesnt look trad but opens up a lot of other possibilities.
Anyone tried it or got any thoughts??

sauve
Diceman

[Raymond]

Interesting...ummmmmm! I guess is OK. If you get the effect or the sound you want, nobody says you cannot do it.

I've seen people doing what you are doing when they try to use the bongos as "pleneras" for fun! . (Pleneras are the drums used for Puerto Rico's Plena Music. Pleneras look like tamborines but they are different since they do not have "jinges or bells". They are three basic pleneras, the bass (bajo in Spanish), the follower (or actually seguidor in Spanish that mantains a constant mid tone rhythm like the bass but doesn't do a bass sound like the bass), and the quinto that is the solo drum...)

Saludos!

[korman]

I've always wondered why they call the highest drum quinto when there are actually only three drums traditionally ...

[Raymond]

Korman,

Interesting comment you bring!!!!!!

Don't know exactly why the call it quinto but I think is referred to the "pitch" of the drum. Quinto means the "fifth" in Spanish and what you say could be interpreted like you say since Plena has three main drums.

However, I think, if somebody knows tell us, the Plena smaller drum it is called quinto because the smallest of the conga drums is called quinto, which is used for soloing or improvisational beats, and like the conga quinto is a higher pitch, perhaps a "fifth up" in tone or tuning, than the other drums....That's the rational I could think of......

My opinion and not a fact!

Saludos!

[zaragenca]

Greeting indeed, I have done it several times,but only to show my students,and yes there were bongoceros in Cuba which used that formula, one of them was the famouse Yeyito Iglesias.Dr. Zaragemca

[Diceman]

Z,

Any recordings of Yeyito Iglesias playing like that?
It would be interesting to hear how physically turning the drums changed what could be played.

suave
Diceman

[Charangaman]

Hey,

I tried it out at a gig on saturday night and if nothing else it certainly was a spectacle.. I'd had a few beers by then...

[Diceman]

Cman,

Did you come up with any different chops??

[Charangaman]

Dman,

Well, I did notice it seemed easier to do series of triplets and rolls on both heads with this downwards motion, and also touching parts of the heads that I never had before for different accents...

I didn't want to go mad as I'd never even thought of doing it till I saw your thread.. mid-song I switched back to the comfort zone... I'll definatley try this again at home, I think there are interesting possibilities

Cheers :;):

[Diceman]

Maybe try it sober next time

[zaragenca]

Welcome Diceman,there are a lot of recording, just googling Rogelio 'Yeyito' Iglesias,would take it to some of them,then try to find out which company are dealing with the CD's. Dr. Zaragemca

[Diceman]

Thanks Z

I'll take a look

Suave
Diceman

[yalla]

Hey guys!
Back to topic head, the word "quinto" referred to high pitched drums has NOTHING to do with the number five.
It's the spanish way to write the word "kinto" which in some african languages means "soloing" or "making a break" on a drum.
That's it...

[Diceman]

Hey Bongo brothers,

Tried it again the other night with some latin jazzers, after a bit of practice at home- much more freedom to improvise, and I guess it looks a bit odd.
Only problem, the next morning I discovered muscles in my back which I hadnt used before-more practice needed ??? :p

Suave

[Diceman]

Hey Bongo Brothers,

I tried it again last night with some latin jazzers-worked great with what felt like more freedom to improvise.
Only problem-discovered some new muscles in my back this morning, so I'd better practice some more.
I guess it probably looks a bit odd, but hey........ :;): ???

suave