congaplace.com

Check it out. I have been trying to use shakers with the acoustic acts to thicken up the sound. A few flubs but it is live and a new song at the time of performance. We have a couple of acts together and always have a blast playing. It is great living on the shore with so many places to play.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyBusc ... paf7LqBT2k

Nice,, you guys are synched-up on the backbeat completely! Some traditionalists might not take a liking to the egg shaker technique, but it seems a perfect compliment for such a duo. It sounds great! I'm guessing you do more songs this way than this particular one. The challenge is then to do something equally important for the timing, but different enough to make the music not as monotonous. Adding breaks, or spots of no play can be be very powerful as you probably already know..

Thanks, brother.

I had just gotten the Finger Shots from a distributor as a promo and had just started working them in on certain songs. That was the 2nd time we had played that song.

Here is some with some with just the egg and drums that is more minimalistic. The 3 of us had just started playing together maybe 2 months before and Meredith popped in and jammed with us. I will try to get some recordings over the next couple of weeks to show how the sound has developed.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrTm2mXYt2M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weLJatE3KZ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8rnFAngz6Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGXKztkCjzI

We were so busy this Summer we never had a chance to rehearse - we were doing 13 day stretches with a day or 2 off before the next one started. Things are slower this time of year and we have been able to sit down and work parts out for more complicated compositions.

I know it isn't traditional but it was a good business decision for me to add the eggs in. I burn up heads though - I keep extra ones for the Giovanni's and Classics with me now so I don't have to go to the back up drums. I figure it is about the same $$ with a few eggs a show and a head every 2 - 3 months (average) as when I had to change strings before every show. I wanted to sound different than the other local percussionists. Now I have a hard time playing with out a shake when I am the only drummer. Synthetic heads do not like the rim shots at all - i can shred one of those in a night on my quinto and requinto.

We live in St Micahels, MD if anyone lives near here and wants to jam. We host jams at a few places and there is always some kind of off the books jamming going on in these parts.

Wearing shakers on the wrists is an old technique used by Afrocuban rumberos, as illustrated on the cover of this Muñequitos / Folklor Matancero CD. http://jazzrecordrevival.com/html_index.cfm?page=item_page&itemoid=55009
When done right, it can really be a nice addition to the rhythm. No need to destroy your skins by hitting the rim with the shaker, just learn how to make it sound right while playing normally.

Hmm, really liked Anna on that first video. Some really nice phrasing and love the tone of her voice.

Looks like a nice layed back gig.

TonyB wrote:Check it out. I have been trying to use shakers with the acoustic acts to thicken up the sound.
http://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyBusc ... paf7LqBT2k

Shaker...yes. But why are you striking the congas with the shaker(s)?
Your appear to be playing the same thing on every single song.
Doesn't someone make shakers that go on the wrists or back of the hand so you can strike the conga properly and make tones?
Also, you can use an ankle bracelet shaker or foot pedal instead of holding the shakers in your hand.

The guitar player and singer are the bomb! Girl can sing~

Wow! I totally get why you are adding the shaker (egg), but at the cost of skins, and at the sake of sacrificing the other tones you can use on the conga drums, it's like using a $4000.00 sax (sorry for the comparison brother CM) for a guiro, or cowbell and occassionally blowing a note. I want to say though TonyB, I appreciate and applaud your innovativeness, however for most of us here on the forum, it's somewhat of a sacrifice. You guys sound great, the singer, and guitar player, and even the "martillo" pattern you seem to be playing on every tune. I dig the repitoire of the group, great songs! The fact that you guys are gigging so much says something for your efforts, please don't take anything wrong as for our comments are from relatively traditional, and some a bit more modern/jazzy conga players.

Keep up the work, but try and consider some of the recommendations that brother congamyk provided on his post, it'll help you out in the long run, however may require you to practice more on your own!


and remember......................"One does not just walk into Mordor!"


Stay well!

Onile!

Nkembi, wrist shakers...

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4041&hilit=nkembi

I knew I had seen these before also.

http://lpmusic.com/Product_Showcase/Whats_New/finger_shot.html

You can still play the congas without killing the skins or your hand and start playing tones on conga.

Here are some other inexpensive things you could try.

http://www.steveweissmusic.com/product/meinl-foot-rattle/percussion-shakers


http://www.steveweissmusic.com/product/1106901/percussion-shakers

You can also learn to use a shaker in one hand and play the congas with the other hand.

the Nkembi are good suggestions, but then he loses the attack on the backbeat, that is IMO the very innovation that makes his particular style unique, and good for the music.
Another suggestion is to hit the side of the drum on the backbeat, (maybe you can also mount a woodblock there, or a clapper that you can hit with your open hand) and use nkembi for the hand technique. OR, a foot pedal or gajate block on the backbeat.

Hi Tony,
I had to do a double take when I first looked at the video. I was trying to see how you were holding the shaker in your right hand and then realised it seemed to be cupped in your hand and being used to actually strike the drum as a substitute way of making the slap sound? My first thought was 'way to burn through skins and maybe even damage your hand'.

Each to their own I suppose. I think it sounds ok... but I wouldn't do it! (for many reasons)

I think there are so many ways as a percussionist to make it interesting for you, your band and your audience, without spending any more than you are spending on new skins already. All of what congmyk said above, but you could add so many other things for texture, variety and colour. You could really mix it up and give a lot of variety to your set. A cajon could also work on some of those songs.

I am probably one of the least experience on this forum, but I love the mix of shaker and conga, and I like your style. I'm going to try it at Thursday night practice, but I'm not sure I'm going to hit the conga with the shaker. I played with those finger shots at the local music store and wondered if my fingers would get sore with them moving around. I'm going to give it a second try and maybe pick up a couple.

windhorse wrote:the Nkembi are good suggestions, but then he loses the attack on the backbeat, that is IMO the very innovation that makes his particular style unique, and good for the music.
Another suggestion is to hit the side of the drum on the backbeat, (maybe you can also mount a woodblock there, or a clapper that you can hit with your open hand) and use nkembi for the hand technique. OR, a foot pedal or gajate block on the backbeat.

He can maintain emphasizing the 2 & 4 in other ways without every single song sounding repetitive.
Just play a wood pedal on 2 & 4 if you really need that.
I could see a non-traditional or non-conga player using this technique for 1 or 2 songs if he mixes other rhythms.

Just my opinion and I don't mean to offend anyone but striking the conga with a plastic egg on 2 & 4 on every single song is a travesty to the good music the guitarist is laying down!

There are other things that can add texture and interest and we should encourage him to incorporate the sounds/tones of the congas. The conga drums are what the people want to hear!

Hello Busyflyin.... I would like to offer you a free hour and a half lesson...It is obvious to me that you have never had a Conga/perc. Mentor...or else you wouldnt be doing the things on the drum(like hitting it with a shaker in your hand)...rather than playing the shaker in your left hand and the conga with your right..if you could do it...Please email me at johnnyconga@hotmail.com if you have a webcam and a mic we can use Skype or Facebook chat for your lesson....Thank you...JC

Hi JC - it is actually another member who posted the shaker/conga vids:
TonyB
Busy just made comment.

Cheers