La Mano Secreta

[afrocubarico]

Hello fellow congueros,
I was viewing the late, great, Miguel "Anga" Diaz' Anga Mania! video and in it he teaches one of Changuito's Mano Secreta rudiments.

In the November 2006 issue of Latin Beat Magazine, Changuito states that he taught Giovanni Hidalgo the 116 rudiments of his mano secreta. Has Changuito published these rudiments or is this something he guards strictly for his students?

afrocubarico

[zaragenca]

Welcome,the rudiments of 'Mano Secreta', was developed by the Die Hard rumberos through the weekly updating of the percutive articulation which their have to developed to compete with each other,I witnessed the development of many of the rudiments when I was growing up in Cuba,which later were transfered to the Conjuntos,I know from where 'Changuito' and other percussionists got it,and continued using it.Dr. Zaragemca

[Diceman]

You going to tell us?

[folkloricoSD]

Michael Spiro's book has some of Changuito's mano secreta rudiments, but it does not have 116... I am also very interested in seeing the rest of these rudiments.

[windhorse]

Yeah, I've got Spiro's book and I'm presently working through section 10 on all the 12/8 bell with opposing hand variations... Wickedly difficult stuff! But that's why I love it!!!

In Spiro's Glossary of Terms:
"Mano Secreta - The name Changuito gave to the development of the heel-toe motion of the weak hand in conga drum technique."

[ozrivera]

Saludos Hermanos
as if 26 Rudiments werent enough. but, just like everyone else im very curious to see some of them.

oz

[zaragenca]

Well /Mano Secreta' have nothing to do with the Heel Toe/ motion that is a simple old basic percussion pattern.Dr. Zaragemca

[folkloricoSD]

Can you please inform us on what the real mano secreta is then?? I know that Spiro studied a lot with Changuito, so for him to put that in his book and it not be right would be weird.

[JohnnyConga]

Guys "La Mano Secreta" is just a term Changuito came up with ..nothing more....PS I also have a video of Changuito describing it to Tany Gil in Panama in a hotel room from 1983-4....where he shows it on a table top first then plays on Tany's 3 congas in the hotel room....that is the first time Changuito used the term "La Mano Secreta"....on video...."JC" Johnny Conga... ...PS Changuito never mentions 116 rudiments on this video.....

[Laurent Lamy]

Some one needs legends... :p

[zaragenca]

Well 'changuito' was not the creator,neither the initiator. the whole concept was started by the 'Die Hard' rumberos and taken to the Conjuntos in the 1950's when two congas were being used, by the some percussionists,I don't know what any percussionist is using but I would reconized the rudiments by a mile if it is use it.Dr. Zaragemca