World's best conguero?

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Postby Simon B » Thu May 01, 2003 8:38 am

Ok then, what about this. Who do we think is the fastest - not necessarily the best - player in the world? In other words, if we put each reputed speedster down on the computerised conga simulator - who at a guess would be able to do the most strokes per second? Would it go to Giovanni?

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Postby door » Thu May 01, 2003 10:01 am

are you talking about open tones? slaps? floating hands? one conga or two or tree? every player has his one licks who are good studied and look very fast. I think you can say who's the fastest congaplayer
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Postby yoni » Thu May 01, 2003 10:42 am

Speed isn't everything, but it's one feature that attracts me to percussion... I think you would have to rig everyone to some beat counting device in order to measure who's actually fastest. There are so many unknown players who really fly now that it would take forever to do such a study. From what I've seen, seems to me the amount of unknown greats way outnumbers the amount of known ones. And then, there's other techniques if one wants to measure speed alone - there are several finger rolls much faster still than the double hand roll - these are still more often used on drums besides congas and bongos.
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Postby Simon B » Thu May 01, 2003 1:24 pm

It would certainly be possible to rig up a device to measure the speed of different rolls, with a judge to ensure that the requisite stroke is adhered to. There's actually one for the snare drum - the current champion did over a thousand in a minute! Let's say we organise a huge competition that thousands of players compete in, and with our machine we restrict the strokes to normal strike-position full-finger single and double-stroke rolls - who would win? I know there are some great players out there, but are there really people who could spin these like Gio?

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Postby yoni » Thu May 01, 2003 1:46 pm

Hi Simon,
There are. Richie Flores is one of the other known ones. Gio made the double popular and took it to the max; he got it from Changuito,who got it from who knows who. The technique has actually been around a while, have also heard it called the "flat roll" by some, but not many do it because it takes long to get down. My sound sample here is short, the rolls are doubles but short ones. I'm no Gio, but can spin clean doubles long as I like by now... maybe I'll add something with long winding rolls to my sound samples, just aimed for a quick taste here. Got to admit, I love rolls, the sustain of the drum. All kinds of rolls, bagels, too. :)
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Postby Simon B » Fri May 02, 2003 9:31 am

I think I should make it my mission to master the double-stroke. I know of no conguero in the UK, where I am from, who has totally got them down (anyone who knows to the contrary please tell me) and I wouldn't half mind being the first!

How long did it take you Yoni?

Nb. Are those little smiley faces sound samples?

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Postby yoni » Fri May 02, 2003 11:47 am

Hey again! I guess you joke and know the sound sample I referred to is in my web page here (Yonatan Bar Rashi), but I'll soon add a better one. It took me 2 - 3 years from the time I started drilling doubles heavy until I felt they were near "performance ready"; but they work far easier and better still for me now, so it's a continual thing (I hope). One thing I love is its symmetry, unlike some faster but asymmetric finger rolls I do. I think it's as easy for a hand drummer to roll around like a good snare drummer - once the double gets strong and smooth. Not as fast as sticks, but similar feel. Again, takes many hours and lots of people don't have the time or just say 'forget it'. For a while I had a real dumb job - nightwatchman for some farm machinery in remote areas - I would even go to late shifts on those jobs straight from gigs - didn't care about the machinery and not much more for my rest or safety - so I would spend hours alone on that job working the doubles... A couple hours a day only on the doubles might be a minimum needed to feel some progress in a month or so... Time & perseverance is mainly what it takes, and I'm sure you and anyone can do it, even if there are still few as of now.
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Edited By yoni on May 02 2003 at 18:06
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Postby muddy323 » Thu May 08, 2003 4:52 am

I was baptize by Poncho Sanchez/Mongo/Barretto sound, until I heard Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez CD. That is were I discovered Miguel"Anga"Diaz. This conguero is a slowly becoming my favorite on the Soul of the Conga. I respect Giovanni with the speed thing.. But! Anga Diaz body of work is most impressionable on me, at this stage of my life.Speed aint everything. Find the Soul of your congas. Im not saying that you cant learn anything from Giovanni, I've learned more from Changuito Quintana and listening to Anga.
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