Stands for Congas

[mangorockfish]

I'm sure there have been many posts concerning this , but here is another. Played three congas on stands last night and really liked them. What is the general conscensus concerning stands? Do you like drums on stands or not. If so, how about Gibralter single stands? That is what I'm considering getting. If the sitting position is the more traditional and accepted way, then the stands are out.

[yalla]

IMO, it's not about "more traditional and accepted way" - it's a matter of feeling with the drums. Playing sitted, you have more phisical contact with the conga between your legs, and this helps "feeling" the drum sounds and vibration. And you can easily keep tempo tapping your feet, and you can play longer with no efforts.
This is just my two cents, I think that congas on stands are only needed when you have to change to other instruments quickly, or when you need to be more noticed on the stage...
Let's also say, that a conga on a stand is more free to ring, and tumba has much more volume than standing on the floor...

[Raymond]

Playing congas seated is the natural and traditional way. However, the stands have helped in allowing the multi-instrument percussionist more freedom of movement. Also, when you play congas seated, because the "mouth" of the congas is in the floor covered or partially covered, in a stand you get more volume than when you are playing seating.

One complaint by people who are used to playing seated is the fact thata with a stand they cannot get the "tilt" some people give to the main conga, quinto or conga. With the new stands out there is no longer a problem because you could get that tilt in a most stands that people are used to while playing seated.

I play mainly in the "salsa genre" and you have about half and half regarding playing seated and with stands. Stands are a hassle for some because is additional equipment to carry, plus they are expensive. However, some people use them because of the volume it provides and you do not have to deal with the problems of floor surface that sometimes is a problem for some congueros that play seated. (Surfaces like carpet muffle the sound of the conga. Some people that play seated incorporate wood plates or something similar when they are playing to get volume. Stands avoid that problem).

My two cents!

Saludos!