Positioning congas

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Postby mangorockfish » Tue Jan 20, 2004 7:51 am

I have been playing about 8 or 9 months and just recently got my third drum. What is the most accepted way of setting the three drums up. Now, I'm using the quinto at the 6 o'clock position and the others at 5 and 7 and playing mainly on the quinto, but that's not doing it for me. HELP!!
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Postby yoni » Tue Jan 20, 2004 8:09 am

Hi mangorockfish,

I don't know the most accepted set-up, but I often set up three like you do, except I put the lower two drums at "3:00" and "9:00" instead of 5:00 and 7:00. This places them in a close triangle instead of a row and allows for easier cross-overs. I saw Giovanni Hidalgo do this once, and as usual with him, it worked great.

If I play 4 drums I usually set them up in like a diamond pattern instead of a row, as in the congas solo in my mini web page here (Yonatan Bar Rashi). Some players prefer in a row, whatever, it's fun to experiment and change up the positioning, too.




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Postby mangorockfish » Tue Jan 20, 2004 8:22 am

Yoni, Hello,
Do you play mainly on the quinto also? I like all three drums, but the quinto is so cool. :D
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Postby yoni » Tue Jan 20, 2004 8:56 am

Hi mangorockfish - I also keep the quinto in the middle, but don't necessarily play mainly on it; I use it mainly in soloing and for some "fancy" stuff, but try to play all three drums as "one instrument". Setting them up in the triangle I mentioned makes it easier for me to do that.
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Postby Raymond » Tue Jan 20, 2004 2:59 pm

Mangorockfish,

The way you are setting them up is the accepted (and ergonomically correct way). However, there is no correct distance as long as you work with your reach and how comfortaable you feel with it. Therefore, if you want not to have the V shape set up, you could go anyway, line up one to each other in straight line, L shape, reverse shape, etc.

I gather your problem is not that you feel uncomfortable that your maiin high pitch, conga or quinto, be in the middle and the lowest pitch, tumbadora, and for right handers, be in your right. The third drum, in the case of right handers, is a pitch lower than the center drum, but not lower than your right drum (left drum if left handed). If this is your problem, then you have a "conceptual" problem. Why the tumbadora or low pitch needs to be in the side of your more powerful hand, is a reason I have never giviing it thought but there most be a reaason in regards to efficiency. (Is the same, why timbales are the other way around, etc). Nothing says you have to follow that but if everybody else is doing it...give the benefit of the doubt that is the correct way.

My recommendation, play with your set up until you feel comfortable in the way you position them. If your problem is the third drum, then work on your "independence" (This third drum is a challenge because it is your weak hand...).

Saludos!
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Postby zaragemca » Tue Jan 20, 2004 4:50 pm

Hi to all brothers,this situation have been usully a subject for debate,it all started when the Congeros incorprate the Quinto in the Orquesta set up to facilitate the high pitch slap(which is more difficult to accomplish with the Tumba,or Conga.It really matter what you playing(style of music) becouse the way you set up is going to facilitate the interaction of the instruments in relation to the percusion pattern which you are going to follow,and how easy you are going to reach the whole set up with both hands.(that's why I recomend the leg stands which hold the Instruments from the bottom so to have more freedom to articulate your playing style.On set up I like to have the Quinto in front of me and Conga to the up right(between the middle and the right side and tumba to the down right(at "3.00" ),and enything else to the left.



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Postby mangorockfish » Wed Jan 21, 2004 12:48 pm

Thanks for the input. I've been working on my independence on drumset for a while and have been letting the congas slide. I guess it's back to work on THEM now. :D
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Postby whammy » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:35 am

Being a relatively new conguero, I'd also try setting them up like a regular rock drumset and see how you like it. In other words, Quinto on the left, and just go lower as you go to the right.

I guess it all depends on what you're playing and what you're most comfortable doing. I only have two drums, but this setup seems pretty good so far.

I like to hear from drummers that also play a drumset with sticks, it's a totally different thing, but the same in some ways... I think "hand drumming" has much more feel to it, but they can also be great in combination.

I could be totally wrong too, if anyone has some alternate feedback, please post in response!!!




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Postby stlouieray » Thu Jan 22, 2004 12:35 pm

:)

I can't say that I've given it much thought, as to whether other conga players show concern for their set-up. I mean, I don't remember asking anyone else, how they set-up their drums, because I never it much of an issue.

On the other hand, I've always fidgeted around and messed around with my own set-up! As I started back playing again, I looked at so many other prof. conga players, through their perf., or training tapes, and you just naturally, see how they've set things up.

I analyzed my set-up, and I always played with the 3 drums in the "9" "12 and "3" pos - just kinda 1, 2, 3, quinto on the left then, conga and tumba. I thought I should move the tumba closer to the "4" or "5 o'clock" pos, because it would bring it closer to me. That's what I did, and do sometimes.

My other setup, is like having the quinto in the "6" pos, the conga around "1" or "2", and the tumba around "3" or "4 o'clock" pos.

But, essentially, I'm always messin' with my set-up, like a compulsive woman, and her hair. I just haven't gotten any more creative with my positioning, than as described above.

Vaya Congueros!!
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Postby yoni » Fri Jan 23, 2004 8:27 am

Hey what about playing 5 or 6 congas in a circle, while sitting on a swiveling stool in the middle? That could be fun! :D
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Postby zaragemca » Fri Jan 23, 2004 6:12 pm

Whammy I also play and teach Drum-Set,in the drum-set I use the open style system where you could hold the H/H pattern with the left-hand,and playing the snara with the right,or... two hands on the h/h and beating the snare with the right-hand.
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Postby whammy » Mon Jan 26, 2004 1:24 am

Wow, that's different from what I'm used to (since I mostly play rock), but I've seen some Mexican drummers do it, when I used to play in Nogales.

I can see how that is similar to hand drumming that way. :)
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Postby mjw » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:05 am

I'm a right handed player, and always played a traditional right-handed configuration (ie quinto middle, tumba to my right and conga to the left) - though I recently had a lesson with Robin Jones, where he got me playing in a left handed configuration (conga to my right and tumba to my left). His reasoning for this is that when playing marcha and marcha-style patterns, it's easier to stay in clave when playing the lower notes with both the left and right hands...anybody get my drift or have been shown similar?
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Postby mangorockfish » Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:29 pm

I've got mine set up w/ the quinto on my left and both conga and tumba on the right. The quinto is at 12 o'clock, the conga at about 2, and the tumba is at 3. That's working best for me right now. I think stands would really be best, but I don't know. :blues:
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Postby yoni » Wed Mar 03, 2004 6:06 pm

Hi mangorockfish,

Stands will give you more bass and volume, good for playing in a live siuation with amplified instruments.

Playing "street style", no stands, seems to me to give more pure tones from the congas, but less volume and not much bass, if any. I like to play this way if there's not too much electric instrument "competition". Tipping the conga closest to you will give more bass and volume when needed.

Hope this helps.
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