Mounting X-Ray Film or Vellum on Congas - Has anyone done it?

[Supa Coopa]

A professional conguero from the U.S.A. just got back from Cuba and said that everyone down south uses x-ray film for their conga heads. It sounds great! Has anybody ever tried mounting those suckers? What's the technic? The most interesting part about it is, how do they keep the film from turning black? I guess you'd have to process it like B&W film first to keep it clear. It would be great to have drum heads that could take the humidity, but would fit traditional rims.



Edited By Supa Coopa on 1109697652

[Ivan]

On congas, really? I've only seen them on bongo heads... specifically the macho cuero...

I would imagine it is the same mounting technique only maybe you don't have to soak it in water like you do with animal skin...

[loopi]

Can't imagine it myself . . . . . . . i have tried thin goat on congas . . . . sounds like thin goat on congas ! ! ! Some interesting lower frequencies and great for pitch bending when loose but when you crank the heads sound more like djembe than conga. The whole experiment for me was an insight into how critical the head type is to the sound regardless of the design of drum shell. Conga with x-ray will not sound like conga with mule or anything else. U get away with it on macho of bongo because of the nature of the sound you are trying to emulate (no warmth or sustain). .. . . ....close enough to warrant its' use given other practical factors like the way it is not effected by the weather. So the X-ray would be an interesting experiment . . . . might be ok for cranked quinto sound but can guarantee u wont get away with it on a tumba ! !

Happy Experimenting

[CongaCaja]

I have to say that x-ray film on congas sounds pretty weird to me as well. ???

When I was in Cuba about 18 months ago (Havana and Santiago for 2 weeks), I didn't seen anything except natural skins on the congas. I didn't even see any Remo or Evans conga heads there...though I'm sure some cubans are probably using them.

Bongos? Yes, I can believe that...but not the congas.

Also, I don't understand why you would want to soak x-ray film in water prior to mounting. ??? Animal skin is porous so water will be absorbed and soften it for mounting. However, soaking a non-porous x-ray film is likely to just make a slippery situation with little or no softening.

Nevertheless, have fun with your experiments

cjk



Edited By CongaCaja on 1116746188

[ABAKUA]

Maybe those using the xray skins could not afford or do not have access to real skins? Highly possible given it is Cuba.
As for how it sounds, I have my doubts. Dont think it would sound any good on tumbadoras due to the xray skin being so thin. On a bongo, maybe.. though the ones Ive heard sound terrible and macho cannot be tuned up to sound high and crispy...

I recently sent to Havana through the Cubanismo band a Meinl woodcraft series Conga, a whole heap of LP skins along with many pairs of sticks as presents to those percussionists less fortunate than myself.
Many a conga player have skins which have torn and been sewn back up and re-mounted.

It was great to receive feedback from them recently saying that the skins etc have been distributed amongst some of Havana's struggling percussionists making them very happy.



I cant wait to go back and visit them.



Edited By ABAKUA on 1116762001

[yoni]

Lay the x-ray or clear acetate down, lay inner ring over it, trace a circle around its circumference with marker, then draw lines about an inch apart running outward from the circle; looks like "sun rays" when done. The lines leading out from the circle's edge should be at least a couple inches long.
Cut along these lines from the outside toward the edge of the circle, stopping cuts at or just before the circle's edge. It will now look like many tabs radiating out from the circle's edge. These tabs are your excess "skin" which you fold over the inner hoop, then under the outer hoop. As you tighten, the tabs will stick up straight around the edge of the head. Trim the excess of the tabs off carefully at level of the head, tighten up more and you're done.

Hope this description is clear enough! If I could draw the procedure here, I would. Like many, I ultimately prefer the sound of natural skins (and shells), but you can get a great sound out of anything - weird though it may be!

[Isaac]

I can imagine it would work on a small quinto - but
not anything bigger. Having been to Cuba, I would
say its used because they don't waste a thing there.
One becomes very resourceful under impoverished conditions.
Some people I met owned only two sets of clothing -
the one they wore on their backs, and the one in the laundry. If anyone here goes to Cuba, take some real skins with you - you'll be greatly appreciated.
~ ISAAC

[akdom]

Hi guys

I saw these "skins" in places where goat skin is not available. Last time was in Merida, mexico. It has some great advantages such as no de-tunning and solidity, but execpt for small drums, it just sucks. It is only my feeling, but on larger drums such as djembes and congas, the sound just sucks. It is loud, yes, slaps are much easier, yes, but the quality of the sound is so poor!
Most of the people I saw using x ray films or such were "street" players who would jam and make noise.

Now this is a very interresting thing to set these films on experimental drums. You can also use old snare drums or bass drum kits skins. The oiled ones are working great. You can also hit them with sticks, so for people who build drums out of pipes or anything else that is not traditionnal, it is a good idea.

See ya

B

[bongo_john_uk]

I tried to do this once and failed miserably. Its really tough material and hard to mould without springing out! I even tried heat treating it with no luck. It would look cool but plastic has a much sharper tone - I have some skulls, backbone and even a tumor (a bit morbid - not sure about that one still) that the local hospital let me have.

Thanks for the cutting concentric strips tip above - I may try it again if I pick up another pair..

What about method for natural skins? Any tips? I made it up as I went a long and probably made it very difficult for myself and doesn't come out with much "head room" above the rim my way although that doesn't matter too much with curved rims..

[yoni]

I prefer natural heads by a long shot; the x-rays are good for cutting through in a loud jam but that's about it.

With natural skin for conga and bongos I think it's good if it doesn't have too much head room when it dries, and that comfort curve is safer when it's close to the top than the traditional rim. .. setting with just a little "head room" has given me more lee-way for tuning skins over years of use.

[akdom]

hi everyone.

of course natural skins are much much better, but just for info, go see this post:

http://www.congaplace.com/cgi-bin....=4&t=82


have fun and please comment

B

[Firebrand]

I wouldn't try it. When playing congas, the congas are supposed to be the deepest drum of the conjunto of timbales and bongos (in salsa settings). Their job IS to be deep, to fill in the middle to low range of the percussion section. The quinto can be tuned high for crackling open slaps, but for the most part, the conga needs to have nice, warm open tones.

The x ray film is commonly used on bongos to provide them the "clear" edge in being higher pitched than regular skins. Generally speaking, the more wooden or more "real skin" the instrument, the warmer the sound. The more metallic, fiberglass, or x-ray filmed the instrument, the more "clear, high" sound. You want that with bongos (some bongo player don't, I like high pitched bongos)

But with congas, my recommendations are Remo Fiberskyn. They do a good job of emulating real skyn, and they last a long time.



Edited By Firebrand on 1128448645

[akdom]

Hi Firebrand

Of course I agree with you. I always had natural skins on my "performing"drums. I thought it was nice to try X-ray films on a smaller drum.
But this is just a trick for "alternative" drums.
I actually prefer natural skins to fiber. I never had a synthetic skin on my djembes, congas or bongos.

But, in some part of the world, it is easier to find X-ray films than animal skins.
Plus this can help set drummers to mount smaller toms to their kits etc...

Have fun.

B