congaplace.com

Posted: **Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:45 pm**

Hello,
My first post here - I am a beginner student of the congas- I've been playing for two months. First, my admiration to all you congueros - I deeply appreciate the hard work and effort that goes into playing this beautiful, temperamental instrument. I practice as much as I can, as hard as I can, and I always keep going.

So my question regards travelling. i will be travelling to boston for 4 days, and for me, that is too much time to not practice. I practice every day atleast 1.5 to 2 hrs. I thought I could perhaps practice on any piece of wood, or a table, but I would ideally like to play on a set of congas.

Does anyone know if there are drummers, or studios, or any place that can rent drums for practice in Boston ? I am not willing to risk breaking my congas by taking with me in a plane

thanks!
pez

Posted: **Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:19 pm**

WELCOME FAMILY,
GREW UP IN BEANTOWN MYSELF. MANY DRUMMERS THERE BRO.
REMEMBER THAT GIOVANNI TAUGHT AT BERKLEE IN BOSTON. THERE IS A BROTHER NAMED ISRAEL IN JAMAICA PLAIN. ASK AROUND YOU MIGHT FIND HIM. THERE IS ALSO AN EX AFROCUBA DE MATANZAS MEMBER WHO TEACHES IN CAMBRIDGE, MASS. DRUM RENTALS ARE NO PROBLEM, GO TO MASS AVE OUT THERE NEAR TOWER RECORDS AND THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST 2 SHOPS TO CHOOSE FROM JUST ASK AROUND OR HIT THE YELLOW PAGES. REYLALDO "REY" GONZALEZ FERNANDEZ FROM AFROCUBA DE MATANZAS IS BASED IN BOSTON THIS IS HIS E/MAIL obaaroaoko@excite.com
HOPE THIS HELPED YOU.

Posted: **Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:54 pm**

thanks for the welcome, and the good tips !

Posted: **Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:03 pm**

Hey bro, welcome to the boards!
Hey I hope you find some drums - or even better, some people to jam with there.

If you can't find anything to practice on for a few days, don't despair. I have found it's actually really good for your development as a player to have some time away from them.

I found (especially in my early days) if I was away from my congas for a week or so, that I would come back to the congas with a fresh perspective and my hands would feel different. Kind of like when you're away from your girl for a couple of weeks and you just can't wait to see her again... you get the picture.

cheers
Pavlo

Edited By pavloconga on 1145660668

Posted: **Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:35 am**

pez, very welcome to the board. just follow the advice given. enjoy Boston. it is true what pavlocongas says. the same thing happens to me and sure also will happens to you and all the rest of percussionist!! we are all in the same boat and how sweet it is!!!!!!!!! my best, franc

Posted: **Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:36 pm**

Pavloconga, franc,

thanks for the welcome, and also the advice. the comparison between congas and girls is a very interesting one!

often i play my conga, and its crazy - it is like a temperamental person. i play and play, and most of the time, I don't sound good. then one day, the sound is great, but as soon as I start to celebrate, its back to a crap sound!
i've also seen how our congas respond to who plays - after my instructor plays on it, it feels more steady and solid, after i play it, it feels unsteady, hesitant. like it says, 'you don't have the confidence or the technique yet, so how i can i respond to you ?'

yea, maybe when i go to boston and come back, my congas and i will miss each other and she'll give me a good sound in return! lol

guys i'm not crazy, just a joke

Posted: **Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:22 pm**

pez,
don't worry much about it. just keep practicing ok. we all went through the same process. even now i have my bad days and believe me it feels likes i am in a bad slump. but then i keep on and i come back. it is part of learning that is how i see it. take care and my best, franc

Posted: **Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:58 am**

Hey Pez,
How did things go out in Boston, were you able to find some drums to practice on?

Just like you, I'm a new student of the congas, I started playing 3 1/2 months ago. I'm taking lessons once a week at the Harbor Conservatory here in NYC. I practice 1.5 to 2 hrs. every day and wish I had the time to practice 8 hrs. a day! I find myself constantly tapping my hands on any hard surface at work.

At any rate, I'm going away to the Bahamas this month for 8 days and I know it'll seem like a lifetime away from my congas. But I think pavloconga makes a good point about taking time away from practicing will improve your playing when you resume. However, I did warn my girlfriend that if I come across a conga out in the Bahamas... ...It's on!

Roberto

Posted: **Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:57 am**

afrocubarico wrote:Hey Pez,
How did things go out in Boston, were you able to find some drums to practice on?

roberto, thanks for the question. i ended up not practicing - I needed the 4 day break, by the time it was time to go to Boston. What had happened was that I was moving some furniture, got a cut in my middle finger joint (on the inside) and I kept playing through it. Developed and played through a blister - eventually, it became a big scar, with a big scab. Unplayable - so the vacation was for the skin to heal.
it didn't matter, because as soon as I came back, the scar opened up again.
although the advice on taking a break was true. 2 weeks after my boston trip, I went to LA for the LA salsa congress ( saw george delgado from Spanish Harlem, saw tipica 73) and upon returning from there, my skills had improved considerably, without any practice. crazy. i think watching the conguero's live had an effect - to see how they treated their instrument, how they patiently sat and tightened and loosened the skin before and after the gig, the respect with which they see their instrument.. it had an effect.

our subconscious mind is slow, but very powerful. I'm sure all forum members have experienced that!

i hope your practice is going well - if i'm not mistaken, delgado teaches at the harbor conservatory - so you are lucky if you run into him. plus that is an excellent school if i am not mistaken. I understand the comment about 8 hrs a day. earlier, i used to force myself to practice 2 hrs a day, but now that i am seeing good results, i want more!

Posted: **Mon Jun 26, 2006 3:21 pm**

Gentelman how are you all , great i hope many blessings . HA...Ha...Ha ... Could'nt stay away from playing on the tables he..... . I can feel your pain man , I sometimes feel the same way i tell ya . I have done alot of my practicing on tables at work also . Hey 4 days is not that much man but good luck just do'nt smack the old lady you can only get an open tone out of her .......ouch ......

rumbaman :p

Posted: **Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:06 am**

pez,
Sorry to hear about your finger injury, hope you have a quick recovery. However, I'm glad to hear about your performance improvement after taking some time off. This is an amazing concept and one I learned from performing sleight of hand with playing cards.

As a hobbyist magician for several years, I would start working on a particular move/sleight and practice it hour after hour, day after day, etc.. Then after taking a day or two off, I would discover that my technique had improved substantially.

I wasn't aware that Delgado teaches at the Harbor but I do know that many of the New York pros do come down and practice as well teach at the Harbor. It is a great school and I'm very lucky to be able to study there. There's also a great Afro Cuban workshop that's taught by Greg Askew. I've met him and seen him play, this cat really knows his stuff!

afrocubarico

Posted: **Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:09 pm**

pez wrote:my skills had improved considerably, without any practice. crazy. i think watching the conguero's live had an effect - to see how they treated their instrument, how they patiently sat and tightened and loosened the skin before and after the gig, the respect with which they see their instrument.. it had an effect.

our subconscious mind is slow, but very powerful. I'm sure all forum members have experienced that!

Yes, just being in the presence of better congueros is a lesson in itself! Sorry about the big scar and working through finger pain,, but it was a teacher for while eh?

Posted: **Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:13 pm**

afrocubarico wrote:pez,
Sorry to hear about your finger injury, hope you have a quick recovery. However, I'm glad to hear about your performance improvement after taking some time off. This is an amazing concept and one I learned from performing sleight of hand with playing cards.

<snip>

I wasn't aware that Delgado teaches at the Harbor but I do know that many of the New York pros do come down and practice as well teach at the Harbor. <snip>
afrocubarico

well yes, it seems like our mind is learning and processing 24 hours - so for example, if I try to improve the speed of the shuffle in my left hand, but it cannot do so, our mind is working on this problem 24/7, and suddenly a few weeks later, we see improvements..

also, here is link of interest
http://www.harborconservatory.org/m_faculty.html#DELGADO

congaplace.com

practice congas needed - travelling in boston