Getting started on the congas - Are there any bad habits to avoid?

[Lunarcongadess]

I am excited about my first set of congas! Are there any bad habits I should avoid, or things I should practice first? What height should the congas reach on your body when you are setting them up?

Any inspirational bands to listen to in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia?

Lunarcongadess

[Diceman]

Hiya L

First bad habit is NOT to go to a good teacher, if you dont get your basics right at the beginning, it will take you quadruple the time to unlearn and start again.

I guess the best height would be with the top of the drum at the same height as your relaxed elbow, ie with your hands on the skin, your forearm should be horizontal.
Welcome to the world of the conga, its is a long journey but a satisfying one.
Diceman

[JohnnyConga]

There are some ..with a good teacher u can avoid "bad techniques"....It would be hard to describe without showing you, first hand....contact ABAKUA he lives in Melbourne I believe and has his own Latin band....Welcome to your New Home....peace...."JC" Johnny Conga....


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[ABAKUA]

Yo JC, sorry bro, but Im in Sydney in New South Wales, different state to Melbourne in Victoria...
But thanks anyway!

Hello Tabitha

Welcome to the boards, I agree 100% with what Diceman has written..

Seeing as you are in Melbourne... there are numerous talented percussionists in the scene over there...
One which stands out is Javier (forgot the surname) he's been studying with Changuito in Cuba for a few years now 6 months at a time. Any of the percussionists from known bands over there can point you in his direction...
Look for stand out bands such as "Los Rumberos", the afro cuban folkloric enemble "Ile Ashe", its core 5 members are all initiated as batá drummers or devotees of the Afro-Cuban religion Santería and have all studied the religion's traditional songs, dances and history as part of their ceremonial training in Cuba. Another band to look out for is Orquesta Del Barrio.

All 3 groups have well versed percussionists which can help you on your path.

If you do get in touch with Javier (known as Harvey) tell him Marcelo from Sydney says hello! Lost touch with him a few years ago...

Good luck!



Edited By ABAKUA on 1117507727

[ABAKUA]

Seeing as JC posted his mug shot, this be me here!

Chao!

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[Diceman]

Dear L,

One more thing, you cannot play congas without a good hat, I dont know why, but take a look at the photos. Just joking my brothers, I got a good collection too ;oD
Maybe we should start up a new thread on headwear!!!!
Welcome to the world of congas (and hats) better go hat shopping straight away.
Seriously though, get a good teacher, technique is the foundation of producing good clear tones that makes the conga talk (and not mumble) Also, practice them as part of your daily routine.

Sabor
Diceman

[akdom]

very true!

Not the hat (which is optional) but first step is finding a good teacher. If you don't, you will loose precious time finding what and how to play. In addition, you will get wrong habits and these are very hard to correct afterwards.
Listen to a lot of music. And most of all, practice, practice and practice even more. Conga drums are not funny toys but REAL instruments with their culture and background. One can't play "right" without understanding the whys and hows.
Last word, you can have a lot of fun very fast if you do things right, even if conga drums are not easy to play.

Now, guys, please go see PLAPATA.COM it is the press kit of my website. I am just about to complete the west african section after over a year of work and I am starting the latin section. Anyone willing to help and to share some knowledge is more than welcome (Latin percussions are not my specialities and I just don't want to post wrong stuff).

I am waiting for your comments.

See ya

Big B

[Jongo]

Well just like everybody else said, find a really good teacher. A good teacher will instill all of the basics in you and set you up for success. The kind of success where at a point you can go forward and explore what the congas have to offer you. You can play what you feel and really have it down tight.
A good teacher will keep you from developing bad habits but one thing that you may want to watch out for that I have noticed is that in the excitement and enthusiasm for playing and learning it is easy to be interested in learning new rhythms and having a broad repertoire but have the basics down first. If you go to a band and you can play all this stuff but you can't play it in clave, fugetaboutit!
The best thing my first teacher did for me was to teach me the basics. He gave me the tools to be able to go on and explore percussion on my own when I was no longer able to study with him.

Juan

[mjw]

Hi!!

This may not be ideal for everyone but it worked for me - I was advised by a teacher to get hold of Birger Salzbruck's 'Afro Cuban Percussion' video and get the absolute basics from there. That way, when I went to have a paid lesson with him, we could get on with developing and improving the techniques and rhythms rather than spending a lot of time (and money) on basic tones etc.

That's not to say I didn't put in hours of practice, listening, watching etc.

Everyone on here will also agree that you never stop learning, listening, watching, practicing, developing, then listening, watching learning and practicing some more!!

[rumbaman]

My opinion is that you should also get a teacher to learn what your basic notes and sounds should be. Have a great time on your drums but do it right so that it will be fullfilling to you . Welcome to the best forum on the net .

[Hairy Congas]

Hi there Lunarcongagoddess!!!

I'm hoping to move to Belgrave or thereabouts in the next month or so....whereabouts in Melbourne are you?
I've been learning for a year now so I don't know much.... but if you fancy just making a loud racket... let me know!

[rumbaman]

hy how you doin' . hey if you had to spend your cash on a fix . wouldent you spend it on your favorite habit . Your conga playing . I think you should get a teacher and do'nt screw around . Why ca'ouse you will see that you will be hooked. A good teacher can show you many diffrent things you can not learn from tapes or videos take my advice . Spend the money you will enjoy it i have spent at least .........well 5 years thats about 120 month so you calculate it. I am comfortable now with my drums and enjoying them . When i miss a couple of classes i get ancy 'couse thats my fix ........... thats my best spent money .... for me .... enjoy it ...
rumbaman

[windhorse]

To get right to the crux of the question,, "are things to avoid?",, and "what should be a focus?"..

I see around here in Boulder several guys who have played over 20 years, know many different rhythms and songs, and yet they have TERRIBLE technique. They're using way too much muscle for the same amount of sound that another guy that trained in Cuba gets with almost effortless moves.
They focused on the rhythms and the sound, rather than getting proper technique training early.
So, now they're paying the price! It's really really really hard to unlearn old ingrained bad habits..

The arms should rest right down at your sides, rather than bowing out like so many folks do - this is what screwed up my neck and back, and only a few thousand dollars of massage and huge technique readjustment has been able to solve. I worked really hard early on (that's what tightened me up so much!),, but just wasn't sitting upright with the chest out.. More hunched over.. Very bad thing to do..

Also, be sure your hands are completely flat on the drum for basses, lots of heavy hand for tones - more inside the bearing edge than most begginers seem to give it, and almost completely flat - only the tiniest bit of cupping for slaps - seems like most bad formers cup way too much, and the muffled tone is a tone - same hand placement - just pushed into the head of the drum a bit.

You don't hit a conga,,, the hands drop -- use gravity.
And flip then down like a serpent strike..

It sounds wierd,, and at first feels like you're a praying mantis,, but with time feels easy.. That's the key,, easy.....

Enjoy!

Dave

[JohnnyConga]

WELCOME HAIRY CONGAS....um?...anyway, playing congas is truly about "technique" and developement of "your" sound on the drum. One should sit high enough in your chair where your arms are at 90 degrees at the elbow.so your arms are not like this / but more like this l__ on the drum. Play "close" to the head of the drum, try not to exagerate the raising of the arms to acheive sound, when striking the head...Now it does take a certain amount of "macho power" so to speak, to get that sound, and like they say "no pain, no gain"...if and when you get your "slap" if your finger tips don't 'sting" then your not striking it hard enough....prepare for callouses and cuts...so you must learn to also take care of your hands at the same time....Welcome again to our "family" of Drum Brothers....."JC" Johnny Conga....

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[JohnnyConga]

Now in this photo Im standing up and playing so my arms work differently from sitting down, adapting and adjusting to the height of my congas...."JC" Johnny Conga...