by Raymond » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:15 pm
As a comment, one of the biggest generalizations by most percussionists is that congueros and bongoseros tend to underestimate developing or working in regular general drumming techniques and even independence. This is a generalization and is not true to everybody but is a reality I see with most bongo or conga players. (Normally, who plays conga plays bongo and viceversa, at least is an assumption).
Only timbaleros who care and/or people that have trap drumming experience or percussionists who realize the important of things that appear not be needed to play congas or bongos, are the ones who go for the rudimental and technical part to avoid not being able to perform or do something required. Therefore, I highly recommend people to go for it....Appears not, but there is a reason to help you out...
I started as a bongocero, when I started to play again, realized later about the assumption about the also at least being a conga player and noticed I could not play it well...To avoid the embarrasement, went and got me some congas and started my journey into getting really serious. (The one who dominates the big three gets the gigs and if "switching" is forced in any situation you will not feel left out....)...When I got to the timbales, I realized I needed all those techniques to be good one and realized it will make me a better bongosero and conguero. (How many congueros and/or bongoseros out there who cannot play the timbales well at all or do a very sloppy job).
Case in point....everybody who wants to get to drumming seriously should go and work in rudiments and/or the technical aspect if you want to get serious...Lots of the modern percussionists dominate every instrument and could play anything...Others better than others but at least do a decent job....Paradibbles, mommy-daddy, singles, flams, triplets, indepedence exercises should be done by everybody if you want to do it serious. Books like Ted Reed's Syncopation for the Modern Drummer, George Stone's book about rudiments...(forgot it but is a bible about improving your hand techniques) should be at least seen if you believe you need it...
I realized, and it happens to me often, that dealing with that stuff is boring and is not fun like it is getting to play the real thing. I personally suffer from that....(The other day I was in a rehearsal as a favor and realized I needed to get my reading...something I have set aside avoiding the fun...Situations like that make you go back....Sometimes you need them to get your act together...Get proud on what you do and work on those things...Don't wait to have a situation, that most likely if you consider yourself serious about percussion, you don't want to happened to you...)
Sorry, I do not want to offend anybody who believe this is "pretentious". If your are content...no problem...if you are not..heed the message... (Note: I still believe I have a long but long way to go...like a friend of mine, who is a great percussionist, that is perhaps the best all around here in PR told me when I got my endorsement..."..well now is to keep on studying.."....It is completely true)!
Saludos!