Essential Daily Routine

[Firebrand]

I just wanted to know what are people's ESSENTIAL daily exercises for

1) improving slap loudness and crispness
2) speed and ease
3) hand independence

I would be interested to know some I can incorporate into my daily exercise.

Can people also add an estimated amount of time and tempo to spend on the particular exercise? Thank you.

[JohnnyConga]

Ok u asked for it
1st .i do wrist and forearm exercises to warm my arms up
2. then i do H Tip 2 hand shuffles for 10 minutes
3.then I work on all kinds of rudiments, for about an hour, and single stoke rolls to double stroke rolls, to "press" rolls, holding the rolls for over 2 minutes at a time. . . 5 7 and 9 strokes in singles and doubles
4.then i work on my improvisational skill for about another hour, I can now "solo/improv" up to a half hour and working on longer. . .
5. then i do "play along for another hour or two, with a variety of cuban and afro cuban music.
so my workout is almost 3 to 4 hours long.. . . Johnny Conga.. . . ps there is a lot more that I do but this is a short list.



Edited By JohnnyConga on 1194740881

[JohnnyConga]

PS . . . . ALWAYS WORK FOR SPEED! Gradually, breath,relax from the neck down, LET YOUR HANDS DO THE WORK!. . . . .and be "methodical" about your approach. . . be consistent . . .relax/breath/relax. . . .Johnny Conga. . .

[ABAKUA]

Good topic, there was a discussion on this some time ago, check out some of the practise routines also here:

http://www.congaplace.com/cgi-bin....31;st=0



Edited By ABAKUA on 1194788332

[chris hansen]

3.then I work on all kinds of rudiments, for about an hour,

Are there any particular rudiments you recommend a beginner/intermediate player work on? I've seen rudiments for snare drums but is that different from conga rudiments?

Thanks

[JohnnyConga]

Hi Chris. . . u can use the same rudiments for snare on conga. . . . paradiddles. . . .flams. . . .ruffs. . . .start there. . .Johnny Conga. . . .

[ABAKUA]

Hi Chris. . . u can use the same rudiments for snare on conga. . . . paradiddles. . . .flams. . . .ruffs. . . .start there. . .Johnny Conga. . . .

Yep, as a starting point, be sure to check out the first 8 or so pages from 'Stick Control for the Snare Drummer' apply all that to congas. All those fundamental rudiments are adaptable to congas/tumbadoras, with time you can apply the rest.



Edited By ABAKUA on 1194817961

[Firebrand]

I use the rudiments from the book "The Complete Drummer's Vocabulary" by John Ramsay. John was once a drumset teacher of mine when I was studying at Umass. His book details 86 different rudiments (including all the American Ones, the Swiss Ones, the "Chopsbuilders" and "New Innovations).

Incidentally, I've scanned all the rudiments (10 pages) onto a PDF file, so if anyone is interested, send me a PM with your email, and I'll send it your way attached as a file.

And i second the book "stick control". Stick Control and Ted Reed's "Syncopation" were essential tools in my practice with John. Stick Control for...just that...Stick control; and Syncopation to study 4-way independence by doing the lines with different limbs while keeping a Jazz riding pattern on the Ride Cymbal.

[Mike]

so my workout is almost 3 to 4 hours long.. . . Johnny Conga

Hey, JC, my utmost respect!
Us hobby congueros are both awestruck and envious about such a time-consuming dedication. Of course, you´re a pro and that´s what it needs to stay one.
I´m just glad to hew out a daily 20 minutes practice time for congas out of my full-packed schedule (job, wife ´n´kids). I´m very content with being a music teacher, because I´m living for music and music sustains me, but it means a lot of different musical things at the same time (rehearsing piano accompaniment, arranging percussion pieces, vocal practice, childrens´songs with guitar, planning school concerts etc).

All in all, I try to do the same kinds of exercises as you suggest, but alas - only one small step at a time. So my progress is very unsatisfactory, but the result of what I said about job plus family.

So again: Hats off to you pros out there!
And to the ambitious amateurs out there:
a) stay ambitious
b) don´t practice as many new rhythm patterns at a time,
but try to see, hear and play in their MUSICAL context.

A good workout to me (even if you´re short in time)

- wake your body, relax your mind
- basic tones, open, slap, mano secreta exercises etc.
- repeating a rhythm pattern you have been practicing for some time
- learning a new one (instructional material, charts, by listening etc.) and practicing it SLOWLY
--> and then playing it along to CD or with others

- if possible, including solo patterns or other improvisational material

- tuning down, slowing down... and off to work again...

Speaking of which...

Bye
Mike