Digital congas?

[Drumwoulf]

Anyone here tried the new Roland HPD 10 digital hand percussion drumming pad? I tried it in a store and thot the conga sounds were pretty cool, and can also be played well using only ones fingers...

Any opinions?
(
And no, I don't intend to replace my LP Salsas with this;
however I am wondering if it might not be easier sometimes to carry this thing to a gig with just a small amp, rather than several heavy congas... (I'm getting a bit long-inna-tooth, I'm afraid!)

drumwoulf

[akdom]

Digital congas?? Yuck..

The best alternative would be to get some of these travel congas instead.

B

[korman]

I think there are quite a few handsonic owners here (do a search, there were threads a while ago). The impression i've got is that it's not really a substitute for conga in a way the travel conga is, but rather an instrument on its own. My former teacher has HPD-15, which is great, but the hand/finger technique is not exactly the same as on conga. The bonus is the large built-in sound library, although I think you can't upload your own samples on it, which would be a lot cooler.

[akdom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDvSXmSHKKE

[Victorius]

personally I am against conga substitute if there is no special needs on a gig - set of congas + pad to add some instruments that we actually don't have is ok. I like to feel real thing - thats the real pleasure of playing congas

[bongosnotbombs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDvSXmSHKKE

Looks pretty goofy to me, sorry. Can't see why someone would want to play a little
electronic pad like a conga when they can play a conga like a conga.

[congamyk]

The handsonic isn't a substitute for congas.
Anyone that is a true conguero will have congas on the gig, this is an auxiliary instrument.

It's very fun and let's you access and play sounds instantly in a rhythmic way.
For instance, play drum kit, tablas, timbales, djembe, talking drum, bells, gongs and 100+ other sounds in perfect tone instantly. You may not know authentic Indian tabla rhythms but it's great for adding the sounds into fusion music.
There is also a library of backing rhythms including many Latin and Brazilian grooves, (guaguanco, Samba, etc)
that can be edited (BPM) and played along with that are really fun.

It's a great addition if you don't want to bring 100+ "other" toys AND mic them all to the gig.
The Handsonic plugs in and you have perfect volume control for adding effects.


more cool vids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrzSgZP_Zgk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGurTJVOkGw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aAHH7ACp7I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usAiGXdeG8o

[akdom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDvSXmSHKKE

Looks pretty goofy to me, sorry. Can't see why someone would want to play a little
electronic pad like a conga when they can play a conga like a conga.

I do agree.

Plus, the sounds still remain electronic and I hate these...

Anyway, some of us might like it for its versatility, but not those of us playing congas in a latin band.

B

[CongaTick]

Sound pretty daned good to me. Of course forum purists and folkloricos are repulsed by anything so crassly electronic, but gotta tellya, shlepping tubs gets old as we get older, and that lil gadget can rock the house in so many ways in the many bar/club gig settings where guitars are amped to the max. I'm an open-minded-soul that loves his sweet tubs, but if someone gave me one of those gadgets I'd probably begin to fall in love with it pretty easily and would be seriously tempted to bring it to all those venues where people ask if they can play my "bongos".