by Ernesto Pediangco » Wed Feb 09, 2011 8:57 am
I also tune my conga to middle C on piano & the tumba to G below middle C. The purpose for this is to be in the mid range where the drums are creating a fundamental voice & role that compliments the rhythm section. It allows for the bongos to be in a higher range to provide the rhythm fabric we call Martillo ~ an 8 th note rhythm ride w/ accentuations & add lib phrasings & soloing functions. When the congas, bongos and the very important hand percussion instruments are layered tastfuly with Maracas, Guiro, Clave, Bell paterns & the Cascara of the timbale shells, this creates the rhythm bed foundation for dynamic layering ,interplay, call & responce, terraced dynamics and even melodic inter play. Many Conga players insist on being louder as if in a competition...but thats not a prefered context for the role of congas. But conga players sometime tune higher & use a quinto as a lead drum and this changes the tuning voice of the overall section & it become less distictive as a team or as a section. The quinto traditionaly is tuned 5 notes above the conga and is why its called QUINTO . It is the solo drum that many bongos are actualy used for in most Latin band context instead of a quinto drum, because of its texture and 2 drum melodic capabilities. All these textures should be balanced as a section and as a section to a band w/ Piano & Bass etc. In any case, congas should be melodic tuned for obvious musical concerns & thats why tuning hard wares were developed for congas & bongos. Modern Timbales are often too large and too loud for a good natural dynamic balance to happen. Modern congas & bongos are now supplied with plastic heads that are not as warm & tonal as traditional skins, so they tend to be brighter and a bit louder if played to be loud. This knocks out a natural balance and is a harsher sound with more high over tones that reverbrate longer as well. Some times the lower tuned tumbas sound like deep tom toms ! Of course...conga tunings are just guide lines for a good starting point. Since music is a living art form, there are no rules to it, only guidlines. Only experience & good taste will determine a good musical blending with other instruments and musicians. I have substtuted large Bata drums for a 3 rd conga ( or 2 nd tumba.) It had a differnt sound sure, but it was still applied w/ musical disipline and good taste. I actualy prefer 2 congas w/ 1 tumba, or 1 conga & 2 tumbas and tune the drums to the voice I desire on a per gig basis. The benifit of 2 congas instead of a quinto is that the heads & shell sizes are same, only the tuning differs but it is a balanced sound. I use older warmer heads on the second conga & the newer brighter head on the lead conga. Its a good combination. I would not even recomend the purchase of a quinto to a musician ! Its the last drum he needs & they are all over the place these days. Just borrow one from a fellow drummer !