Conga

[drumfoooood]

any kind of Warm-ups, excersices, or practice tips for beginner conga player? also listening suggestions?

[Garvin]

www.congaplace.com or youtube...

[Class A Drummer]

Lots of stretching. Get some gloves too or else your hands will most likley start to hurt after a couple mins of playing. My hands dont hurt that much any more (never wore gloves) because finally after a couple months of playing daily in jazz band class my hands have toughened up, but it still hurts a little.

[MikeyOdrums]

I would really just consentrate on getting your technique down. The slap is the toughest because it really requires precision. Volume is not the key but cupping your hand and creating a slap like motion into the drum hitting all the tips of your fingers down to the bass of your palm. Very hard to write about but here is a vid of me doin some latin stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCln1f7QxMw

all the high pitch stuff is obviously the slap, then there is the tone which you want to hit all 4 of you fingers to the top of your palm. Then heel/toe action. Hope this helps.
Mike o

[gretsch223]

i have a similar situation to class a drummer...In my jazz ensemble I play congas a lot and my right hand kills me after every (or even during) rehearsal. Will this damage my hands permanently? I am primarily a drum set player and the last thing I want is to mess up that.

Is there anything to wear on your hands other than gloves? (adhesive tape,etc?)

Thanks.

[Deathmetalconga]

All good advice. Also practice double stroke rolls with your hands. The "momma-daddy" beat is the foundation of Afro-Cuban drumming.

[Garvin]

Your hands should hurt for a while. Tape is not a good idea unless you already have a split. You just have to build up callouses like any other discipline.

Technique is important. Slap, tone, heel, toe etc... learn to get clean sounds before working on speed (just like with drum set)

Learn what Tumbao is... It's kind of like the generic 4/4 ride pattern for congas. Youtube it and learn it. It fits with jazz and pretty much anything else.

Learn how to tune the congas. While technique is important, it won't mean much if the drums don't sound right.

[MEL]

Listening suggestions:

Tata Guines, for soulful playing and technique:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuban-Jam-Sessions-Miniature-Descargas/dp/B0001CNPQS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1202337654&sr=8-4

Ray Barretto, Mr. Hard Hands himself -- Plenty of Fania reissues out there

Mongo Santamaria, great sound, great soul -- Plenty of compilations and albums out there. I especially like Afro-Roots.

Anga, for an amazing combination of chops and melodic innovation,
http://www.amazon.com/Echu-Mingua-Angá/dp/B000CS4646/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1202337925&sr=1-1

Giovanni Hidalgo, unbelievable, amazing chops.

Start with the first 3, as they are the foundation, and it's easier to hear what they are doing.

Also, follow Garvin's advice. I've been following his posts, he knows of what he speaks, and Congaplace is a great resource.

[Garvin]

Listening suggestions:

Tata Guines, for soulful playing and technique:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuban-Jam-Sessions-Miniature-Descargas/dp/B0001CNPQS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1202337654&sr=8-4

Ray Barretto, Mr. Hard Hands himself -- Plenty of Fania reissues out there

Mongo Santamaria, great sound, great soul -- Plenty of compilations and albums out there. I especially like Afro-Roots.

Anga, for an amazing combination of chops and melodic innovation,
http://www.amazon.com/Echu-Mingua-Angá/dp/B000CS4646/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1202337925&sr=1-1

Giovanni Hidalgo, unbelievable, amazing chops.

Start with the first 3, as they are the foundation, and it's easier to hear what they are doing.

Also, follow Garvin's advice. I've been following his posts, he knows of what he speaks, and Congaplace is a great resource.

All great suggestions. MEL, thanks for the kind words. One more super important conguero to check out would be Patato (may he rest in peace). He was a contemporary of Tata and Anga. Tata passed just recently as well.

[Deathmetalconga]

Listening suggestions:

Tata Guines, for soulful playing and technique:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuban-Jam-Sessions-Miniature-Descargas/dp/B0001CNPQS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1202337654&sr=8-4

Ray Barretto, Mr. Hard Hands himself -- Plenty of Fania reissues out there

Mongo Santamaria, great sound, great soul -- Plenty of compilations and albums out there. I especially like Afro-Roots.

Anga, for an amazing combination of chops and melodic innovation,
http://www.amazon.com/Echu-Mingua-Angá/dp/B000CS4646/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1202337925&sr=1-1

Giovanni Hidalgo, unbelievable, amazing chops.

Start with the first 3, as they are the foundation, and it's easier to hear what they are doing.

Also, follow Garvin's advice. I've been following his posts, he knows of what he speaks, and Congaplace is a great resource.

Good suggestions. Also, Munequitos de Matanzas is a great example of folkloric ensemble playing.