Drums are one of the world’s most versatile musical instruments, available in dozens of different varieties, each with its own sound. One of my favorites that always makes me smile is the conga. The conga drum, which is also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum which comes from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and are classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). They were originally made from hollowed out logs or recycled barrels. Conga drums are traditionally used in Afro-Cuban genres such as conga and rumba and are now very common in many other forms of Latin music. I remember in the 80s when I first heard Sheila E playing drums including the congas.
According to PercussionConga.com the correct pronunciation is CONE-gah, not changa or koonga.
Josh at Percussion Instruments HQ agrees and has a fantastic article describing how conga drums are made. Be sure to check it out.
Conga drums are usually played in sets of two or four with the fingers and palms of the hand. You can play either while seated or standing though the taller drums sort of require one to stand which is a little cooler in my book.
Conga players are called congueros. The term “conga” was popularized in the 1950s when Desi Arnaz played a role in the popularization of conga drums. However, the drum he played, which everyone called a conga drum at the time, was similar to the type of drum known as bokú used in his hometown of Santiago de Cuba.
Since conga drums can be tuned to different notes, a drummer with a set of congas can create entire songs with percussion alone as Sheila E and Desi Arnaz and many others have done. These “congueros” use various hand motions and striking positions on the head of each conga drum to produce different sounds. It may sound complicated but is actually quite simple if you just start with the basics. To take full advantage of the conga drum, start by mastering the five basic strokes. Two of these involve hitting with four fingers near the drum’s edge: a quick tap produces a clear “open tone”, while holding your fingers in place to muffle the sound creates a “muffled” or “mute tone”. To make the “bass tone”, use your full palm, while the “touch tone” is produced with a light tap of the fingers or heel of your hand. As you improve you can take on the “slap tone”, which generates a loud, snappy sound. Very cool.
Conga drums can come in various sizes and styles. They can range from plain wood to beautiful paint jobs such as-
If you would like to learn more about the conga drum, there is a very good article here.
Thanks to the diversity or the style of play and the appearance of the congas and the upbeat tempo they generally produce, the conga drum always makes me smile.
Have you ever played the conga drums? Click here to leave a comment and share your opinion and experience. Would love to hear from you.
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Get your own conga drums set on Amazon and start creating your own conga playing style and sound and fill the room with smiles!
The Pearl PFC-202 Primero Fiberglass Conga and Bongos provide pro-level construction and materials at a great price! The 10 and 11 inch fiberglass conga drum shells feature Remo conga heads for fantastic projection, sound and are easy to tune. Whether you’re just getting into percussion or you want a high quality conga set to add to your set-up, the Pearl Primero congas are the perfect choice.
I heard that Conga drums have the ability to capture the vibes and current of the drummer and they sound in tune with his/her feelings so these are amazing drums, indeed! I love to be present to such drum sessions!
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Like Gloria Esteban sang, “The rhythm is gonna get you.”
I love percussion. So powerful. I really like taiko drum as well. Perhaps I need to write about that to as it also makes me smile.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts in your comment. You made my day!
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sounds interesting.I guess I will try drumming soon, sounds very relaxing.
It certainly can be Native American Indians have been using drum circles for years as a way of relaxation and meditation.
Let me know how that works out for you.
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conga make ,music sound magic… ritmic and make me dance..
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Right? I can not stand still when the conga music starts!
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Conga’s are AWESOME! Have you ever played on a djembe or cajon?
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My girl has a djembe though I have not heard of the cajon. I will have to look into that. Thanks.
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Sounds like an interesting instrument. though why the word “conga”, used hia or rather why did they call the instrument conga.?
The conga drum originates from Africa. The name conga is probably derived from the name of it’s homeland, the Congolaise of Africa.
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Have a look at the Atabaque. Its a Brazilian drum that i have been using for over a year now. Lots of fun
Cool. I will have to look into that one. Thanks for the tip!
Troy S. recently posted…What is a real woman?
Sound of the Afro beat will get you moving… like it or not. Such a rich sound, full of historical tales of old. Thanks for this piece.
http://uonlibrary.uonbi.ac.ke/
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Yes, for sure. I love it too!
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I’ve been playing drums for 15 years, but it’s still hard for me to get that awesome conga “clap.” Congas always seem to tear up my hands more than any other type of hand drum. 🙁
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Also, your link to PercussionConga.com is broken. Would you like to link to my site instead?
If so, please let me know and I’ll give you a link. Don’t want to post it here and seem spammy. 🙂
josh recently posted…Glockenspiel
Thanks for the heads up. Yeah for sure. I will fix the link while I wait for you to tell me where everyone can find you.
You link addy is already there via CommentLuv but yeah, what else can I help you plug?
Thanks Josh. You rock!
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Hey, please use the below link for the pronunciation of congas
http://www.percussioninstrumentshq.com/how-are-congas-made/
Done and done. I included the link in the body of the article. Check it out. Rock on Josh!
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aWESOME love conga drums, and wow great share . lovedd it thanks
Cool. Glad it hit a good note with you.
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Very nice posts! thanks.
Glad you liked it. Thank you.
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Awesome article about Congo. There is so much rhythm and flow of music in the beats it can make anyone dance with joy!! Thanks !