Suggestions for starting on congas

[Jivadayadasa]

Hi all, just joined here because the other day I found a 11 3/4" Meinl Luis Conte model conga with stand brand new for $200. I really like the way it feels and seems to have a good tone. I have been playing set from a while and will take lessons from a local and respected player but have to wait to start lessons ($...) I have seen a lot of bogus videos on the tube for drum set and figured it's the same for conga. I have played djembe off and on for a while as well but, as I already had heard, it's not translating to conga.

Questions:
1.What are some the more reputable sites or videos that have free lessons?

2. I can't find the "right" pitch for this drum, should I just play around with the tuning and see if I can find a really sweet spot?

3. The place I found this conga also has an 11" quinto ($190) and a 12 1/2" tumba ($210). I can only justify one more drum right now, which should I get?

4. Is the price I paid reasonable including stand?

Any suggestions are welcome, I'll keep searching here too.

Thanks,
Jiva

[Gretschhead]

Hi all, just joined here because the other day I found a 11 3/4" Meinl Luis Conte model conga with stand brand new for $200. I really like the way it feels and seems to have a good tone. I have been playing set from a while and will take lessons from a local and respected player but have to wait to start lessons ($...) I have seen a lot of bogus videos on the tube for drum set and figured it's the same for conga. I have played djembe off and on for a while as well but, as I already had heard, it's not translating to conga.

Questions:
1.What are some the more reputable sites or videos that have free lessons?

2. I can't find the "right" pitch for this drum, should I just play around with the tuning and see if I can find a really sweet spot?

3. The place I found this conga also has an 11" quinto ($190) and a 12 1/2" tumba ($210). I can only justify one more drum right now, which should I get?

4. Is the price I paid reasonable including stand?

Any suggestions are welcome, I'll keep searching here too.

Thanks,
Jiva

Hey welcome to the board, there are some knowledgeble people here who can help you with any conga related questions, but check out congaplace for sure, a lot of great info there and video lessons.

What kind of head is on your drum? Usually the stock heads aren't that great and will give you funky ringy sounds and uneven tuning. Play around with it for sure, but eventually you will want to get a quality skin on there, steer or mule.

As for which drum to pair with the conga, I would say Tumba is the smarter choice for traditional playing, but everyone has their preference. I personally like smaller drums and would be more than happy playing on a quinto/conga setup. More traditional music will require a Tumba though, quinto is used for soloing.

You got a pretty great deal, the cheapest I've seen on line was around $250 per drum and that doesn't include stand. I've never played the Luis Conte line, but I've heard lots of great reviews, and definitely a great choice to start on, something you won't have to upgrade for a long time.

[luv4congas]

This guy is pretty good, real slow instructions





[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpo6rliHek"]YouTube - Congas New Exercise One - Rudy Quesada[/ame]