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Thread: tuning

  1. #1

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    what pitch do you have your drums tuned to?

  2. #2

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    first off, which drums? But almost always whatever sounds good to my ear and good with the song. Listen to the drum. Each one will sound good in a certain range. Too high or low and it will sound off. Play with it! You can always start over

  3. #3

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    quinto, conga and tumba

  4. #4

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    Before I got an ear, so to speak, for where my drums sounded the best I often listened and watched videos on you tube. I would look for what size the drum was and then match the pitch I was hearing. This isn't the most sientific way of doing it but if you are having trouble with where to start it might be worth trying. It helped me out and I still do it from time to time. Just be sure to use a video with good sound quality to avoid frustation. The Martin Cohen "Profiles in Greatness" series is good for this.
    The main things for me when I'm tuning are: each drum sounds good by itself, the drums sound good togther and they sound good with the music (if I'm playing with someone else). Make sure the drum produces the same pitch all the way around the skin. When I find a pitch I want to be able to get back too I find it on my guitar and make a note of it. You could also use a ptich pipe or piano. There are also quite a few tuning videos on you tube. Check them out. Watch and read everything you can. Experiment! The beauty of the conga is you can always tune it back down and start over!
    Cheers

  5. #5

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    leedy, i guess they are beyond my level at conga place.
    but knowing most of them are professionals i was looking for a list of personal choices. guess that was too much to ask.
    ...thanks...

  6. #6

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    thanks congafly

  7. #7
    msb501clave Guest

    Default Re: tuning

    Cuco- The conga place forum is becoming a place for people to show off... There are a small group of members that " get it " but lots of cats that just have gear and nothing to back it up... Its the Indian not the arrow.... You are not only a never ending source of knowledge but you offer help and support when you can. I know that first hand...
    Now enough about you .... and on to tuning. My exp. is that i tune to a record that i like the sound of the drums. If its g/c or whatever i ask the bass player in the band i work with a lot to play notes for me and since he is a theory junky he tells me if things work in a band setting. i tend to tune lower than most but thats what i like...


    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    ranger42
    No they are not professionals I have been in business for 50 years and to give a person a helping hand is no big deal. There are just plan a. holes. it's all for them and nothing for others. I used to write thing's for them to help them, not any more they think they know it all, have no class and disrespect when you explain thing to them. To me I think you have more class than they will ever have. You ask question and I don't know you but shows eager to learn,They don't know yet they give a none issue responce to look good.any thing that I can help fell free to ask.Also note they all talk big with nothing to back them up.
    cuco

  8. #8

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    Default Re: tuning

    Leedy, Is this ok to do? If it's my quinto I tune 1/4 turns until I get the maximum "pop" but still retain a good open tone because overly tuned I noticed I lose my warm open tone. I'm definitely no Johny Conga when it comes to tuning but besides listening to the tune of each lug (no disrespect to JC) what if you did even turns to the desired pitch of the whole drum while keeping the rim perfectly even and even if one of the lugs are out of tune with the others being rawhide wouldn't with time the natural rawhide evenly stretch and tune while maintaining an even rim?
    L4C

  9. #9

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    That makes sense, thanks again Leedy it's all a learning curve for me.
    L4C

  10. #10

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    Yes it is sad at conga place. Sometimes I have had a hard time trying not to tell them that they are nothing but fans. I think to them I am the black sheep because many time times I have said that is no point on having the best instrument when is not the arrow but the indian or my Bongos are to play not to brag about or have them on display,too fancy also may be too fragile. Many of them promote certain brands and I have said that the brand have not been road tested or I have not seen anybody with that down here. So to them I am a sour candy. Once after a very hot post regarding someone named Dr Zaragemca in which many of them criticize him I ask the question about who do really play or not because I knew there were a bunch of bs involve. Many of them just by their names I knew they were not players. More than 98 % are not pros there,just fans. Many times on my post there no comment is made. Like leedy I have been around for a long time and know my gears.

    Leedy has the same experience on the other place, I remember his arguement with someone named gallicio about some Tarolas. That same gallicio have a video on youtube promoting and playing a set of Volcano Bongos, my 4 years old grand son could have done a better job and he promotes himself as an educator.

    Tunning, usually I leave my Bongos soft tune in a way that after one complete turn on each lug (macho) I could get a high pitch. The Hembra always depend on the acoustic of the club, been a wooden floor, a rug or carpet or whatever it is made of, been concrete the worse. The acoustic of the place has lot to do with the sound projection so tunning is always different.
    Last edited by Caballoballo; 11-25-2009 at 06:47 AM.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Caballoballo View Post
    Yes it is sad at conga place. Sometimes I have had a hard time trying not to tell them that they are nothing but fans. I think to them I am the black sheep because many time times I have said that is no point on having the best instrument when is not the arrow but the indian or my Bongos are to play not to brag about or have them on display. Many of them promote certain brands and I have said that the brand have not been road tested or I have not seen anybody with that down here. So to them I am a sour candy. Once after a very hot post regarding someone named Dr Zaragemca in which many of the criticize him I ask the question about who do really play or not. Because many of them just by their names I knew they were not players. More than 98 % are not pros there,just fans.

    Leedy has the same experience on the other place I remember his arguement with someone named gallicio about some Tarolas. That same gallicio have a video on youtube promoting and playing a set of Volcano Bongos, my 4 years old grand son could have done a better job and he promotes himself as an educator.

    Tunning, usually I leave my Bongos soft tune in a way that after one complete turn on each lug (macho) I could get a high pitch. The Hembra always depend on the acoustic of the club, been a wooden floor, a rug or carpet or whatever it is made of been concrete the worse. The acoustic of the place has lot to do with the sound projection.
    Monta mi caballo, caballon........Arrel, still waiting on those video gigs you do bro. Love to see you in action. Yeah I remember those posts on cp. In fact I input a piece of mind saying that for us beginners it's sad to hear all this bs instead of hearing positives things and something that we can learn from but no all we damn hear is a lot of caca so I just skipped all that and went into another forum.
    Happy Thanksgiving everyone and may the Lord bless all of us and our families.

  12. #12

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    Giadan, if still there go to youtube and check a theme call dona Valiente by Tropical Jamn. Was recorded by someone in the public,it is in high definition but the audio is so so. I am the one playing campana with the Sombrero. I have to ask Roberto from Salsaché about the other videos he has taken on other gigs.

  13. #13

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    Default Re: tuning

    I was just reading through this thread, because I have a set of congas (just LP Aspires), and when I play them it's strictly amateur hour. I appreciate the tuning advice, and more than that, I appreciate that you guys are here.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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