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Thread: Help with first conga set

  1. #1

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    Default Help with first conga set

    I recently purchased my first conga set. It's a Matador Custom Quinto and Conga.
    I am new to this, and have trouble tuning them to sound decent. Are there any video examples of professionals playing only Quinto and Conga so I can try to tune my similarly? Should I have gotten a Conga&Tumba set instead?

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    What seems to be the problem?
    Is the problem with each drum or only with the pairing of the two drums?
    What have you tried?
    What are you trying to achieve?
    Do you have a piano?

    If you tune them a fifth apart you'll get a good guaguanco tune which is what I look for.
    Quinto Conga pair is fine.
    Most folks would tune their conga to a good sound with good action (which will just be a property of that particular drum) and then tune their quinto up a fifth from that (for a two drum combo).

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    Welcome to Drum Chat abnorm and Jibaro!

    leedy2, I remember when you posted that video before, and it's an excellent resource. i learned a lot from it.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  4. #4

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    Here you have one showing you his technique on tuning drum. I find him the clearest of all the others ones in explaining .One thing that I ask of you not to pay attention as to what he talks on note's. and simple congas do not have melodic tones you need more than 7 conga drums to make a melody.But that's an other topic.conga and tumba would have been better but work with what you have.
    Thank you for the link. Can you explain why conga and tumba would be better for a 2 drum setup? I am planning on using this setup for a pop music.
    I do have an electronic keyboard, but it's difficult for me to match drum tone to a note.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    Thanks for the advice. I'll try to return this set for a Conga&Tumba. I should have done more research before buying. Strange that almost all double drum sets come with quinto&conga instead.
    Last edited by abnorm; 01-11-2010 at 10:46 AM.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    Quote Originally Posted by leedy2 View Post
    Jibaro
    welcome to drumchat
    what do you need a piano for ? congas can not be tuned on a piano scale only wind instruments, sting instruments when we write music for percussion we write on C,G,Eb and above and bellow scale line it's only to tell you what drum to hit or if it's cymbal ride or bell ride.I order to achieve a melodic tone you need to have 9 drums range in different sizes that will give 1 tone.you 88 to give you a melodic tone like a piano. The size of drum make the tuning of drum to high you are not getting proper sound to low the sound becomes flat.


    Thanks for the welcome.
    I'm rather new to congas but have played piano, guitar, wind, and brass for 40 years.

    You don't need a piano, but it might help as an additional point of reference.

    Of course you're right about the sheet music and the drums - most drum sheet music doesn't even have a clef sign so it's completely wrong to say a particular note is a specific note... just high middle low, as you noted.

    But I don't understand why you don't think the tuning is on a scale... virtually every article and YouTube on the subject, including the one you posted, says otherwise. My drums are next to my piano and use I this as kind of a check on my drum tuning and it's not that hard... frequency is frequency and middle C is 270 Hz whether it's coming from a wire, a horse hair, a reed, or a steer hide... obviously the sound is different but there is tone and it can be matched.

    I don't think we're far off on our tuning advice though - I suggested tuning the main drum to its own sweet spot where it sounds the best, and tuning the others to pleasant intervals off of that. There's plenty of overlap to get a good interval and a good resonance.

    As for the choice of drums; while conga-tumba combo is more appropriate for some musical settings, there's nothing inappropriate about a quinto-conga combo that says Abnorm should trade his drums in. If he likes the way his quinto sounds then I say keep it and maybe add a tumba later if he sticks with the program.

    Abnorm's question though has to do with his inability to find a good tuning for his drums and we're still trying to figure out what the problem is. One more reference he may not have seen:




  7. #7

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    I think the beauty of drums is that there is no one single way to tune, or configure the drums. To me, it just adds to the artistry of the instrument.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  8. #8

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    I think the beauty of drums is that there is no one single way to tune, or configure the drums. To me, it just adds to the artistry of the instrument.
    Drum tuning obviously stirs up a lot of debate, but we're not talking about details, poor ol' Abnorm is a beginner and can't get his drums to make a sound that he likes.

    He assumes it's a tuning problem but it could well be a technique problem or something else. Rather than advise him to swap his drums in for something else we should be advising him to find someone with some experience to evaluate what he's doing.

    I've played the Matador Customs at my BIL's music store (the Quinto Conga pair come with dual hanging stand and Tumba is available as an extra so I don't think his store will allow for a simple trade) and I can't imagine Abnorm not being happy with them... quality drums. He's doing something wrong.

    How long before my posts don't have to get mod-approved before publishing? This post took >12 hours to show up!
    Last edited by Jibaro; 01-11-2010 at 10:16 PM.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Help with first conga set

    I agree with pastor bob. The best sound you can get is the one that sounds good to you. If you listen to many latin recordings you'll find one guy likes his drums cranked way up the other way down. I have played around a lot with my sound and if I try to emulate anyone its Pancho Sanchez. Love the tone that guy gets!

    Your drum sizes seem fine to me. I started out playing a reuinto and tumba and eventuall added a quinto. The setup is unconventional but works well for me. The main thing to think about with a brand new drum is that the head has a break in period. Its going to sound a little wonky for a while. The skin is going to, over time, seat to your drum a little better and absorb the oils from your hands. In a year those things will sound better than new! Another thing to think about is tempurature and humidity. These elements will change the tone of your drum overnight. It's very tempting to sit down and want to correct the tuning right away. Let the drum warm up a little if it's cold and you'll find than it falls into place. I haven't fussed with the tuning on my tumba in a month. Depending on if I playing at home or a my bro's house the drum might go up or down a little but it still sound great. The other drums usually follow suit. It does take time to find that sound you want though. Listen to a some different latin players and key in on a sound you like then try to match it as a starting point. Your not going to get the exact sound but it provides a starting point.

    I remember a quote from a journeyman carpenter when I was an apprentice: "Push the chisel through the wood any way you want." There are a lot of different drums out there and just as many ways to tune them. If it sounds good to you, go with it.

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