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Thread: newbie slap technique question for conga

  1. #1

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    Default newbie slap technique question for conga

    Sorry for the newbie technique question, but I dont have a teacher!

    I am still trying to do a good closed slap after just about 8 months of trying. I have playing around with the different ways of doing this, but so far my slaps don't sound like the ones in any of the videos. I ordered some mule skins and will reskin my congas.

    in the meantime I still want to get my slap going.

    Question: Is the slap done with more finger tips (I get a quieter slap), or with the part of the fingers that is closest to the palm (this can get loud)?

    Also, is the slap louder necessarily than the maneteo, or is everything equal as far as volume?

    Thanks to any and all help!

  2. #2

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Slaps are tricky business, so no reason to be worried after only eight months. If you have not already found it, try Johnny Conga on Youtube. He has some very good instructional videos on conga playing. Then there is the question of drums and skins. It is much easier to get good slaps on a requinto than on a tumba. In my experience thick, good cowskins are best.
    The most important point is how much you cup your hands. Some do it with almost flat hands, and some people, like me, do it with more curved hands. I see you are very aware of the problems involved. The only way is to experiment, and find out what works for your hands on your drums. In some ways it might be better without a teacher, who would teach you how he does it, and that would not be the best way for you. The african teacher I had a long time ago, did wonderful slaps with very flat hands, which I could not do, so I had to find out on my own. Next teacher could not care less about the technical side, but he was very satisfied when he had managed to make me swing the tumbao. So just keep trying. I needed two very good teachers and about five years to get my congaplaying in shape.
    Cat

  3. #3

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Quote Originally Posted by cat View Post
    Slaps are tricky business, so no reason to be worried after only eight months. If you have not already found it, try Johnny Conga on Youtube.

    Thanks! Will check him out.

    He has some very good instructional videos on conga playing. Then there is the question of drums and skins. It is much easier to get good slaps on a requinto than on a tumba. In my experience thick, good cowskins are best.

    I currently have the handpicked water buffalo. I have ordered mule skin and that is supposed to rock as far as slaps are concerned. I am really hoping that it helps for me to see and hear the different effects of hand technique, as my water buffalos all sound like 'thuds'.

    The most important point is how much you cup your hands. Some do it with almost flat hands, and some people, like me, do it with more curved hands.

    Does your curve collapse after impact?

    I see you are very aware of the problems involved. The only way is to experiment, and find out what works for your hands on your drums. In some ways it might be better without a teacher, who would teach you how he does it, and that would not be the best way for you. The african teacher I had a long time ago, did wonderful slaps with very flat hands, which I could not do, so I had to find out on my own. Next teacher could not care less about the technical side, but he was very satisfied when he had managed to make me swing the tumbao. So just keep trying. I needed two very good teachers and about five years to get my congaplaying in shape.
    Cat
    Great! thanks for your reply, cat. I guess you tube and drumchat are my teacher for now!

  4. #4

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    Cool Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    I've heard slaps done with fingertips, flat hands, cupped hands...on the rim, in the center, etc...

    Experiment and practice, sean, to find out what works best for you!

    ...some years ago I got hold of a copy of Martin Cohen's record album "Introduction to Latin Rhythms," and even he, Mr. Latin Percussion himself, said it took "mucho practice" to perfect the slap but when you do, "it'll be sheer joy." It was so old, it was on VINYL (circa 1977), but it may now be available on CD or DVD. Google the topic on the LP website...

    good luck, bro'!
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  5. #5

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Bongobro. You are probably speaking of: Understanding Latin Rhythms. I have the vinyl things too. They are now available on CDs with booklet. LP among others sell them. Vol. 1 is terrific, a MUST. Forget Vol. 2.
    cat

  6. #6

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    Cool Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    I was! Vol. 1 is the best by far!
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  7. #7

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    I just received my 10"/ requinto a few days ago. I can tell why congueros use these for their solos- there is a huge difference with the sound of the smaller/higher drums! I was trying to learn the slap on the conga and even the quinto- and when still learning I find it to be more difficult to differentiate the sounds.

    I think that the finger slaps are cleaner and I need to use more momentum and more wrist.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Slaps have always come easy to me, I guess I'm lucky cuz everyone seems to struggle with them for a while before they get it down. When I take a long break from congas I still have trouble with my left every now and then, I'll miss a few here and there. I'll try to break down my slap for you.

    The wrist motion should be like popping a bull whip, one quick motion ( try that motion a few times just to get the feel). I cup my hand slightly. As I make contact with the head the outside palm of my hand is the first to make contact (the back of palm is usually at the bearing edge), with the fingers sort of rolling onto the head from the outside in as the palm straightens out flat and instantly popping back up.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Thanks for the description Gretschead! I will practice away! I believe I am doing it that way. Maybe one day get myself on You tube for critique of my playing...

  10. #10

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Quote Originally Posted by cat View Post
    Slaps are tricky business, so no reason to be worried after only eight months. If you have not already found it, try Johnny Conga on Youtube. He has some very good instructional videos on conga playing. Then there is the question of drums and skins. It is much easier to get good slaps on a requinto than on a tumba. In my experience thick, good cowskins are best.
    The most important point is how much you cup your hands. Some do it with almost flat hands, and some people, like me, do it with more curved hands. I see you are very aware of the problems involved. The only way is to experiment, and find out what works for your hands on your drums. In some ways it might be better without a teacher, who would teach you how he does it, and that would not be the best way for you. The african teacher I had a long time ago, did wonderful slaps with very flat hands, which I could not do, so I had to find out on my own. Next teacher could not care less about the technical side, but he was very satisfied when he had managed to make me swing the tumbao. So just keep trying. I needed two very good teachers and about five years to get my congaplaying in shape.
    Cat
    I agree the slap is tricky & its almost magical when u finaly get the feel of it & it become a part of your drum vocabulary. It is also...the last thing you need in regards to good conga playing. While you focus on the other tones...incl bass tones, muffled tones and rhythmic issues...the slap will follow. Some long time players still use more or a hand rim shot to get a simular sound...but a cracking slap is where its at. I feel Mongo Santamaria had the most definitive slap. Sounded like a tree snapping in half ! Then again...some congueros are Slap Happy...like Djembe players !
    The old school methods...like Mongo S, Ray Barretto, Potato Valdez...though differing...all had good musical & rhythmic fundamentas...even if u removed the slap tones. Once your lead hand developes any tone or any rhythm...i recomend to reverse lead hand as a practice and let you L & R side slaps develpoe equaly....to the point that a single stroke roll...using only slaps...sounds clear on both L & R hand. Then...U will be slap happy too !

  11. #11

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Quote Originally Posted by cat View Post
    Slaps are tricky business, so no reason to be worried after only eight months. If you have not already found it, try Johnny Conga on Youtube. He has some very good instructional videos on conga playing. Then there is the question of drums and skins. It is much easier to get good slaps on a requinto than on a tumba. In my experience thick, good cowskins are best.
    The most important point is how much you cup your hands. Some do it with almost flat hands, and some people, like me, do it with more curved hands. I see you are very aware of the problems involved. The only way is to experiment, and find out what works for your hands on your drums. In some ways it might be better without a teacher, who would teach you how he does it, and that would not be the best way for you. The african teacher I had a long time ago, did wonderful slaps with very flat hands, which I could not do, so I had to find out on my own. Next teacher could not care less about the technical side, but he was very satisfied when he had managed to make me swing the tumbao. So just keep trying. I needed two very good teachers and about five years to get my congaplaying in shape.
    Cat
    I agree the slap is tricky & its almost magical when u finaly get the feel of it & it become a part of your drum vocabulary. It is also...the last thing you need in regards to good conga playing. While you focus on the other tones...incl bass tones, muffled tones and rhythmic issues...the slap will follow. Some long time players still use more or a hand rim shot to get a simular sound...but a cracking slap is where its at. I feel Mongo Santamaria had the most definitive slap. Sounded like a tree snapping in half ! Then again...some congueros are Slap Happy...like Djembe players !
    The old school methods...like Mongo S, Ray Barretto, Potato Valdez...though differing...all had good musical & rhythmic fundamentals...even if u removed the slap tones. Once your lead hand developes any tone or any rhythm...i recomend to reverse lead hand as a practice and let you L & R side slaps develpoe equaly....to the point that a single stroke roll...using only slaps...sounds clear on both L & R hand. Then...U will be slap happy too ! BTW...thanks for giving mention of my buddy Johnny Conga...he is very masterful in technique...I recomend him highly *

  12. #12

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    I struggled with slaps for a long time until I finally realized that the only "trick" (for me at least) was to make sure I was contacting the head with the fingertips. Once I started using fingertips consistently, I can get a good slap 90+ percent of the time.

  13. #13

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    One of the tips I gleaned from "Conga Drumming A beginners Video Guide" by Jorge Bermudez was to practice by waving bye-bye - you know with your hand facing away from you and rocking the fingers down to toward your palm and beck up like a little kid waving good bye. He explained that is the basic motion of the slap, The fingers whip down to contact the drum head and grab the head slightly while being in a cup shape.

    Good luck working on your slap. It is a bugger, but definitely worth it when you get it.
    ---- If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum. - chinese proverb

  14. #14

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    Cool Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    ...and if you have a small child or grandchild, you can practice all you want! (See av picture for idea...)
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  15. #15

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    I agree with Ernesto here. Focus on the basic techniques and the slap will follow. Listen to the older players I would reccomend any Cal Tjader recording like Latin Concert, Los Ritmos and Soul Sauce. He was like the Miles Davis of Latin Jazz and always had the best cool congueros playing with him.

    A good open tone, muffled tone and consistent tone is so much more important here. Get out and playwith others. If there are better players let them play your stuff and have them show how it is done.

    I learned by osmossis being a mallet player in a percussion ensemble with 3-4 congueros so played everything else and watcj=hed and listened.

    Play with big ears. This is the very most important point. Do not try to over play and show off. Often what you do not play is more important than what you do play eventually.

    Jerry

  16. #16

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Oh man, slaps are hard when you first start! Don't worry, as the others have mentioned some fine points already. I found that as I learned to relax more, everything from the heel-toe to the slap became easier. My mate Alex who played with me in Latin band in college would often lend me stuff like videos by Giovanni Hidalgo, Karl Perazzo and Raul Rekow with Santana, etc just so a "gringo" like me could watch the masters at play. Then we'd have a bunch of fun sitting with a couple of congas seeing who could do heel-toe with both hands on the conga head, slowing down, speeding up etc. Then he'd floor me with doing the one handed slap when I could do only the two handed slap. Mind you, he also looked up to me when it came to kit, so I'd show him some basics so that he could jam more on timbales, so we'd learn off each other that way too. And have fun! That's the important thing.
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

    668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.

    "A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8

  17. #17

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    I was just going to write that as well! Best advice I can give you from the other side of the computer is to relax!

  18. #18

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    I was just going to write that as well! Best advice I can give you from the other side of the computer is to relax!

  19. #19

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    Default Re: newbie slap technique question for conga

    Quote Originally Posted by midgard View Post
    One of the tips I gleaned from "Conga Drumming A beginners Video Guide" by Jorge Bermudez was to practice by waving bye-bye - you know with your hand facing away from you and rocking the fingers down to toward your palm and beck up like a little kid waving good bye. He explained that is the basic motion of the slap, The fingers whip down to contact the drum head and grab the head slightly while being in a cup shape.

    Good luck working on your slap. It is a bugger, but definitely worth it when you get it.
    I use this technique and hit 90%+ of the slaps I'm trying for. My big issue now is being able to get the one handed version down, and doing it with my left hand. I have 10+ years on hand drums and am still 50/50 on this at best.

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