FURNITURE QUALITY FINISH...THE LATIN PERCUSSION CONGA

The conga is sanded by hand while it spins on the lathe. Once the drum is finely sanded it is ready for the next step, the formation of the bearing edge. The bearing edge is the most important part of a drum, because this is where the drumhead is positioned. If this detail is not properly shaped and prepared, the drum will not provide ideal sound.

Latin Percussion has developed the optimum bearing edge design, one that is strong enough to take the extreme force of the head tension and yet smooth enough for the head to ride easily. If you were to remove the head from any LP brand conga, and rub your fingers along the bearing edge, it would be very smooth to the touch. The extra attention given to this part of the drum's manufacturing process enhances the overall sound quality, and also helps prevent the head from becoming frayed or torn. The interior area of LP brand congas is treated with a two-part clear urethane coating to reduce moisture absorption. Other manufactures often paint the inside of their drums to conceal a lower quality of wood.

The LP Galaxy Giovanni Series Congas are treated with a special formula stain, which is rubbed in by hand to highlight the beautiful grain. All LP brand congas are finished with multiple coats of a two-part urethane process, and are hand sanded between coats to produce a top quality furniture finish.

THE HARDWARE...THE LATIN PERCUSSION CONGAS

The conga is now ready to be fitted with hardware. All LP brand congas are fitted with tuning lugs manufactured from specially heat-treated, high-carbon steel that feature precision cut threads for smooth tuning, strength and durability.

LP's and LP Aspire's heart shaped side-plates and LP Matador's horn shaped side-plates are trademarked and world recognizable. Due to the enormous amount of the stress that is required to tune a conga head, the design of the side-plate is crucial. During the tuning process there is enormous tension pulling on the upper part of the side-plate. Because of this, LP brand side-plates are wider at the top to distribute the tension from the head and rim over a larger surface area. This provides for additional durability.

Latin Percussion congas have full interior backing plates to reinforce the side-plates (some manufactures tend to use only screws and washers). The backing plates securely attach the side-plates to the drum, distributing the tension over a larger area. LP brand congas are the only congas on the market today that reinforce the interior section of the drum at the point where the hardware is attached, with a layer of fiberglass. This added step provides additional reinforcement and prevents the conga from cracking or splitting.

Due to requests from percussionists throughout the world, Latin Percussion developed a rim that is more comfortable to play. With the help of advanced CAD technology, LP created the finest rim available in the world. Tested and approved by top players, the patented LP Comfort Curve II Rim features a broad top edge with a gentle, large radius curve. The high-strength steel and inert gas-welded construction makes it the strongest rim manufactured. For those percussionists who still prefer the traditional rim they are also available. The LP Matador and LP Aspire brands have also incorporated this design into their rims. LP Matador brand congas use the LP Matador Soft Strike Rim. LP Aspire brand congas use the LP EZ Curve Rim. Both rims are great values.

SUMMARY...WHY BUY A LATIN PERCUSSION BRAND CONGA?

LP brand congas are constructed from the ground up with years of total commitment to authenticity. Innovative design, excellent research and development, the finest raw materials and skilled manufacturing processes are key elements in producing all LP brand congas. The knowledge gained from the 35 years of manufacturing experience is apparent in the unequalled quality of every LP conga, reinforcing the fact that LP is the "Percussion Leader for 40 Years."

Labels: comfort.curve.II.rim, conga, conga.drums, ez.curve.rim, latin.percussion.congas, LP, LP.Aspire, lp.congas, LP.Matador, soft.strike.rim

With origins from African and Cuban traditions, conga drums are probably the most popular hand drums today. Made from a variety of wood or from fiberglass, congas are available in different shapes and sizes.

Here are just a few features that set Toca Congas apart from other brands and create the "Toca Difference" and unmistakable Toca look and sound.

Toca Heads:
Toca conga heads are 1st quality bison skins that are graded and sorted by thickness for each particular size drum. This grading process ensures the best tonal response from each different sized drum. All Toca heads are tucked rather than sewn to prevent "pull out" and are mounted wet, to assure the best contact (or seat) between the bearing edge and the head.

Toca Hoops:
Toca offers two very different types of hoops for our professional series congas. Toca hoops are composed of thick metal allowing more rigidity to the hoop and even tension at all points.

• Toca's Traditional-Style Hoop is found on the 3900 Traditional Series drums and features lightweight construction to "free up" sound. This Traditional hoop holds the head close to the shell and gives the drum a more authentic Cuban sound.
  
  
• Toca's Exclusive "Easy Play" Hoop was designed with a very low collar to keep the hoop away from possibly injuring the player's hand. Toca's Easy Play hoop also stretches the conga head over the bearing edge of the drum to increase the resonance and tone. These hoops are constructed from top grade, 3 mm thick steel then plated to a high gloss finish.
  
  
• Toca's Player's Easy Play Style Hoop performs much like our professional model by giving added protection to the player and is 2.6mm thick to give that added strength.
  

Toca Shell Construction:
All Toca wooden shells are constructed from slats of Asian Oak hardwood. Two wood slats are glued together to form a very strong stave. The wood staves are then formed into a shell that can hold its shape indefinitely. The double-ply shell construction combined with the process of finishing the inside of the shell help to make the drums light in weight and very resistant to changing weather conditions.

Toca Shell Shape:
The shape of the drum bowl determines the tonal characteristics of a particular style or brand of drum. Toca uses two different bowl shapes, the "Traditional Afro-Cuban" shape and the "Contemporary Afro-Cuban" style bowl.

• Traditional Afro-Cuban bowl shape has a very sharp taper at the bottom of the shell. This creates a strong bass tone in the drum, which is the "Afro-Cuban" sound that many Latin players prefer.
  
  
• Contemporary Afro-Cuban bowl shape has a larger belly and less taper than its Afro-Cuban counterpart with a much bigger hole at the bottom of the drum. This shape produces more volume with less effort. The Contemporary bowl shape (more volume with less effort) coupled with the easy play hoop (more resonance) makes this drum ideal for most live playing situations where extra volume is needed.
  

Toca Tuning Hardware:
The tuning hardware, coupled with the hoop, is what holds the head on the drum and keeps it in tune.

• The Tension Plate is at the heart of this process and takes the brunt of the abuse in keeping the drum in tune. Because of the enormous amount of pressure placed on the drum bowl during tuning and playing, Toca has designed all of their drums with an exclusive 4-bolt tension plate. This helps spread the tension over the entire shell making the tuning more stable and preventing tension plate "pull-out" or "cave in" that occurs on some drums as a result of the constant pressure.
  
  
• The Tension rods, which connect the hoop to the Tension plate, are made of hardened steel to prevent bending when the drums are tuned to a high pitch. The rods are held away from the shell with a special cup washer that not only aids in the ease of tuning, but also helps prevent the wrench from damaging the tension plate and the shell.

Labels: afro.cuban, conga, conga.drum, easy.play.hoop, style.hoop, tension.plate, toca.conga, toca.heads, toca.shell, tuning.hardware

Conga tuning is a really up to the player. There is not a specific tone that any one drum should be tuned to, but there are some guidelines. When playing with harmonic instruments, they may be tuned to specific notes. Generally conga drums are tuned using the open tone. The open tone is played with the four fingers near the rim of the head, producing a clear resonant tone with a distinct pitch. The main thing to remember is that the drum must be in tune with itself. No matter what pitch you tune to, every tension lug point on the drumhead should be tuned to that same pitch. The pitch of the drum is up to you. You may want to tune high, you may want to tune low. Remember that every drum has a specific pitch that produces that best tone and most resonance. You may want to take some time to experiment and find that pitch. As for tuning multiple drums, again this is a personal choice.

The most common tuning would be to tune your conga (11 3/4") drum first (to whatever pitch you desire), and then tune the tumba (12 1/2") a fourth below it and/or the quinto (11") a fourth above it. A fourth is simply a term for a specific interval between pitches. An easy way to remember a fourth is the song "Here Comes the Bride." The two notes in the singing of that song constitute a fourth. If the conga is tuned to "Here_," then the quinto should be tuned to "comes the bride" (a fourth above). For tuning the tumba, the pitch of the conga would now become "comes the bride," and the tumba would be tuned to the pitch of "Here" (a fourth below). Again, tuning is very subjective and this is only one method. Also, be sure that you detune your congas after each playing. Natural heads are affected by temperature and weather, and can stretch out and lose tunability. Loosening the tension between playing sessions will prolong the life of the head.

Labels: conga, conga.drums, conga.tuning, drum.tuning, open.tone, perfect.fourth, quinto, tumbadora

So, you're in the market for a new set of congas, bongos, or some other world-percussion drum but not sure if you should go with fiberglass or wood. Well, you've stumbled onto the right site. Shopping for world percussion instruments can be bit overwhelming. There are such a wide variety of choices and features that sometimes you lose sight of what you want. Hopefully after reading this blog you'll have a better understanding of the distinct differences between fiberglass and wood congas so you can make a more informed decision.

One of the biggest differences between wood and fiberglass drums is that fiberglass tends to have a louder and crisper sound. Basically it's a bit more resonant; whereas the wood is warmer and more natural sounding. The louder and crisper sound can be good for cutting through the mix of an amplified band, however might not produce that warmth needed in a studio recording environment. Since the fiberglass is a little more resonant it's slightly easier to produce the tones, which can be a positive for those just starting out because of ease of play. I would argue to say that most professional players choose wood due to its warm and natural sounding tone. Plus wood congas are much more authentic and traditional. Fiberglass congas will be less affected by changes of weather and temperature although they tend to be heavier than wood drums. The wood responds more to atmospheric changes, but since they are tunable that may not matter too much.

If you're planning on gigging out a bunch and transporting your drums around town, keep in mind that wood tends to show scratches more easily, though both are very durable. A drum usually gets most of its scratches when traveling, so if it's mostly kept inside then you reduce the chance of damage.

Fiberglass Congas	Wood Congas
Fiberglass Bongos	Wood Bongos

Labels: conga, conga.drums, congas, fiberglass.congas, fiberglass.drums. wood.drums., wood.congas

What began forty years ago with a simple set of bongos, has evolved into the most complete collection of percussion instruments available today. The Latin Percussion collection of products is available in multiple brands, each with their own purpose to suit different types of players. To assist you with making the correct purchase we have provided the following breakdown with descriptions of the various LP brands.

1.) LP brand instruments are the finest available in the world. No one can match LP's reputation for quality through uniqueness in design with authenticity in sound. LP brand products are made for professional percussionists and drummers who demand the highest quality available.

2.) The LP Matador brand of percussion is designed for the intermediate percussionist or aspiring pro. It is the natural stepping-stone on the way from beginner to professional level playing. Matador features some very exciting styles of congas and bongos as well as other percussion items and hardware at competitive prices.

3.) The CP/ Aspire brand of drums and percussion is perfect for schools and beginners. It includes everything from congas and bongos to drum sets and hardware and offers quality products at affordable prices.

4.) World Beat - A collection of hard to find drums and percussion instruments from around the world. From congas, djembes and dumbeks to gongs, rainsticks and thumb pianos, theses instruments are for both the professional musician and the music enthusiast.

5.) LP Music Collection - A collection of authentically crafted percussion instruments that captivate musicians and music lovers of all ages. All instruments are presented in colorful, attractive packaging that includes product history and playing instructions, making them ideal gifts.

6.) The LP RhythMix brand features a full line of percussion toys that meet the exacting standards one would expect from the world leader of percussion, Latin Percussion. From kid-sized congas and bongos to hand percussion, LP RhythMix products are perfectly suited for introducing children to the exciting world of percussion.

LP Congas

LP Matador Congas

LP Aspire Congas

Labels: Aspire, conga, CP, djembe, latin.percussion, latin.percussion.brands, LP, LP.Matador, LP.Music.Collection, LP.Rhythmix, Matador, world.beat

New York psychotherapist and drum facilitator Robert Lawrence Friedman, writes in his 2000 soft-cover book, "The Healing Power of the Drum: A Psychotherapist Explores the Healing Power of Rhythm," how individuals through drumming can attain psychological, physiological and spiritual wellbeing. Clocking in at 208 pages, the book is both a personal account and an introductory guide to the subject in which he quotes many leading authorities on their experience drumming in different settings.

"The Healing Power of the Drum" is an easy to read and non-technical book that presents readers with ways they can achieve increased health benefits from the activity of drumming and shows innovative ways to enhance their own wellness. The author explores drumming and drums, such as the djembe and conga, from a multidimensional perspective, explaining the drum's ability to release anger, create joy, alter brain rhythms, induce trance, and create empowerment. The book includes cutting-edge research how Alzheimer patients have been able to stay focused for short periods with a drum in their hands. The book also discusses research into brainwave studies concluding how drumming has positively increased attention span.

Robert Friedman is currently president of Stress Solutions Inc., providing stress-management seminars to corporate clients and is also affiliated with the St. Barnabas Health Care System in New Jersey.

Labels: book.review, conga, djembe, drum, drumming, robert.friedman, the.healing.power.of.the.drum

X8 Drums announces new hand drum and world percussion online store. Percussionists around the world are enjoying personal expert advice when selecting hand drums and the added benefits of the X8 Drum Circle that includes festival schedules, how-to guides and an artist directory.

Jersey City, NJ -- Specializing in top quality hand drums and world percussion instruments at discount prices, X8 Drums today announced its new online store for artists and all hand drum enthusiasts. In addition to offering the entire line of top hand drum manufacturers; x8drums.com features a drum circle blog on topics such as hand drum news, how-to articles, drum circle events, and instrument care. The site also offers a hand drum artist directory as well as providing expert advice on its extensive offering of hand drums.

Started by artist husband Mark Stancato and his wife Kristin, X8 Drums strives to not only be the premier online store for all things hand drums but more of web portal and destination spot for drummers. "Knowledge of our product, huge selection, informative articles, and our easy-to-use web site are the key ingredients that separate us from our competitors" remarked co-founder, Mark Stancato. "We're not trying to be all things to everyone. We specialize in hand drums, understand the needs of our customers and truly care about the people that buy from us," added Kristin Stancato.

The website's focus of product will be on congas, bongos, djembes, hand-held percussion, cajon drums, frame drums, and kids percussion from top hand drum manufacturers such as Latin Percussion, Tycoon Percussion, Toca Percussion, and Remo. "Unlike many online stores selling instruments, we're not just selling products", said Mark Stancato. "We're truly independent, serve a niche market, and are focused on matching up our customer's needs with the right product. Providing a hassle free online experience complete with accurate information, knowledgeable staff, great selection, and full transparency are at the heart of what we're about."

About X8drums.com
X8 Drums is a premier online store for all things hand drums. It's all about helping artists and hand drum enthusiasts fill their needs with the right gear. X8 Drums is dedicated to becoming the leading online store and destination spot for all hand drum enthusiasts and artists.

LATEST NEWS:

• Eco-Friendly Djembe Now Focus of NYC Hand Drum Specialty Shop


• X8 Drums Customer Feedback

PS: Feel free to contact us with questions, or if you just want to chat about percussion were here as well. Please note if we don't have what you're looking for we encourage you to drop a line to see if we can get it. Or you can just reach out to tell us your story.

Congas

Djembe

Remo Bongos

Tambourines

Labels: about.x8.drums, bongos, cajon, cajon.drum, cajons, conga, tambourines, world.percussion, x8.drums, x8.drums.history

Congas, being percussive instruments, do not have to be tuned to any particular note in purely percussive settings. They are tunable to different notes. However, when playing with harmonic instruments, they may be tuned to specific notes. Generally congas are tuned using the open tone. The original drums were tuned by adjusting knots and tension ropes on the drumhead, or, where the drumheads were tacked or nailed to the top of the shell, by careful heating of the head. Modern congas use a screw-and-lug, tension head system that makes them easier to tune (or detune).

Terminology for the drums varies. The naming system used typically follows those currently in use by major conga manufacturers. The drums are discussed in order from largest to smallest; the sizes of the drumheads slightly vary by manufacturer, model, and style:

The supertumba can be as large as 14 inches across (35.5 cm).
The tumba is typically 12 to 12.5 inches across (30.5 to 31.8 cm).
The conga is typically 11.5 to 12 inches across (29.2 to 30.5 cm).
The quinto is typically around 11 inches across (about 28 cm).
The requinto can be smaller than 10 inches across (24.8 cm).
The ricardo can be as small as 9 inches across (22.9 cm). Since this drum is typically played while hanging from a shoulder strap, it is considerably shorter and narrower than a traditional conga.

In general, the particular note will depend on the make, model, and size of the conga drum. The drum should be tuned so that the bass tone resonates; the open tone rings, and the slaps pierce through the musical mix. If the tuning is too loose, the bass and slap tones will sound "flabby"; too tight, and the drums will sound unnatural and "pinched." With a single drum, it is difficult to go wrong with tightening the drum until it makes a pleasing sound. When two or more drums are used, however, there is much variation on which two notes are chosen. With two drums, it is not unusual to find them tuned a perfect fourth apart.

Labels: conga, conga.drums, congas, percussion.instrument, quinto, requinto, ricardo, supertumba, tumbadora, tuning.congas

Virtually all percussion instruments that are manufactured today are made in Bangkok, Thailand. Bangkok's close proximity to the raw material and skilled labor needed to manufacture percussion instruments make it an ideal location. Brands such as Tycoon, Latin Percussion, Toca, Meinl, and Fat Congas to name a few are all manufactured in Thailand. In fact Latin Percussion and Toca are subsidiaries of Kaman Music. However, only Tycoon owns its own factory in Bangkok. Most other brands rent factory space in Bangkok to manufacture their line of percussion instruments. The factories rented are in many cases generically set-up to produce all sorts of products - not just percussion instruments. That's not to say that these brands aren't quality, it's just the reality.

Because of Tycoon's specialized factory for making percussion instruments, there are some cases where companies commission Tycoon to manufacture their percussion instruments where they are eventually shipped to the states and sold to you under a different brand name.

Tycoon Percussion has been manufacturing high-end percussion instruments in their own factory for 20 plus years and has just recently decided to market the Tycoon Percussion brand in the U.S. market. We decided to carry the Tycoon percussion line because of their excellent reputation and experience in making top quality instruments. The Tycoon Percussion brand name is very well known and respected in Europe and Asia and is now on its way to becoming a top competitor in the U.S market. We're excited to offer these high quality instruments directly to you at the lowest guaranteed prices. Enjoy!!

Labels: bangkok, bongo, conga, djembe, fat.congas, latin.percussion, meinl, percussion.instrument, tambourine, toca, tycoon.percussion

For over 22 years Tycoon Percussion has been manufacturing high-end, top quality, percussion instruments for musicians worldwide. They have over 150 skilled craftsman creating all types of percussion instruments including bongos, congas, djembes, timbales, and cajons to name a few. Tycoon currently produces around 40,000 sets of percussion instruments each year and venture to all the main music exhibitions including NAMM.

Tycoon instruments are known by professional percussionists (such as Virgilio Figueroa, David Stanford, Tamasito Cruz, Inocento Alvarez, and Arnaldo "Arnie" Silva) to deliver pure, crisp sound every time they are played. Additionally, Tycoon percussion is known for creating beautiful sought-after glossy finishes that catch the eye of even the most critical player. They continuously change and develop a unique array of colors and patterns to constantly bring excitement to their line of percussion based instruments.

Tycoon Percussion has consistently been growing since the mid-80's when they first began producing their line of top quality hand drums and percussion instruments. Their percussion products are sold in every major country worldwide and are now finally available in the United States. In 2006, Tycoon established a U.S. distribution center in Reno, NV and most recently opend a new U.S. office in Pasadena, CA.

Tycoon Djembe

Tycoon Bongos

Tycoon Congas

Labels: bongo, cajon, conga, djembe, NAMM, percussion.instrument, timbales, tycoon.percussion, world.percussion

The exact history of the conga drum seems to be a bit misunderstood. I've read various articles that seem to point to either an African or Cuban descent. However one thing is sure: that the name 'Conga' is actually used incorrectly in the U.S. In Cuba, where these drums were developed, the word conga is usually only applied to a drum and rhythm played during Carnaval (or Mardi Gras in the U.S). A more accurate term, used in a traditional sense and by most Spanish-speakers, is tumbadora. This term is not traditionally applied to the drums played in Carnaval, but for those played in most traditional and commercial Cuban music.

According to Nolan Warden's brief history on the Conga drum, Cuban rhythms were picked up and popularized by the U.S. media in the early to mid-1900's when people were freely traveling to and from Cuba. This led to many U.S. pop-culture explosions of "Latin" styles, one of which was la conga. Even today, a watered-down version of the la conga rhythm isn't hard to find at public gatherings throughout the U.S. This and other pop-culture use mistakenly led to the word conga being used to refer to all Cuban drums of similar construction.

The word tumbadora, which is considered more accurate among Cubans and aficionados, comes from the folkloric style called rumba (not ballroom rhumba). Since rumba is considered to be responsible for the musical development of these drums, the word tumbadora is used out of respect for that setting as opposed to conga, which is a more commercial term. Today, it's not really necessary for English-speaking percussionists to call these drums tumbadoras. Congas or Conga Drums works just fine!

Labels: conga, conga.drums, congas, cuban.rhythms, history.of.the.conga.drum, tumbadora

Remo has long been known for building quality drumheads for drumsets. For nearly 50 years, Remo has been consistently breaking new grounds in the drumhead industry leaving all competitors in the dust. Ask any professional drummer what drumheads they use and most will answer Remo. They have roughly 77 patents on drumhead technology and continually lead the industry. Back in the 60's drumhead sizes were of various sizes and there wasn't much consistency in construction and tone. Remo changed all that when they figured out how to standardize drumhead sizes and additionally began investing aggressively into R&D on all things drumming

They eventually segued into World Percussion with same idea. Build top quality drumheads for world percussion based instruments and "they will come." Remo essentially revolutionized hand drumming by bringing modern drumhead technologies and performance to traditional world percussion instruments. Due to the huge diversity of hand drums, Remo eventually developed 12 differently shaped world percussion drumheads using Fiberskyn 3, Sude, and Nuskyn to fit most of today's popular drums. Their drumhead technologies are rugged, have consistency, and are weather resistant. Remo's worldwide collection of hand drums includes: Djembe, Bongo (Bongo drum buying guide), and Conga from countries including Africa, Asia, Brazil, and Cuba.

Remo is the benchmark by which other competitors manufacture their products. Would you believe that Remo heads are found on over 90% of drumsets - it's true I looked it up. I'm talking dw, Pearl, Ludwig and Yamaha. Simply put - they're the best!

Labels: bongo, conga, djembe, drumhead, hand.drum, hand.drumming, remo, remo.world.percussion, world.percussion

A drum circle is any group of people typically playing hand drums and percussion in a circle. It is a rhythm-based event where a diverse group of individuals and instruments are gathered for the common purpose of empowering a community with creative self-expression in a group music making experience. Rhythmical expression is as ancient and unique as man and found throughout the world, represented in art, celebration, meditation, and wellness situations. Drum Circles are commonly used for social gatherings or to promote wellness in populations such as nursing homes, assisted living, at risk youth, mentally or physically challenged, and various community situations. Other instruments and dance can also be incorporated into the drum circle. They are distinct from a drumming group or troupe in that the drum circle is an end in itself rather than preparation for a performance. They can range in size from a handful of players to circles with thousands of participants.

A Community Drum Circle is a place for individuals to express themselves through the use of drums and percussion instruments. These instruments are accessible to a multi-generational and multicultural community. An individual can express himself or herself through the instrument without much skill or technique, becoming a part in the group song. The use of different instruments (drums, shakers, bells, etc.) allows the group to experience a metaphoric relation of the unique individuals involved in creating a diverse spontaneous rhythmic song, fun for the whole group. As the groups' sounds evolve, participants begin to hear the rhythmic interdependent relationships creating the songs. Conversations through rhythmic pulses emerge as the community becomes connected beyond the music produced.

Types of Drum and percussion instruments typically found in a drum circle include:

Ashiko
Bongo
Cluster Drum
Cajon Drum
Conga
Dhol (type of 2-headed drum)
Djembe
Doumbek
Drum Sticks
Jug Drum
Shakers
Tambourine
Timbales (sometimes)

Labels: ashiko, bongo, cluster.drum, conga, dhol, djembe, drum, drum.circle, drum.sticks, drums, hand.drum, percussion, percussion.instrument, tambourine, timbales