Conga
 | |
| Percussion instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Tumbadora |
| Classification | Percussion |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 211.221.1 (Directly struck membranophonesin which the end without a membrane is open) |
| Developed | Late 19th century or early 20th century in Cuba |
| Related instruments | |
| Yuka,makuta,bembé | |
Theconga,also known astumbadora,is a tall, narrow, single-headeddrumfrom Cuba. Congas arestavedlikebarrelsand classified into three types:quinto(lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest). Congas were originally used in Afro-Cuban music genres such asconga(hence their name) andrumba,where each drummer would play a single drum. Following numerous innovations in conga drumming and construction during the mid-20th century, as well as its internationalization, it became increasingly common for drummers to play two or three drums. Congas have become a popular instrument in many forms ofLatin musicsuch asson(when played byconjuntos),descarga,Afro-Cuban jazz,salsa,songo,merengueandLatin rock.
Although the exact origins of the conga drum are unknown, researchers agree that it was developed byCuban people of African descentduring the late 19th century or early 20th century.[1]Its direct ancestors are thought to be theyukaandmakuta(ofBantuorigin) and the bembé drums (ofYorubaorigin).[1]In Cuba and Latin America, congas are primarily played ashand drums.InTrinidadiancalypsoandsoca,congas are sometimes struck withmallets,while in the Congos, they are often struck with one hand and one mallet.[2]
Characteristics
[edit]
Most modern congas have a staved wooden or fiberglass shell and a screw-tensioned drumhead. Since the 1950s, congas are usually played in sets of two to four, except for traditionalrumbaandconga,in which each drummer plays one conga. The drums are played with the fingers and palms of the hands. Typical congas stand approximately 75 centimetres (30 in) from the bottom of the shell to the head. The drums may be played while seated. Alternatively, the drums may be mounted on a rack or stand to permit the player to play while standing. While they originated in Cuba, their incorporation into the popular and folk music of other countries has resulted in diversification of terminology for the instruments and the players. In Cuba,congasare calledtumbadoras.
Conga players are calledcongueros,whilerumberosrefers to those who dance following the path of the players. The term "conga" was popularized in the 1930s, whenLatin musicswept the United States.Cuban sonandNew Yorkjazzfused together to create what was then termedmambo,but later became known assalsa.In that same period, the popularity of theconga linehelped to spread this new term.Desi Arnazalso played a role in the popularization of conga drums. However, the drum he played (which everyone called a conga drum at the time) was similar to the type of drum known asbokúused in his hometown, Santiago de Cuba. The wordcongacame from the rhythmla congaused duringcarnaval(carnival) in Cuba. The drums used in carnaval could have been referred to astambores de congasince they played the rhythmla conga,and thus translated into English asconga drums.
Types of drum
[edit]Conga drums are classified according to their size, which correlates to their pitch: larger drumheads have a lower pitch and vice versa. Originally, drums were tuned by adjusting knots and tension ropes on the drumhead, or, more commonly, where the drum-heads were tacked or nailed to the top of the shell, by careful heating of the head. Modern congas, developed in the early 1950s, use a screw-and-lug tension head system, which makes them easier to tune (or detune). This modern type of tension system was pioneered in Cuba byCarlos "Patato" Valdésand in the United States byCándido Camero.[3]
Historically, terminology for the drums varies between genres and countries. In ensembles that traditionally employ a large number of drums, such ascomparsasandrumbagroups, a detailed naming system is used, which has been taken up by major conga manufacturers. The drums are listed from largest to smallest diameter (drumhead sizes vary considerably by manufacturer, model, and style):
- Thesupertumbaorrebajadorcan be as large as 14 inches (36 cm).
- Thetumbaorsalidoris typically12 to12+1⁄2inches (30 to 32 cm).
- Thecongaortres dosis typically11+1⁄2to 12 inches (29 to 30 cm).
- Thequintois typically around 11 inches (28 cm).
- Therequintocan be smaller than 10 inches (25 cm).
- Thericardocan be as small as 9 inches (23 cm). Since this drum is typically played while hanging from a shoulder strap, it is considerably shorter and narrower than a traditional conga.
Inconjuntosthat playson cubano,as well as incharangasand other ensembles where one or two congas were introduced to complement other rhythmic instruments, the drums are named like the bongos:macho(male) andhembra(female), for the higher and lower-pitched drums, respectively; an additional drum would be calledtercera(third).[4]These correspond to thetumbaandcongain rumba ensembles. When thequintois played byconjuntosit retains its name.[4]
Tuning
[edit] | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(April 2015) |
Congas, being percussive instruments, do not have to betunedto any particular note in purely percussive settings. However, when playing withharmonicinstruments, they may be tuned to specific notes. Congas are often tuned using the open tone. 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 slap pierces 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 easy to tighten the drum until it makes a pleasing sound and then tighten a little more to reach a uniform desired pitch. It is very important to ensure that tuning is uniform around the drumhead, which can be checked by placing one finger pad in the center of the head and tapping the head near the edge above each lug location to detect any change, adjusting as necessary. Uniform tightness will help "let the drum speak".
Another important consideration is that head tension can greatly impact the ease or unease of the player, and generally a looser drumhead can lead to hand injury more than a tighter one, because a looser drumhead has less rebound and more muffling effect (hence potentially bruising joints and bones under spirited playing). Also, producing a crisp slap tone is nearly impossible on a loose head. During tuning it is suggested to "let the drum speak" and to conform tuning reasonably closely to the natural resonance (pitch) that the cavity of the drum interior presents. This resonance can be heard by singing or playing loud notes near the drum opening (this is true of tuning any drum) and noticing which pitch decays slowest - that will either be the fundamental (resonant) frequency or one of its simple overtones.
When two or more drums are used, there is the potential for more variation of which notes are chosen; however, tuning between or during compositions is rare in live performance. With only two drums, it is common to find them tuned aperfect fourthapart (the interval between the first two notes of "Here Comes the Bride") as is the tradition in western classical music for thetimpani.Having three drums (typically thetumba,conga,andquinto) invites experimentation and individual customization. Somecongueroslike using theintervalsof amajor chord(e.g. F, A, C). Some players use thesecond inversionof a major chord (e.g. G, C, E); and some prefer amajor secondbetween thequintoandconga,with a perfect 4th descending to thetumba.Raul Rekow of Santana often plays five conga drums and tunes them to the opening phrase of a Latin tune.
Playing techniques
[edit]
Strokes
[edit]Strokes with one hand
[edit]- 1.Tono abierto.Open tone.
- 2.Tono ahogado (apagado).Muffled tone.
- 3.Tono seco abierto.Open slap.
- 4.Tono seco tapado.Pressed slap.
- 5.Tono seco cerrado.Closed slap.
- 6.Tono bajo de palma.Bass tone.
- 7.Tono de talón de mano.Heel tone.
- 8.Toque de punta de mano.Tip tone.
- 9.Tono de uñas.Fingernails tone.
- 10.Tono deslizado.Glissando tone.
Basic strokes
[edit]There are four basic strokes in conga drumming:[4][5]
- Open tone (tono abierto): played with the four fingers near the rim of thehead,producing a clear resonant sound with a higher pitch than muffled and bass tones.[6]
- Muffled, muted, closed of flesh tone (tono ahogadoorapagado) or simply "muff": like the open tone, it is made by striking the drum with the four fingers, but holding the fingers against the head to muffle the tone. It can also be played with a cupped hand or the heel of the hand.
- Bass tone (tono bajo): played with the full palm, in a slightly cupped position, somewhat off center on the head. It produces a low muted sound.
- Slap tone (tono secoortapado): the most difficult technique, producing a loud clear "popping" sound.[6]The muted or pressed slap tone (toque tapado normal) involves playing an open tone while the other hand rests on the drumhead, which produces a higher pitch. There are open (tono tapado abierto) and half-open (tono tapado semi-abierto) variants, in which the playing hand briefly rests on the edge of the drumhead after the stroke, followed by another stroke with the other hand. When played at fast and short intervals, this is calledfloreo,which is often used to instill emotion in the dancers.
Other strokes can be used to enhance the timbral palette of the instrument. They are not used by all drummers, but have become the hallmark ofcongerossuch asTata Güines.
- Touch or toe tone (toque de punta): as implied by the name, this tone is produced by just touching the fingers or heel of the palm to the drum head. It is possible to alternate a touch of the palm with a touch of the fingers in a maneuver called heel-toe (manoteo), which can be used to produce the conga equivalent of drumrolls.
- Nails stroke (toque de uñas): played with the tip of the nails, usually finger by finger in quick succession, starting with the pinky.
Glissando and pitch bending
[edit]Thedeslizado,moose callorglissandois done by rubbing the third finger, supported by the thumb, across the head of the drum. The finger is sometimes moistened with saliva or sweat, and sometimes a little coat of beeswax is put on the surface of the conga head to help make the sound.[7][8]The moose call is also done on thebongos.
Tobend the pitchof the congas, aconguerosometimes uses his elbow to shift around on and apply pressure to different parts of the head; this causes the note to change. This is not a traditional stroke, but it is common in modern salsa and rumba.
Rhythms
[edit] | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(April 2015) |
Guaguancó
[edit]Guaguancó uses three congas. The smallest conga is the lead drum known as quinto. The following nine-measure quinto excerpt is from the guaguancó “La polémica” byLos Muñequitos de Matanzas(1988).[9]This passage moves between the main modes of playing (A, B, C). The A section is the basiclockorride,as it is known in North America. It spans one clave (measure). An alternate phrase (B) is also one measure in length.Cross-beats,the basis of the third section (C), contradict the meter. By alternating between the lock and the cross, the quinto creates larger rhythmic phrases that expand and contract over several clave cycles. Los Muñequintos quintero Jesús Alfonso (1949–2009) described this phenomenon as a man getting “drunk at a party, going outside for a while, and then coming back inside.”[10]
Marcha (tumbao)
[edit]Clave-neutral
[edit]The basicson montunoconga pattern is calledmarcha,ortumbao.The conga was first used in bands during the late 1930s, and became a staple of mambo bands of the 1940s. The primary strokes are sounded with open tones, on the last offbeats (2&, 2a) of a two-beat cycle. The fundamental accent—2& is referred to by some musicians asponche.[11]
1 e & a 2 e & a Count
H T S T H T O O Conga
L L R L L L R R Hand Used
Key:
L: Left hand
R: Right hand
H: Heel of hand
T: Tip of hand
S: Slap
O: Open Tone
Clave-aligned
[edit]The basic tumbao sounds slaps (triangle noteheads) and open tones (regular noteheads) on the "and" offbeats.[12]There are many variations on the basic tumbao. For example, a very common variant sounds a single open tone with the third stroke of clave (ponche), and two tones preceding the three-side of clave. The specific alignment between clave and this tumbao is critical.
Another common variant uses two drums and soundsbombo(1a) on the tumba (3-side of theclave).[13]For example:
1. &. 2. &. 3. &. 4. &. Count
X X X X X Son Clave
X X X X X Rumba Clave
H T S T O O H T S T H T O O Conga
O O Tumba
L L R R R L R R L L R L L L R R Hand Used
or
1. &. 2. &. 3. &. 4. &. Count
X X X X X Son Clave
X X X X X Rumba Clave
H T S H T O O H T S H T O O Conga
O 0 Tumba
L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R Hand Used
Bolero
[edit]There is also thebolerorhythm that is used for ballads.[14]The conga part is similar to the marcha.
Songo
[edit]Beginning in the late 1960s, band conga players began incorporating elements from folkloric rhythms, especially rumba.Changuitoand Raúl "el Yulo" Cárdenas ofLos Van Vanpioneered this approach of thesongoera.
This relationship between the drums is derived from the style known asrumba.The feeling of the high drum part is like the quinto in rumba, constantly punctuating, coloring, and accenting, but not soloing until the appropriate moment (Santos 1985).[15]
In several songo arrangements, the tumbadora ('conga') part sounds the typicaltumbaoon the low-pitched drum, while replicating thequinto(lead drum) ofguaguancóon the high-pitched drum. The quinto-like phrases can continually change, but they are based upon a specific counter-clavemotif.[16][See:"Songo Patterns on Congas" (Changuito).
Timba
[edit]Tomás Cruz developed several adaptations of folkloric rhythms when working inPaulito FG'stimbaband of the 1990s. Cruz's creations offered clever counterpoints to the bass and chorus. Many of his marchas span two or even four claves in duration, something very rarely done previously.[17]He also made more use of muted tones in his tumbaos, all the while advancing the development of. The example on the right is one of Cruz'sinventos('musical inventions'), a band adaptation of the Congolese-based Afro-Cuban folkloric rhythmmakuta.He played the pattern on three congas on the Paulito song "Llamada anónima."Listen: "Llamada Anónima" by Paulito F.G.
Other genres
[edit]The conga repertoire includes many other rhythms found in genres such asdanzón,mamboandcha-cha-cha,as well as foreign styles that have adopted Afro-Cuban percussion such as Jamaicanreggae,Braziliansambaandbossa nova,and Americansoul,funk,Latin jazzandLatin rock.In the 1960s, the conga became a prominent instrument in Haitian popular music styles such askonpa,yeyeandmini-djaz.[18]
Conjuntos and orchestras playing Colombian dance music have incorporatedcumbiarhythms, traditionally played on tambores known as alegre and llamador, to the conga drums. The standard Colombian cumbia rhythm is simple and played slowly; it goes 1-2-2-1, also heard as 1-2-1-2. In the Dominican Republic, the fastmerenguerhythm, which goes 1 2-1-2, can be played on the conga. It can also be heard as 1-2-1-2 1-2-1-2-1-2. Essentially, it is the rhythm of thetamboraapplied to conga. Inmerengue típico(orcibaeño), the rhythm is usually more complex and less standardized; it can range from simply hitting the conga on a fourth beat to playing full patterns that mark the time.
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^abWarden, Nolan (2005)."A History of the Conga Drum"(PDF).Percussive Notes.43(1): 8–15.
- ^Kalani (2003).All About Congas.Alfred Music Publishing. p. 17.ISBN978-0-7390-3349-4.
- ^abSanabria, Bobby (7 November 2020)."Remembering Candido Camero, Percussionist and Afro-Cuban Pioneer, Who Has Died at 99".WBGO.Archivedfrom the original on 8 November 2020.Retrieved10 November2020.
- ^abcQuintana, Changuito & Hidalgo, Giovanni (1997).Evolution of the tumbadoras.Warner Bros Publications. VH0281.
- ^Cook, Gary D. (2019).Teaching Percussion.Cengage Learning. p. 269.ISBN978-1-337-67222-1.
- ^abEvans, Bob (1966).Authentic Conga Rhythms.Alfred Music. pp. 6–7.ISBN978-1-4574-4593-4.
- ^"How I do the Moose Call on the Conga Drums - Glissando Lesson".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-11-14.Retrieved20 April2021.
- ^"Conga Lesson - How to do a Moose Call".YouTube.Archived fromthe originalon 2012-08-27.Retrieved20 April2021.
- ^“La polémica” (1:57),Rumba Caliente(Los Muñequitos de Matanzas) Qubadisc CD 9005 (1977, 1988).
- ^Peñalosa, David (2011: 86). Alfonso quoted by Peñalosa.Rumba Quinto.Redway, CA: Bembe Books.ISBN1-4537-1313-1
- ^Mauleón, Rebeca (1993: 63).Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble.Petaluma, California: Sher Music.ISBN0-9614701-9-4.
- ^Sometimes clave is written in two measures of 4/4 and the open tone of the conga drum are referred to as the last beat of the measure (see Mauleón 1993 p. 63)
- ^Mauleón (1993: 64).
- ^Evans (1966) p. 23.
- ^Santos, John (1985). "Songo,"Modern Drummer Magazine.December p. 44.
- ^Peñalosa, David (2010) p. 142-144. Redway, CA: Bembe Books.ISBN1-4537-1313-1
- ^Cruz, Tomás, with Kevin Moore (2004: 25)The Tomás Cruz Conga Methodv. 3. Pacific, MO: Mel Bay.
- ^Allen, Ray; Wilcken, Lois (1998).Island Sounds in the Global City: Caribbean Popular Music and Identity in New York.New York Folklore Society. p. 140.ISBN978-0-9661472-0-9.
General bibliography
[edit]- Cruz, Tomás, with Kevin Moore (2004).The Tomás Cruz Conga Method v. 3.Pacific, MO: Mel Bay.
- Dworsky, Alan; Betty Sansby (1995).Conga Drumming: A Beginner's Guide to Playing with Time.Dancing Hands.ISBN0-9638801-0-1.
- Mauleón, Rebeca (1993).Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble.Petaluma, California: Sher Music.ISBN0-9614701-9-4.
- Peñalosa, David (2011).Rumba Quinto.Redway, CA: Bembe Books.ISBN1-4537-1313-1
- Sanchez, Poncho; Chuck Silverman (2002).Poncho Sanchez' Conga Cookbook.Cherry Lane Music.ISBN1-57560-363-2.
External links
[edit]
- Introduction to the Conga DrumArchived2008-02-06 at theWayback Machineat the Drum Dojo
- Plans tobuild your own conga drum.
- Percussion Conga Anatomy.
- Dr. Olavo Alén Rodriguez."A History of the Congas".www.afrocubaweb.com.AfroCubaWeb, S.A.Retrieved19 November2017.
