Before You Buy Conga Drums Watch This - Student vs Professional
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Does a student conga drum match up to a professional model? I've always wanted to test this question, and I've finally done it. The results were a bit surprising in some ways and not much in others. This video also shares some recommendations for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players and budgets.
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There's not a massive difference in the sound between pro and budget congas. When I went to Cuba to study, my teacher played on the oldest, most beat up congas I'd ever seen, yet he was able really make those congas sing and even scream if he wanted to. His slaps were jaw droppingly loud if he wanted them to be. In my view it's 95% the player and their technique (or lack thereof). Pro congas will make you sound just a little better than you would sound on beginner drums.
Thanks for sharing your story. ... I bet your teacher has tough hands.
@@RhythmNotes Yes, he had tough hands, but not too crazy calloused. Sadly he passed away over 10 years ago. His name was Sandalio 'Macho' Crespo Calderon R.I.P. There is footage of him on YT also. His son Barabaro Crespo Machito has a YT channel and he is a great player too.
#1 is definitely student model. #2 is warmer and more sustained thus professional. The slaps are a little clearer and crisper too on 2nd example. Great video!!
Right on! I'm glad you're hearing the difference.
That’s what I was hearing and had the same prediction. Really subtle difference, but that’s how it goes with most drums. Tone has more to do with the setup, tuning and playing.
90% of the sound is in the hands. Professional-grade drums will be warmer and have more controlled bass tones, but the higher pitches can be achieved with proper tuning and technique.
I agree ... I wonder how synthetic heads on student model drums would sound. Any experience with that?
Conga drums are one of those instruments whose sound is more dependent on the skill of the drummer. Professional, or higher quality drums, make a difference but it is not that significant. The drum heads are very critical. Most lower end drums come with cheaper heads but they can be easily swapped out. There comes a point where you’re paying for aesthetics. Professional drums have an edge but student drums can sound amazing in the hands of a skilled drummer.
I could not agree more. Thanks for weighing in.
I would go with the Meinl Marathon series or the Luis Conte series, the Meinl Headline series are definitely entry-level. The Marathon are professional congas at a very good price (the Marathon Exclusive have amazing looks). Those Meinl stands are very good, agree, I have two chromed ones which match the Marathon congas, easily demountable, light, come in handy.
Right on! That's another vote for Luis Conte series. I really want to get those drums sooner than later.
I just recently acquired a set of LP Giovanni Palladium congas from a fellow percussionist who wanted to pay it forward. Definitely felt good to play again.
Wow! Those drums are next level. I've had two friends with Gio's series and they are amazing!
Great video ! I’m looking to pick up my first set of conga drums soon and start studying the instrument. Would you suggest a Conga-Tumba or a Conga-Quinto set up? With the option to add a third drum at a later date ! Thank you 🙂
I choose drums based on the musical situation. So for a salsa gig, it's always conga and tumba. For Latin jazz it's usually quinto, conga, tumba. For pop / rock / funk / soul it's quinto conga. Those drum sizes support the music and the types of rhythms that work for the genres and styles. So it all depends on the situation. Let us know what you end up going with and how it's working out.
I liked this presentation. I would have loved to hear your opinion on other drum makers' entry level models i.e., Tycoon, Toca. Really good video!
I would love to if I had the resources. Perhaps I can borrow some from a distributer. I'll work on it.
My first congas were second hand LP Club Salsa; later bought Headliners after seeking advice from a professional in terms of price, quality and weight. Still got them twelve years later. During band rehearsals at a music school I currently play Matadors which have a richer sound than the other models lined up.
That sounds like another vote for Headliners. I also played Matador drums in college and liked them. I would play them again if I run into a good deal.
I have four drums. A 30 year old 10” Meinl (apparently made by Toca), an 11” CP (old LP off-brand), and an 11 and 12 set of LP Caliente. All came with stands. The 12” is great as-is. I mounted my own skin on the 10” some years ago, and it’s great ever since. The bearing edge of the CP was flawed; I corrected that with sandpaper. The 11” Caliente also needed a little work on the bearing edge, though not as much as the CP.
I then bought Manito middle eastern steer heads for the two 11” drums, along with a gently used Comfort Curve rim for the CP. The whole set now sounds spectacular, as good as any set of four that I’ve heard. And my total outlay for all that? About as much as for a single LP Tumbadora.
A note to the producer of the vid: a) definitely turn down the accompaniment a bit so the drums can be better heard. Also… TUNE THEM UP. You can’t really know how they sound until you’ve gotten them to higher pitches. That’s where the ‘ring’ happens - and that’s where you’ll hear the mismatched overtones within a single drum that tell you its bearing edge is not properly circular (or not ‘flat’).
I hear what you're saying about the accompaniment level, and I considered it, but I went with a more realistic mix (in terms of levels) to establish the context as more of a final product. If I do a video with the Aspire drums and Manito heads, I'll provide more tracks with the congas soloed and turned well above the accompaniment. Other viewers have requested the same. ... as for tuning them up ... I tuned the drums up as much as they could before losing the resonance that I generally try achieve. I don't prefer dead sounding drums. I like them to sing. Perhaps I'll be able to crank up the Manito heads. You've sold me on that idea.
I thought about mounting Mantito heads to the Aspire drums. You might have convinced me to go for it.
Which ever one is the most comfortable on my hands..😊
Good choice
The Tumba sounds very good on the student model.
I was thinking the same!
Would loved to see a comparison w/MOPERC!
Maybe Eric Perez can loan me his drums! ;)
@@RhythmNotes Where are you located? Possibly loaner set?
they uses cheaper materials on cheaper drums inkluding the construction, then I dont meen the hight but the way it is made. but you will fined brands like Meinl that will make will hand select the skins for the cheaper drums like the headliner series, so that you don`t get defected skins, but they pick them from lower quality of course. I have tried many of the drums you talk about in this video. I began playing on the Meinl headliner drums. I will say that does are the best beginner drums you can get, because of the the quality is some bether then the pris. the LP Aspire I tried one time and the sound good and you get the different tones realy good, but I felt that the Headliner series from Meinl was bether to play. they project more than the Aspire. I have not played the City ones, but the sound bether than Aspire. LP is the oldest brand that make congas, so they know how to make them so that you get the corect tones. but I finde especialy Meinl to have drums that feels and sound bether and more natural, more a live or free if you will, it deffinetly give me more energy. I tried the Matador for a week when I still had the Headliner. I was suprised that the tones came out easier than my drums, but stil, the sound is not quit there. and I did also feel like the felt more heavyer to play than my Meinls. they are also exstrimely overprised in my upinion. the same with the Aspire. now I have the Luis Conte drums, wich deffenetly is the drums I have loved the most. the feel realy good to play and sounds realy rich and natural, and the pris is again maby a litle lower than you should think. and you said that the aspire drums was hard to tune. on factury mace drums, the hooks drag the rim more out than down, wich make it harder to tune, the berreing edge is also a part that will make it harder as you said. so to summery my long coment, I will say that LP mostly overprised except for the city congas, and you get the corect tones more easily. Meinl has bether sounding and feeling drums in my opinion, and the prises are realy good, and the quality is more trusteble. but you will probably need to work more with your tecnique to get the perfect tones out. a big diffrence between Meinl and LP is that Meinl use Bufalo skins and LP uses both Bufalo and Cow on there drums.
Thanks for the detailed summary of your experience with different drums. I'm with you 100 percent! In fact, I am saving to purchase a set of Luis Conte Meinl drums because I think it's the best quality for the price. Be well my friend!
@@RhythmNotes I hope you will make a review on them when you get them, because there are no real one out there except for the Meinl videos
I will. For sure! … now you got me thinking about them and I’m feeling impatient. Good vibes. Love congas!
Just a slight criticism, the music could have been at a lower level, to help on this experiment.
Noted. I thought about it and went with context over exaggeration.
@@RhythmNotes I think it was fine. I could definitely discern the sound in the slap with the first comparison