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Tycoon Congas – What is a Conga Drum?

The conga is a tall slim single-headed Cuban drum that is more properly referred to as a tumbadora. A conguero is a conga player. The drums have a history of Afro-Cuban descent. The design was derived from African drums made from hollow logs. Today, the drums have a barrel shape and are made of stave wood or a fiberglass shell with a screwed tension drumhead. The conga is the principal instrument in rumba music. Tycoon congas are a well-know brand that musicians use in a variety of music including salsa, Latin, merengue and Reggae. American popular music also uses congas as well.

Musicians use one of five different types of strokes when playing. Musicians play the open tone on the tycoon conga with the four fingers near the rim of the head producing a distinct pitch and clear tone. They play the muffled or muted tone with four fingers like the open tone, but at the same time holding the fingers against the head to muffle the tone. They play bass tone using the palm. And they perform the Slap tone by alternating fast and short intervals. Musicians perform the touch-tone by touching the fingers or heels of the palm to the drumhead.

Musicians can tune the conga to different notes. Tuning of the original drums consisted of adjusting knots and tension ropes on the drumhead or where the manufacturer tacked or nailed the drumheads to the top of the shell. Because tycoon congas are percussion instruments, they are generally not tuned to any particular note. Modern drums like the tycoon congas tune using a screw-and-lug tension head system. This system makes them not as difficult to tune. Terminology and names of the drums vary as to the size and of the drumheads and differ by model, style and manufacturer.

The largest conga being the supertumba is large and generally 14 inches across. The tumba is approximately 12 to 12.5 inches across. The conga is smaller and usually ranges from11.5 to 12 inches in diameter, with the quinto even smaller at 11 inches across. The two smallest are the requinto at 10 inches and ricardo at 9 inches. Musicians play the ricardo over while hanging from a strap over the shoulder. This means it is a great deal smaller shorter and narrower than traditional congas. The tycoon congas come in a variety of sizes and this affects the music and sounds produced from the instrument. 

About the Author

Scott Hutton is the owner of Cymbalism Music an online music instrument dealer specializing in Tycoon Congas and other instruments. To learn more viasit http://stores.cymbalismmusic.com/StoreFront.bok.

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