Notes that If I'm recording or playing miked, then tuning is about sound and feel. When I'm playing unmiked with an amplified band, I need all the help I can get, so I tune to the notes that the room sings back at me. I'm not worried about putting stress on the heads by tuning--I'm only worried about stress on the heads when other congueros sit in and tune my drums up to the stratosphere. Some of the Cuban guys tune their heads up to tabletop tension, and besides choking out the sound, it just doesn't sound good. At all. Bugs me to no end...
caddywumpus
I am going to give you a trick in playing when playing with mikes and without mikes. 99% of the time many and not all of todays conga players want to be heard so the crank up the drum higher than what they need to be. They also feel that they can not hear them selves as they play with band that are amplified so they hit drum harder than what is needed. Today I am over 60+ Years and retired and suffer from a rare arthritis in my hands from years of playing that I can barely close my hands. The bones in my hands are flatten and all this because of mistakes made when younger days from playing.
Know on a scale of 1-10, 1 being totally flat and 10 being totally un Tuned giving you that thump feel. When you start to tune depending on the skin lets say that between 4-6 the head has reached a good sound when you are using mikes in an open environment. You will be heard regardless of were you are at all the way to the back of place. Even if you do not hear your self.
Know UN Mic in a room that is large and that rest of band is mic and conga player is not the key is to lower the pitch of the drums. If we were between 4-6 on the out door in the indoor you should be between 5-7.
You may say know I am un tuned and the drum does not sound right. No it sounds perfect to audience and you also my not hear your self this is when what is called intuition kicks in and the feeling of what you are playing. You play softer without damage to you hands and when you get use to this a togetherness comes about with the rest of percussionist in Band if any. This in Spanish is called (Afinque)
Listen to conga player such as Eddie Montalvo, George Delgado with Latin Legends , Miguel El Pollo with Gran Combo , Miguel ''Anga'' Dias and a few more not in my mind at moment. Avoid Guys like Giovanni Hidalgo , Richie Flores and a few more out there, these guys are show men and are in leagues of there own And companies use them for the purpose of sales and can guide you into errors in playing.
Cubans : Very few play correct and tune there drums proper. Todays Cuban musicians are looking for exposure keep in mind that Cuba was held back for over 50 years. The world was aware of music being played since the Revolution there and know they want to be heard. Most and not all if you pay attention is of sink. They have come up with I really don't know but with few more Clave patterns that do not make sense. It's all to be noticed Listen to old Cuban music like Conjunto Casino , Casino de la playa , Gloria Matancera and you will notice the difference of quality playing appose to noise.