Bongo Drum Musical Instruments
Bongo drums are small drums that came from Cuba and had a surge in popularity in Hollywood in the 1950s. They are two small drums attached together and held between the legs or knees while being played. They tend to be a few shades of brown in color.
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Origin
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The bongo drums originated in Cuba and were first used in the musical styles called changui and son. The drum musical styles began to develop in the 1800s and by the 1940s they had added metal parts to the drums to facilitate tuning.
Bongo Parts
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There are two drums, a small one and a larger one. A shell is the outer body of the drum and the two drums are connected by what is called a center block. A base ring is the name for the bottom and rims keep the skin in place while the hooks are two metal bands that are used for tuning.
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Hollywood
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In the late 1950s and '60s, the bong drum became very popular in Hollywood. Stars who became interested in the musical instrument include James Dean. A musician named Jack Costanzo was bongo drum teacher to the stars.
Basic Tune
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The basic tune of playing the bongo drums are played with a four-four tempo count. While bongo players often improvise, the main beat when playing the drums is one, two, three, four, with accents on the first and fourth beats.
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References
- Photo Credit bongos image by Maria Bell from Fotolia.com
