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Summary: Position bongos for playing, so you can drum comfortably and effectively; learn how with tips from our expert bongo drummer in this free bongo video tutorial on percussion instruments.
Bob Saldana has been enjoying music since first hearing the Ventures "Walk Don't Run." He started on drums, then guitar and bass. He has produced and performed with Texas and...read more
Because of its endless potential as a means for the imaginative manipulation of sound, music is one of the most important and powerful forms of human expression that exists today. Music is unique in that it facilitates a conversation for the musician and the audience that language alone cannot, creating a connection between people that is not limited by time, distance, or relationship.
The drum is thought to be the oldest of musical instruments—and its basic design has not changed for thousands of years. Over time, drumming has had a significant impact on the history of man, both as a method of communication over long distances and as an implement of religious symbolism. While the modern Western man has largely abandoned a lifestyle that would incorporate the drum in these ways, popular music still realizes some of that original intent, since drums have served as the backbone of just about every song produced in the last 50 years.
In these free percussion lessons on video, learn how to play the bongos, a set of small circular drums with skin heads and an open bottom. Our expert will illuminate some of the characteristics of the bongo drums, including tips on how to hold them, how to find the beat of a song, how to play uptempo songs, how to bend notes, and how to play syncopated beats.
"Hi, my name is Bob Saldana and I am here on behalf of Expert Village. Today I am going to demonstrate the Bongos. I have been playing drums and percussions since about 1965 and I’ve had a lot of fun with it. I’ve got a chance to jam with a lot of people and in fact I believe it was a few days ago I got a chance to jam with Marci Levy on bongos and it was fun. So let's get started. First of all when you grab your bongos, it doesn't really matter so much if you have the smaller head on your left or larger head on right. You could actually reverse them. The main thing is to remember how you have them positioned and once you position them on your laps, try to be comfortable because they could be there for quite a long time. So let's get started with the idea of how to play the instrument. "
eHow Article: How to Position Bongo Drums
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