I watch you very often Eric. You are educational and entertaining, thank you. If you grease up the edge of the conga and/or the inner groove of the head (with palm or shae or the like), you won’t get the cracking because the skin will slide smoothly on the drum edge. Got this tip from a really great Cuban player. He told me they often used old engine oil when there was nothing else available in Havana back in the day (although I definitely wouldn’t use THAT!)
if you are on a budget,,,, the old head there has lots of like left, the logo isn't even worn off. Turn it over and fill it with water, like a bowl.... let it soak like that until softened ... put back on the drum and tighten the high side until it is even again, let dry it, tune and you ready to go.
Eric not only are you fun but you gave me great advice when in the right time to get new conga heads. For sure I will get that palm oil to extend the life of the heads so thank you for that tip as well as helping myself of tuning the congas when new heads are not tuned right for when the dreadful time of new heads for my LP Giovanni galaxy congas are needed oh yes it is the percussion life!
When the drum head starts to pull down like yours, it means the head is re-tuning itself for example: the album cover of Ta Ta Aguinas's album, notice one of Tata's drum is slanting just like yours was, and NOT, that's Not (if you live in Brooklyn) indicates that that one needs a new drum head. It means the head has re-tuned itself. This was told to me by Papo Daddiego (R.I.P) my mentor on Quentin Road 1972, where I apprenticed to learn to make the bells and put skins on drums and the fundamentals of fixing and playing the idiophones, the membranophones, the aereophones, and the chordopnones. Papo sold his bells at Manny's music store on 57th street in New York City back then, early 70's. But the cuts and scrapes, and water damage to the skins is a whole other story. More strength to you for showing us these magnificent grooves that I have been trying to figure out for 45 years, with love and light, Joel Yehūda Menačhem Wolk
you all probably dont give a shit but does someone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account? I stupidly lost the password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me.
@Jace Walker I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
We use the same Congga, Giovanni Palladium Series sadly the heads now are Broken, Im using Nuskyn for 3 Conggas and Plastic Maylar for the Super Tumba.. 😢 nway I always love your Video, Im a Beginner and i learned a lot from your Groves and Rythm.. Thanks and Godbless from Philippines 🇵🇭
Is there a standard tuning scheme? I’ve seen from GDE to GBD#E# and a couple others. I may have missed it in one of your vids. I want to get the Quinto, Conga, Tumba’s set to their natural tune but matched to the band’s sound. Thx tons for your vids....
I've been away from playing music for a long time... I'm getting back to practicing my music and came across your channel with good videos so I subscribed. I'm from SE DC and I grew up on Go-Go. When I saw you go to Chuck Levins, I was in a very nostalgic mode. I used to hang out at Chucks back in the 80's. I live in Utah now but I'm still very much DMV. A few years ago, I saw a video that I think was you playing with some gospel music. I can't find that video anywhere on your channel... did you delete? Was that you? In any case, great videos homey.
Deidric Stephen Cave awesome bro! Ummmm it might have been me... but I don’t remember having a vid of me playing with a gospel group on my channel tho.
Deidric Stephen Cave Oh Yeaaaa “Moving Forward”!!! Man that was YEARS back! That was a video i was featured on for someone else’s channel! Subliminal Visual Studios... I believe they took it down.
Hey man dig the vids! I just got a new fiberskyn head that I wanted to try out on my quinto. I haven’t changed the head since I got it either. I just put the new head on yesterday and seemed to tune everything pretty evenly but I’m getting this crazy high pitched overtone now that I never got with the rawhide that came with it. Any advice on how to get rid of that?
Hola,me gustan tus videos,tiénen muy buena información,son muy ddidactico y se aprende bastante con ellos,pero será posible que les pongas subtitulos en español por favor?. Muchas gracias !!!
jajaja wow.... Bueno... media vuelta es recomendado cuando estas afinando en general... pero cuendo se tratar en montar un nuevo cuero... una vuelta esta bien.
I watch you very often Eric. You are educational and entertaining, thank you. If you grease up the edge of the conga and/or the inner groove of the head (with palm or shae or the like), you won’t get the cracking because the skin will slide smoothly on the drum edge. Got this tip from a really great Cuban player. He told me they often used old engine oil when there was nothing else available in Havana back in the day (although I definitely wouldn’t use THAT!)
I'm from DC. You just made me miss home, after seeing Chuck's in your video! I'm in San Diego now.
Chucks is the ONLY spot to go to in DC haha
if you are on a budget,,,, the old head there has lots of like left, the logo isn't even worn off. Turn it over and fill it with water, like a bowl.... let it soak like that until softened ... put back on the drum and tighten the high side until it is even again, let dry it, tune and you ready to go.
i oiled my congas in the inside with sweet almond oil and they sound fantastic now!
thank you Erik !can you also make a video on how to tune congas ? in which possible ways to tune 3 congas .
Eric not only are you fun but you gave me great advice when in the right time to get new conga heads. For sure I will get that palm oil to extend the life of the heads so thank you for that tip as well as helping myself of tuning the congas when new heads are not tuned right for when the dreadful time of new heads for my LP Giovanni galaxy congas are needed oh yes it is the percussion life!
When the drum head starts to pull down like yours, it means the head is re-tuning itself for example: the album cover of Ta Ta Aguinas's album, notice one of Tata's drum is slanting just like yours was, and NOT, that's Not (if you live in Brooklyn) indicates that that one needs a new drum head. It means the head has re-tuned itself. This was told to me by Papo Daddiego (R.I.P) my mentor on Quentin Road 1972, where I apprenticed to learn to make the bells and put skins on drums and the fundamentals of fixing and playing the idiophones, the membranophones, the aereophones, and the chordopnones. Papo sold his bells at Manny's music store on 57th street in New York City back then, early 70's. But the cuts and scrapes, and water damage to the skins is a whole other story. More strength to you for showing us these magnificent grooves that I have been trying to figure out for 45 years, with love and light, Joel Yehūda Menačhem Wolk
Great Vid! It's really good to see what a bad head look like when it's on and off the drum.
OMG Eric You CRACK ME UP. You are so down to Earth.
you all probably dont give a shit but does someone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account?
I stupidly lost the password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me.
@Gatlin Nikolas Instablaster ;)
@Jace Walker I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Jace Walker it did the trick and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy!
Thank you so much you saved my ass :D
@Gatlin Nikolas you are welcome :D
We use the same Congga, Giovanni Palladium Series sadly the heads now are Broken, Im using Nuskyn for 3 Conggas and Plastic Maylar for the Super Tumba.. 😢 nway I always love your Video, Im a Beginner and i learned a lot from your Groves and Rythm.. Thanks and Godbless from Philippines 🇵🇭
Hey brother.. I always watch tour vídeos I play the djembe.. My question is I can do the same with my djembe... thanks..!!
Though u can buy synthetic heads, most wood carved djembes use a natural goatskin head that you soak and put on a ring and string up, etc
DMV reppin! Been going to Chucks since the 80s
My bro love the humor. All your videos are extremely educational thank you
I wish we had such a beautiful percussion store here in Paris !
You have great content Eric. Thank you!
only one thing, how did you match the measurement of the head to match the conga? to me that was yhe whole point. help a brother out!
Crazy, i'v never seen a head that off kilt LOL!
You can also hit the conga head dead center with the side of your fist after every tightening. It will help stretch the skin
the head doesn't fit perfect, can i soak a pre-made head?
I put a fiberskin on my conga and it won't let me tune it back up, what am I doing wrong?
Just got a conga with a ripped head. I was gonna bring it in to have it fixed. But this looks more fun
Hi, what's the backing track @3:48?
Thanks
Hey... It's just a recording of a group I play for... this was literally part of a jam session of something we came up with here and there.
você sabe tb empachar uma pele? rs
Is there a standard tuning scheme? I’ve seen from GDE to GBD#E# and a couple others. I may have missed it in one of your vids. I want to get the Quinto, Conga, Tumba’s set to their natural tune but matched to the band’s sound. Thx tons for your vids....
You're hilarious man. But your skills are mad!!!!
What’s the difference between the Giovanni galaxy congas , and the Giovanni palladium congas ???
I own both... I plan to do a comparison video in the future about it. BUT... size play a huge role since the Palladiums are 2" taller.
Can you make a vid on how to tell what size the heads are?
I'll see if I can try to explain that in a future video.
Measure across the top of the conga head then cross reference with the conga brand and series.
I must get a shout out compadre
hahaha You Will!
I've been away from playing music for a long time... I'm getting back to practicing my music and came across your channel with good videos so I subscribed. I'm from SE DC and I grew up on Go-Go. When I saw you go to Chuck Levins, I was in a very nostalgic mode. I used to hang out at Chucks back in the 80's. I live in Utah now but I'm still very much DMV. A few years ago, I saw a video that I think was you playing with some gospel music. I can't find that video anywhere on your channel... did you delete? Was that you? In any case, great videos homey.
Deidric Stephen Cave awesome bro! Ummmm it might have been me... but I don’t remember having a vid of me playing with a gospel group on my channel tho.
I was you by yourself playing along with a gospel song.
Deidric Stephen Cave Oh Yeaaaa “Moving Forward”!!! Man that was YEARS back! That was a video i was featured on for someone else’s channel! Subliminal Visual Studios... I believe they took it down.
How I now my size the head Congas lp aspire
Measure across the top on the conga head.
Yeow teach!
beautiful bother
Hey man dig the vids! I just got a new fiberskyn head that I wanted to try out on my quinto. I haven’t changed the head since I got it either. I just put the new head on yesterday and seemed to tune everything pretty evenly but I’m getting this crazy high pitched overtone now that I never got with the rawhide that came with it. Any advice on how to get rid of that?
The ring is coming from the drum itself after taking the new head off, and knocking on the wood it still rings.
Ryan McClanahan what kinda of congas do you have?
A Percussion Life I have the 10” and 11” LP Aspire Congas. Had them for a while now and tour with them regularly.
Ryan McClanahan and I’m assuming you put the new head on the 10”? Do you normally tune at a higher pitch?
A Percussion Life yes I put the new fiberskyn head on the 10” and tuned it up to a high E. The overtone is around a third above
Hola,me gustan tus videos,tiénen muy buena información,son muy ddidactico y se aprende bastante con ellos,pero será posible que les pongas subtitulos en español por favor?.
Muchas gracias !!!
Voy a tratar de aviriguar como hacerlo en los videos para el futuro.
You never thought about going with synthetic heads?
I've gone with synthetic before... and switch when necessary... BUT just not a huge fan when it comes to the sound in general.
What about seasoning Conga heads
On these mass produced heads... it's not "necessary" at first until they start getting broken in very well.
Pai tranquilo yo le puse arandelas a una pa sacar le uno mese mas
pregunto le das vuelta a la tuerca de esquina a esquina? porque a mí me dijeron media vuelta na ma...
jajaja wow.... Bueno... media vuelta es recomendado cuando estas afinando en general... pero cuendo se tratar en montar un nuevo cuero... una vuelta esta bien.
FIRST COMMENT OMGGGGGGG!
Nathalia Matamoros hahaha Lord Jesus!!!
Easy stuff, the real challenge is mounting an unpremounted skin
Ohhhh it’s a tutorial for pre installed heads…
DRY MOUNTING?????????
Others say that the skin's border has to be hydrated