VERY INTERESTING: BONGOS

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Booming Facts About Bongo Drums

Bongo drums are an instrument that is well known across the globe and you may have even had the chance to play. But do you know where they come from and why they are such a popular instrument?

Here are 5 booming facts about bongo drums.

Although it is unclear exactly when and where the bongo drum was invented, documents suggest that it was invented in Cuba.

The Afro-Cuban percussion instrument was first documented to be used in eastern Cuba in the late 19th Century.

When slavery ended in Cuba in the 19th Century, African and Latin drumming merged and as a result many hybrid instruments were formed, the bongo drums being one.

The drums follow a traditional African design and the playing technique came from the Latin influence of using your hands.

In the early 1900s the bongo drums were introduced to western Cuba and became an influential part of the music scene in places like Havana.

In the 1930s as the jazz movement began to grow, the bongo drums became important part of American Jazz.

Bongo Drums always come as a pair.

Bongo drums are two circular drums attached together with a piece of wood. They are never sold separately and one drum is larger than the other.

The “hembra” which means female, is larger than the “macho”, the male drum.

The two drums are always played together and never individually.

On average most bongo drums have a diameter between 5.9-8.66 inches (15 -22cm).

The drums are traditionally made with animal skin and oak wood.

The shell of the drum is traditionally made from oak wood, although many variations today are made with other woods.

The skin of an animal, traditionally rawhide would be used to form the drum on one end of the wooden shell.

Some more modern drums use synthetic skin.

The other end of the drum is left open, this allows for the booming echo to be created when the stretched skin is tapped by the player.

The bongosero is the player of the bongo drums.

When the bongosero is setting up, the drums are placed between their legs if they are sitting cross legged, or placed on a stand if they are standing during playing.

Traditionally the “hembra” drum, the larger of the two, should be placed on the side of the bongosero’s dominant side.

The bongosero traditionally could change the pitch of their drum by heating it to remove moisture making the skin tighter, or by moistening the skin with water to make it looser.

Bongo drums are played with both hands.

Traditionally you would use only your hands to play the bongo drums.

The player will use their fingertips, thumbs and heels of the hands to tap on the drums.

Knuckles are never used, mostly because they create an unwanted tone but using them can also damage your hand over time.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking