The term bongo indicates a made instrument of 2 barrels, its C-W communication is thus " bongo" , without the " s" plural.

The bongo (spelled bongó in Spanish of Cuba) consists of a pair of cylinders or truncated cones, out of wood or synthetic fiber, provided each of only one membrane. These of the same barrels height have different diameters. In the beginning, they were paired by means of a fabric band, then the percussionnist posed the unit on his thigh to play. Quickly, this part of textile was replaced by a piece of wood allowing the instrumentalist " cadenasser" drums between the fold of its knees. In the first times, the skins (of calf) were heated with the flame to grant the instrument. Touched Güines precise: " the congueros, one often met to speak job and to exchange ideas in order to improve this constraint of the candles. And then one day, at the end of the Forties, the Vergarra brothers who lived in the district Reparto Lawton of Havana modernized the conga and the bongo by adding a system of metal keys to fix the skins. " This improvement was also allotted to Carlos " Patato" Valdés (Tata Güines disputes) and in Basileo POZO, trying out with Ulpiano Diaz (respectively conguero and timbalero of the charanga “Arcano there known Maravillas”) a blacksmith; these tests lead to a system of keys, fixed on the barrel… " In 1944, " El Colorao" fact irruption on scene, will tumbadora it covered with a veil & business by no means to heat it. At the moment when the orchestra is on the point of playing, " El Colorao" reveal its invention. ".

In the orchestras of Western erudite music, the bongo is often placed on a stand and is played with rods.

The smallest barrel (the acute one) of both is called macho (" mâle" in Spanish), it is placed on the left for the droitiers. Largest (low register), placed on the right, is named will hembra (" femelle"). The agreement is done with the quad or the fifth.

The basic rhythmic cell of the bongo (known as also " patron") is the martillo (small hammer), also called has caballo (with Cheval). Often played in tremor ( redoble ), it sounds a little like " tiki-toki-tiki-toki".

The martillo maintains the screen rhythmic of eighth note by accentuating the strong Temps on the macho , the fourth Temps (or ponche ) is marked on the will hembra and supports the Phrasé of the tumbao of the Congas. In a alternative movement right-hand side-left, the line marks times and the left fills spaces, playing does all the eighth note S with Contretemps, by alternating the positions Paume and points of them.

In the Latin music, the bongo' ero (with a " s" , cf Olavo Alèn Rodriguez) plays also the bell ( campana or Cencerro ) in the impromptu sections of Montunos . Very acute sonority and the speed of movements inherent in the small size of the bongo make it possible to the percussionnist to improvise with volubility, to weave the most syncopated rhythmic texture of, without never really leaving the role of maintenance and rhythmic stability of the martillo .

The variations and improvisations of the bongo are called spottings .

The bongo is mainly used in the Changüi, the Its Cuban, the Bolero, then the Salsa and the Bachata.

Among the famous bongoseros, let us quote Roberto Roena, Ray Romero, Johnny " Dandy" Rodriguez.

See too

• Bongo DK: controller of video game of Nintendo having the appearance of bongos

External bonds

• History of the cuban musics
• The bongo page (in English)
• Discussion forum with a section on the bongos

References