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Profile of the Conga Drum

By Espie Estrella, About.com

Name of Instrument: Conga drum
Family: Percussion
How to Play: The musician strikes the drumhead with his fingertips or palms of his hands.
Types: Conga drums come in a variety of sizes and shapes, each possessing its' own unique sound. The smallest is called niño and the largest is the tumba. Players use any one, a combination or all the four sizes of congas.
First Known Conga Drums: Conga drums are believed to have roots from both Cuban and African music. It is often referred to as "an Afro-Cuban barrel-shaped drum". Nowadays, congas have adjustable drumheads and are used in Latin-American music.
Musicians Who Use Conga Drums: Conga players are called congueros and some notable congueros are Giovanni Hidalgo, Candido Camero and Poncho Sanchez.
More Percussion Instruments

PianoBass DrumBongo Drum

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Snare DrumSteel DrumTambourine

Still More Percussion Instruments

BellCastanetsPercussion Instrument Index

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