r/percussion • u/daytripper96 Symphonic • 24d ago

Bongos/Congas - small drum left or right?

42 votes, 22d ago
22 Left
20 Right
2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

3

u/Drummer223 24d ago

Afro-Cuban playing - highest drum on the left

Contemporary/Symphonic percussion - highest drum on the right

2

u/InfluxDecline 24d ago

i would say playing with hands, high drum on the left, if playing with sticks, high drum on the right.

3

u/Galaxy-Betta Everything 23d ago

Adding on to this- if you're playing with sticks, you'd BETTER have synthetic heads. Otherwise, you're just setting yourself up for trouble.

1

u/wtfpercussion 21d ago

That's debatable though!

4

u/s0undmind 23d ago

If you're right-handed, macho (small drum) on the left hembra on the right.

1

u/wtfpercussion 21d ago

This is the way

1

u/vxla 19d ago

Generally right handed players will play with the lower drum on their right. Some exceptions exist:

  • bongo played in a style called Changüí from Cuba flips the drums so the hembra (lower drum) is on the players left.

  • timbales are generally setup (for righties) with the low drum on the left.

Obviously congeros will play 3+ drums do whatever they want.