Oye como va?! From African origins to further Latin American/Caribbean developments, these world percussion instruments are now ubiquitous across stages all over the world. These instruments have grooves and roots so deep that they unsurprisingly require years of study for percussionists and musicologists alike. Indeed, the history of congas, djembes, timbales, and more is at times just as exciting as the infectious sounds they produce. Acclaimed percussionist Karl Perazzo (who plays with Carlos Santana) was recently at Sweetwater, and he distilled some serious percussive pedagogy on a wide variety of percussion instruments. In this article, we talk about the instruments’ histories, including traditional construction and the available contemporary variations. We also offer playlists of tracks where each instrument is prominently featured in a solo or is well represented in the mix. ¡Vamos!
- Congas
- Bongos
- Timbales
- Cajons
- Djembes
- Güiro/Güira
- Woodblocks/Claves
- Tambourines
- Shakers/Cabasas/Maracas
- Cowbells
Congas
The history of the conga is convoluted; entire articles have been written about it. A very brief history of the conga is as follows: though we know them as “congas” or perhaps “conga drums” in the United States, the technically correct term for these drums is tumbadora. In Cuba, where these drums developed, la conga refers specifically to a drum and rhythm used during Carnaval. If you’ve ever heard or been part of a conga line, then you know exactly the rhythm to which we’re referring.
As you peruse Sweetwater’s website, you may notice the words quinto and tumba alongside the word conga. These terms refer to the roles that the drums play in rumba, the traditional Cuban genre that is mostly responsible for the musical development of the drums. (In the video, Karl demonstrates a guaguancó pattern, which features heavily in rumba music.) The smallest drum, the quinto, usually plays the lead part, while the conga and the tumba are the medium- and large-sized drums, respectively.
Traditionally made from a single log and then later stave construction with tacks to attach a goatskin (or mule-skin) head, congas today are made from all manner of tonewoods. Fiberglass is also a particularly popular shell material due to its durability and projection. While synthetic drumheads have come a long way, many high-end congas still feature a hand-selected goatskin head.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Llora Como Lloré” — Los Muñequitos de Matanzas (played by Julito González)
2.) “Rumba Mama” — Weather Report (played by Manolo Badrena and Alex Acuña) — also a great timbale feature!
3.) “A Kiss in Her Glance” — Mongo Santamaria
4.) “Sympathy for the Devil” — The Rolling Stones (played by Rocky Dzidzornu)
5.) “Conga – Intro” — Arturo Sandoval (played by Giovanni Hidalgo)
Bongos
Bongos, like their larger conga cousins, lack a definitive origin. The consensus seems to be that bongos as we know them today originated from the Oriente province in eastern Cuba, where they featured largely in the changüí and son cubano genres, with the son style in particular utilizing bongos that resemble the contemporary drums we know and love.
Bongos feature two drums: the larger hembra (female) and the smaller macho (male). Again, like congas, bongos traditionally featured goatskin heads attached to the shells via tacks. They were tuned not with mechanical lugs like in modern times, but with the flame of an oil lamp! The fire would draw out excess moisture and gradually raise the pitch of the drums.
Today, bongos are made from all manner of tonewoods, including Siam oak, pine, mahogany, and many more. Fiberglass and other materials are also readily available. Real goatskin heads are a staple on quality bongos, though synthetic heads are getting better all the time and are becoming an increasingly popular choice.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Apache” — Incredible Bongo Band (played by King Errisson)
2.) “A Horse with No Name” — America (played by Ray Cooper)
3.) “Chan Chan” — Buena Vista Social Club (played by Carlos González)
4.) “Vivir Sin Aire” — Maná (played by Alex González)
5.) “Clasiqueando Con Rubén” — Afro-Cuban All Stars (played by Carlos “Patato” Valdés)
Timbales
Timbales, the only Latin drums played with sticks, came from the orchestral timpani of Europe, which were used in early-1900s Cuban danzon bands. Nowadays, you can find timbales in every corner of the Latin and Afro-Cuban music scenes, and they even feature heavily in some pop songs. Timbales are usually two drums sized 14 and 15 inches, though a wide range of timbale sizes exist.
Many, many sounds and patterns can be coaxed out of timbales, with cascara and danzon being two that Karl highlights. Accessories are another important part of playing timbales. Typically, two cowbells are also attached to timbales: a larger mambo bell and a smaller cha-cha bell. Other accessories can be used too, such as wood blocks or suspended cymbals. Steel is what most timbales are made from these days, though copper and brass are also common materials.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Four by Two” — Tito Puente
2.) “Concierto De Oquendo” — Manny Oquendo
3.) “Son Cuero Y Boogaloo” — Fania All Stars (played by Orestes Vilató)
4.) “Salsa Y Control” — Lebrón Brothers (played by Johnny “Dandy” Rodríguez)
5.) “Timbalero” — Charlie Aponte and El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico (played by Miguel “Angá” Díaz)
Cajons
As Karl states in the video, the cajon has revolutionized itself. Once a traditional instrument from Peru, the cajon can now be found in all genres of contemporary music and is also a popular instrument for early music classrooms and music therapy groups, perhaps rivaled only by the djembe (see below) in this regard. One reason for the instrument’s popularity could be that the cajon is one of the best world percussion instruments for replicating the feel and parts of a modern drum set, with its deep bass tones and crisp snare sounds, thus lending itself to a wealth of music genres outside its traditional spheres of influence.
If you peruse YouTube, then you’ll find cajon cover versions of many, many different songs that originally didn’t feature the instrument — a testament to its versatility and adaptability. There are also variations on the traditional cajon, including bass cajons, cajonitos, and more.
Birch is arguably the most popular tonewood for cajons, but a variety of other tonewoods, such as walnut, alder, and poplar, are also available. Medium-density Fiberboard (MDF) bodies are also popular for those looking for a great traditional cajon sound on a budget.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Son De Los Diablos” — Perú Negro (played by Amador Ballumbrosio)
2.) “Toro Mata” — Eva Ayllón (played by Pedro Rosales)
3.) “Maria Lando” — Susana Baca (possibly played by Juan Medrano Cotito)
4.) “Love Is a Verb” — John Mayer (played by Aaron Sterling)
5.) “Festejo Bomba – Sesió en vivo” — AfroPerú (played by José “Pepón” Castañeda)
Djembes
The history of the djembe (or jembe) features incredibly rich traditions and stories that date back to at least the 13th century. We can’t possibly go in depth for this article, so we’ll be brief. Central djembe traditions come from what are now Mali and Guinea in West Africa, with the drum also having a noteworthy impact on neighboring countries, such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. The name “jembe” means “gather together in peace” in the language of the Bambara people. Today, the djembe is one of the most popular hand drums in the world, not only for drum circles, but also for contemporary music, classrooms, music therapy groups, and more. In fact, entire djembe orchestras exist, and they also feature instruments such as the dunun, which is a set of three drums played with sticks; the large dununba; the medium sangban; and the small kenkeni. Other instruments include shekere and various other shakers, as well as dancers and singers. Traditionally made from dense hardwoods and a goatskin head, modern djembes are made from both soft tonewoods and fiberglass. The latter is especially popular due to its light weight, since the djembe is traditionally played standing up while wearing the drum on a strap.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Tiriba” — Mamady Keïta
2.) “Kadan” — Famoudou Konaté
3.) “Jin-Go-Lo-Ba” — Babatunde Olatunji
4.) “Burn One Down” — Ben Harper (played by Leon Mobley)
5.) “Jarafoli” — Soungalo Coulibaly
Güiros/Güiras
As Karl notes in the video, a güiro is traditionally made from a gourd. These days, it’s much more common to find them made of plastic, fiberglass, or another synthetic materials due to longevity, though wood is also used. The güiro is heard in cha-cha, salsa, merengue, funk, pop, and many other genres, where its long-short-short rhythm is an absolute staple. Even the Rolling Stones and David Bowie used güiros on their recordings! A close cousin of the güiro is the güira, which comes from the Dominican Republic and is made from metal. In fact, seemingly every Latin American country has some relative of the güiro, including the Brazilian reco-reco, the Colombian guacharaca, and many more.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Uno, Dos, Tres” — Willie Bobo (played by Osvaldo Martinez)
2.) “Oye Como Va” — Santana (played by José “Chepito” Areas)
3.) “The Man Who Sold the World” — David Bowie (played by Mick “Woody” Woodmansey)
4.) “Gimme Shelter” — The Rolling Stones (played by Jimmy Miller)
5.) “Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing” — Stevie Wonder (played by Sheila Wilkerson)
Woodblocks/Claves
The claves are so vital to Afro-Cuban and other Latin genres that they even have their own eponymous rhythmic figure, the clave, one of the most famous of all Latin rhythms (and which Karl demonstrates in the video). Likewise, the woodblocks (or the Latin Percussion Jam Block, which Karl plays) play similar roles in various styles of music, often holding down an ostinato, a repeating pattern that forms the “keystone” around which the other instruments play. This role has led to blocks and claves being used in a huge variety of music throughout the world, including tracks by the Beatles and compositions as prominent as Gershwin’s Cuban Overture. Both instruments are traditionally made from wood, which is still prominent for claves, and Sweetwater also sells a variety of blocks made from synthetic materials.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Guajira guantanamera” — Compay Segundo (played by Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal)
2.) “Saidas e Bandeiras N°2” — Milton Nascimento and Beto Guedes (played by unknown)
3.) “Dedicada a ela” — Arthur Verocai (played by Robertinho Silva or Pedro Santos)
4.) “Domingo em Copacabana” — Elis Regina (played by unknown)
5.) “The Trees” — Rush (played by Neil Peart)
Shop Woodblocks and Claves
Tambourines
Another instrument with a long history is the tambourine; mentions of this percussion instrument go as far back as ancient Egypt. Traditionally, the tambourine was made from wood and sported a drumhead, though contemporary tambourines can be made from other materials and may not have a head. The tambourine can be played with the hands or with sticks, with headed versions offering more advanced techniques like thumb and finger rolls. The jingles also typically come in either 1-row or 2-row variations, and brass seems to be their most common material. A huge number of genres utilize the tambourine, everything from traditional folk music to orchestral pieces to modern rock ‘n’ roll songs and everything in between. With such variety, it’s a safe bet that some of your favorite songs contain a tambourine.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Não Vou Ficar” — Tim Maia (probably played by Guilherme Franco)
2.) “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” — Nancy Sinatra (played by Hal Blaine or Gary Coleman)
3.) “Carnival Overture” — Antonín Dvořák (probably played by Richard Weiner)
4.) “Mr. Tambourine Man” — The Byrds (played by Jim Gordon)
5.) “Tamburello Magico” — Alessandra Belloni
Shop Tambourines
Shakers/Cabasas/Maracas
Shakers come in so many varieties from so many cultures and are featured in so many songs that it would be impossible for us to list even half of them. We’ve mentioned the shekere already, and another couple of famous shakers that you’ve probably heard of (and have definitely heard) are cabasas and maracas. The metal cabasa was actually invented by Martin Cohen, the founder of Latin Percussion (LP), though now many brands produce this subtle instrument, which can even be played with your foot! Maracas or maraca-like shakers, on the other hand, have existed for millennia throughout Africa, the Americas, and elsewhere. While shakers might seem simple to play, Sweetwater percussionists will be the first to tell you that they’re deceptively tricky and require ample amounts of coordination.
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Lovely Day” — Bill Withers (played by Raymond Jackson)
2.) “Mas Que Nada” — Sergio Mendes and Brazil ’66 (played by José Soares)
3.) “Tico Tico” — Carmen Miranda (played by Chino Pozo)
4.) “Leve-me Daqui” — Vanessa Rangel (played by unknown)
5.) “Paranoid Android” — Radiohead (played by Ed O’Brien)
Shop Shakers, Cabasas, and Maracas
Cowbells
Karl ends his video by talking about a particularly feverish instrument, the cowbell. By this point, it should come as no surprise that cowbells, like every other percussion instrument we’ve featured, have a rich history and come in many different varieties. The usage of bells to identify livestock dates back over five thousand years to Neolithic China, while the musical usage of the instrument surged in popularity during the 20th century thanks to the development of Afro-Cuban music, and, later, American rock and funk music. These days, steel is undeniably the metal of choice for a quality cowbell. The size of the cowbell often dictates its name and which genre it is meant for, but of course you are free to use whichever cowbell in whatever genre you want!
Listening Recommendations
1.) “Low Rider” — War (played by Lee Oskar)
2.) “La Vida Es Un Carnaval” — Celia Cruz (played by José “Chombo” Silva)
3.) “Rebelión” — Joe Arroyo (played by Horacio “El Negro” Hernández)
4.) “We’re an American Band” — Grand Funk Railroad (played by Don Brewer)
5.) “Don’t Fear the Reaper” — Blue Öyster Cult (played by Albert Bouchard) (Of course, we had to end with this one.)
So Much More to Explore
Hopefully Sweetwater and Karl Perazzo have inspired you to learn more about world percussion instruments and to seek out more music that features them. The list is truly exhaustive, containing much of the greatest music ever written that utilizes world percussion instruments. Should you decide to try your own hands at world percussion, then Sweetwater would be honored to help start you on the journey to discovering these fascinating instruments. Just give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700, and we’ll get you on your way!