Conga Drumming: A Beginner's Guide to Playing with Time W/ CD [With CD]

by Betsy Sansby and Alan Dworsky

This book will teach any musician, step by step, how to play the conga drum using authentic Afro-Cuban rhythms: calypso, bomba, conga, rumba and bembe. The clear text, life-like illustrations and simple charts make learning to play these beats easy, even for non-musicians. The player can hear all 175 rhythms in the book on the included CD.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0963880101
• ISBN13: 9780963880109
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Dancing Hands Music
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Love the book; like their notation

I agree with all the other reviewers... this is a great book for beginners and advanced (as well as folks somewhere in the middle, like me).One thing I didn't expect to like, since I can read regular music notation, was their concocted music notation. To my surprise, I like theirs better. It's very intuitive, and after a while, you can pretty much sight-read the rhythms. If I hear/see a conga pattern I like in the future, I'll probably write it down using their notation.

Very clear and simple way of learning the Congas

Very recommended! I think Alan Dworsky used a very clear graphic way of teaching the Conga playing, without getting into music reading instead, he uses symbols for the diferent strokes, and easy numbers. It is great for begginers but stil a good book for advanced players, because it goes through many aspects of the conga. If you are into conga playing, get this book for the price of half a conga lesson I am sure you will get some mileage out of it. I have been playing congas for years and I discovered a few things in this book I didn't know. Go for it! (...)

More than I expected

As a beginning Conga drummer, I was not sure how much could be learned from a book. I keep playing the patterns over and over and I get a little faster and smoother all the time. The CD lets me match the sound. I am starting lessons soon but I know this book will be there during and after the lessons. It's like having a private, personal instructor. Excellent.

One of the best books on congas - No matter what level

I have been playing congas for 15 years and teaching for 3 years. I recommend this book to my students and to my freinds.

Buy this book if you want to learn congas!

A really good book...the cd is excellent as well.