Bongo and Conga Additions to Drum Kit

by Tony

Can i use any set of bongos or congas with my drum set like regular toms or do i need special heads to not damage or dent them? I've seen bands use them i just dont know if their heavier duty.

ANSWER

Hi, Tony--

Conga and Bongo heads are meant to be played with hands or special sticks (sticks not suitable for a drum kit).

Anytime you use a stick on a conga or bongo head, you risk damaging the head. It is possible to get synthetic rather than animal skin heads and these are a bit more resilient, but still really not meant to be used with sticks.

In addition, the Conga and Bongo drums do not sound the same when struck with sticks. My choice would be to use triggers and a sound module with drum kit toms to simulate a conga sound.

Lynne