Bongo Drums

Bongo drums are Cuban hand percussion instruments whose roots lay in African percussive drums such as the Djembe or dundun. Unlike, singular instruments from Africa, this is a paired instrument with two different size shells. The larger of the two drums is considered to be female, while the smaller is male.

Most often, the shells are wooden, but manufactured drums are more common because of the durability that they provide to those who play often in circles and gatherings. They are most commonly heard in Cuban styles of music, such as salsa, but the bongo has become popular in more mainstream music like reggae.

Below, you can learn more about different types of bongos and even purchase your own set. Before doing so, you may want to check out the drum reviews to see what other bongo players have to say about their own drums. Check out this information on a few things to consider before you buy bongo drums.

Free Drum Lessons

Bongo Parts:Covers the difference between Hembra and Macho, tuning parts and drum heads.

Playing Bongo Drums:Demonstrates both the correct and incorrect way of holding the bongo set.

Bongo Basics:Online drum lesson shows you the basic tones you can achieve with the bongo. Video tutorial included.

How To Read Bongo Music:Learn how to differentiate between hembra/macho notes and how to strike the drums.

Martillo Bongo Beat:Teaches you the basic Martillo rhythm and includes a few exercises demonstrating variations.

Bongo Techniques:Covers the heel-toe method for one handed drum rolls and how to play a rimshot on the bongos.

Bongo Sets

Bongo Music and Accessories

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