According to musical experts, like those found at My Music Supply, here are a few ways to improve your bongo drum playing.
First, you must listen to music and different rhythms and educate
your ability to feel their pulse.This
is not just a preliminary step, but something you must keep doing for as long
as you play drums. You cannot be a good musician without listening to different
music and be familiar with it. It must become a part of your culture.
Bongo drum practice exercises must also include various hand
exercises, for warming up and also improve your technique and the speed of the
execution. The principle is simple: the more you exercise, the better you play.
Bongo drums are a solo instrument, so you must have very
well-trained hands and ears if you want to make an impression. Start your
practice exercises with basic left-right single strokes, using only your
fingertips. Keep your movements smooth, get into the rhythm and stick to the
tempo for as long as you can. You need impeccable consistency at slower speeds
if you want to improve your skills and reach a professional level. Gradually,
move to more complicated strokes and keep aiming for consistency: double
strokes (left-left-right-right) and paradiddles
(left-right-left-left-right-left-right-right). Next, you must practice alternating
between different fingertips, as well as the four-stroke pattern known as “manoteo”.
Once you can do all these consistently, you can start
working on your independence.
Article source here: Bongo Drum Practice Exercises
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