The Definitive Bongo Drum Sound Sample Pack: Free Download


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There’s a lot of very boring samples of the bongo drums out there. The reason why is that most samplers aren’t aware that the bongo drums have very specific techniques that make the bongo drums interesting and dynamic. I sought to remedy this and make my own sample pack.

This free bongo drum sample pack consists of 54 samples–making this the most comprehensive bongo drum sample pack in existence.

Most samples you’ll find of the bongo drums consist of two samples: one of the hembra (the bigger drum), and one of the macho (the smaller drum). What’s crazy is that I’m giving you this sample pack for free!

These samples are free to use in your projects, even commercially! (For now, I may decide to sell them later). If you have them downloaded, don’t worry, only the current license will apply to you.

No matter what, you cannot sell these samples individually or part of another sample pack. You can sell your music that incorporates these samples, or you can use them to layer or otherwise substantially modify the samples and resell.

Although not required, if you give attribution to soundadventurer.com that would be very appreciated.

For more details on the copyright for these samples, see the end:

You can get the sample pack here: bongo-samples.zip. (23MB)

If you’d like to see what I’m doing to make these sounds, you can check out my YouTube video:

Bongo Techniques for Beginners (including notation)

Bongo Martillo Sample

As an example of the variety and dynamics of this sample pack, I threw together an extremely simple rhythm–the famous Martillo rhythm. I did these as straight eighth notes with no additional processing. I did not alter volume, timing, or made any efforts at humanization.

Martillo

The possibilities are huge with this sample pack.

Individual Samples

For your convenience, I’ll put all the individual samples so you can download just the ones you want if you’d prefer in .mp3 format. If you would rather have these as raw .wav files, download the zip file above. I’ve organized this samples by the type of bongo technique.

  • Manoteo (heel, toe)
  • Muted Strike
  • Open
  • Rimshot
  • Slap
  • Flick
  • Bongo Drum Rub

Manoteo

The Manoteo is the rocking motion commonly used in the martillo rhythm. The heel being your thumb pressing into the drum and the toe being the last few fingers of your hand.

Heel

High Drum (Macho):
Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Toe

High Drum (Macho):

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Muted Strike

The muted strike is made by pressing one thumb into the drum and then striking near the edge of the drum with the other hand to produce a high pitched strike.

High Drum (Macho)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Open

An open tone is the simplest to make–it’s simply made by striking and releasing the drum allowing some resonance.

High Drum (Macho)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Rimshot

The rimshot is just like it sounds–you strike the rim of the drum for a very resonant sound.

High Drum (Macho)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Slap

The slap is made by cupping the hand and striking the drum. Almost as if you were palming the bongo drums.

High Drum (Macho)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Flick

To make the flick sound you flick the bongo drums like you did your little brother’s forehead. The one difference is that this makes a much cooler sound then a “heyyyyyyyy” that your brother probably made.

High Drum (Macho)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Bongo Drum Rub

This sound is made simply by rubbing the bongo drumhead.

High Drum (Macho)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

5-Stroke Roll

A quick 5-stroke roll, which is very common in many Latin rhythms.

High Drum (Macho)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Low Drum (Hembra)

Quiet
Medium
Loud

Tools Used

  • Microphone: SM-57
  • Bongos: LP Aspire
  • Bongosero: Me

The Sounds remain the property of its manufacturer and/or Soundadventurer.com (Collectively, “Licensor”) and are licensed to you as the original end-user (“Licensee”), for use subject to the provisions below. All rights not expressly granted herein are reserved exclusively by Licensor.

The Sounds in a category of ‘Sample Pack’:

1.  The Licensee may use the Sounds in combination with other sounds in music productions (which include soundtracks of such as films, video productions, radio/TV programs or commercials, computer games and multimedia presentations, library music), public performances, and other reasonable musical purposes within musical compositions.

2.  The Licensee may modify the Sounds and may use the Sounds for commercial purposes as part of a musical composition with other sounds.

3.  The Licensee MAY NOT use the Sounds in isolation as sound effects (i.e. a sequence of musical events) or within any competitive products that are sold or relicensed to multiple third parties.  In these scenarios, the Licensee must arrange an extension with Soundadventurer.com.

4.  A right to use the sounds is granted only to the Licensee and is NOT transferable. This license expressly forbids resale, re-licensing or other distribution of the Sounds, either as they exist or any modification thereof. You cannot sell, loan, rent, lease, assign, upload to or download from any server, or transfer all or any of the enclosed sounds to another user, or for use in any competitive product.

5.  Licensor will not be responsible if the sounds does not fit the parties needs or desires.

Peter Mitchell

Founder of this website. Lover of sound, music, hot sauce, and technology.

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