{"id":652,"date":"2020-03-11T06:43:59","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T11:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soundadventurer.com\/?p=652"},"modified":"2022-07-25T07:19:29","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T12:19:29","slug":"how-to-tune-bongo-drums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soundadventurer.com\/how-to-tune-bongo-drums\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tune Bongo Drums Without Ruining Them: A Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Believe it or not, there’s a lot to know about tuning bongos. Ultimately tuning is a personal choice and the pitches that you choose to tighten your drumheads are up to you. However, everyone will thank you if you tune your bongos properly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuning your bongos properly requires tightening the tuning lugs evenly, finding the ideal pitch and resonance for the high drum (macho), determining the proper interval between the high and low drum, and lastly, tuning technique. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s get to it! I’ll try and break this up into all the sections that you need to know and try to make it easy to jump to what you’re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lightning Quick Bongo Terminology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we start, I’m going to be using a lot of bongo-specific terminology, and so it’s helpful to know exactly what parts are called which:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We’ll be talking about those tuning lugs <\/strong>and the tuning nuts<\/strong>, the rim<\/strong>, and the drumhead<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step-By-Step Guide to Tuning Your Bongo Drums<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that we’ve talked all about tuning and what notes to tune your bongos to, let’s put it all together.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Going around the bongos<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
  1. Find the pitch that you want. Whistle it or put on a digital pitchpipe to help give you a reference to your target. You can also use a drum tuning app (read on for more details)<\/li>
  2. Flip the Bongos on your lap<\/li>
  3. Get your tuning wrench ready and go around one<\/strong> drum the same amount for each tuning lug<\/strong>
    1. You can use the criss-cross pattern or you can try tightening two lugs diagonal to each other at once (see below for details)<\/li><\/ol><\/li>
    2. Once you feel a decent amount of resistance (or the drumhead starts to creak or crack), tighten the tuning lugs a 1\/4 turn at a time.<\/li>
    3. Periodically flip the bongos over and examine the bongos to make sure you are applying even pressure across the drum. Strike the drum to check the tuning.
      1. You can check evenness also by striking the drum directly over the tuning lugs all around the drum<\/li><\/ol><\/li>
      2. Repeat this process for the other drum<\/li>
      3. Make any fine-tuning adjustments until you reach your target pitch.<\/li>
      4. Once you are done playing, detuning the drum is a common practice. This can extend the life of your drumhead. (read more about it below)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        I go over tuning briefly in my video on the subject here as well:<\/p>\n\n\n

        <\/div>
        Bongo Basics For Beginners<\/div><\/div>
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