Bongo Drums

Bongo drums, usually just called bongos, are one of the most recognizable of percussion instruments. Due to the pervasive popularity of Latin music (thank you, "Dancing With the Stars"), the sounds of these little drums are familiar to people around the world. Bongos, as the name implies, always come in attached sets of two. One drum is slightly bigger than the other; the larger is the "hembra" (the Spanish word for "female), while the smaller is the "macho" (the Spanish word for "male"). Bongo drums are capable of a great deal of versatility and their music is usually upbeat and rapid.

If you are interested in beats, then you are sure to be interested in other instruments besides the usual drums that can give you the right beats. Well then let us discuss bongos and congas from the family of drums.

Bongo is a small version of drums. Actually it is a compilation of two open-ended drums. These two drums are joined with each other. Drum heads are normally made of animal skins, but plastic made drum heads are also available. The body is made of metal, wood and sometimes with ceramic also. Both the bongos are of different size. And for that reason each of them sounds different. You have to coordinate between both of them, to play it well.

The word bongos is often mistakenly used to describe other types of drums such as djembes and congas, however, bongos are actually two separate percussion instruments that are attached to one another. The smaller of the two drums is called the hembra, which is the Spanish word for female, and the larger drum is referred to as the macho, Spanish for male.