Congas

These are barrel shaped drums made from strips of hardwood and were derived from the makauta drums of the Congolese people in Africa. They come in a variety of sizes and have many names given to them depending on which region of Cuba. The smallest drum is generally called the quinto, the middle drum - the conga, and the largest drum - the tumbadora. There are a variety of strokes and sounds, which can be created by these drums, and the challenge of developing those sounds takes practice. The tumbao is the most common traditional drumming pattern.