Like some other drums of the Americas, such as the steel drum, bongo drums were originally brought to South America from Africa via the Atlantic slave trade. …show more content…
When played, the drums should be held between the player's knees; the larger drum should be on the side of the player's dominant hand, which is usually the right one. The drum heads are struck with both the fingers, palms, and sometimes sticks and brushes, although these last are contemporary innovations. The sound of the bongo drum can be muted by placing part of one hand on the drum head while striking with the other hand.
Some of the most famous dance styles of Latin America, including the mambo, salsa and conga, utilize the music of the bongo drum. The instrument's capacity for distinct percussion is essential to these styles, which showcase distinct and often rapid rhythms. In fact, the music of the bongos is often used as a solo instrument in such music, a tactic that highlights the importance of a song's rhythm.
On a side note, although bongo drums are generally considered instruments of Latin America, drums resembling bongos can be found in Morocco, Egypt and some Middle Eastern countries. These drums have rawhide heads like their American counterparts, but the bodies are of a ceramic nature. Such drums can also be heard in some traditional Spanish music, such as flamenco, probably due to the Moorish influence in that