What are Congas?
Congas are drums that originate in Africa but are now most identified with music of Latin America and the Caribbean. The earliest congas were made of wood, and stood fairly tall, 3-4 feet (.91-1.22m) in height. The drumheads were covered in animal hide. They have a cylindrical tear drop shape, and are often played in pairs. Congas bear some similarity to other percussion instruments like the timpani, because the drumheads can be tuned by tightening the heads, typically in perfect fourths, though this may vary.
