a good percussion setup

i was thinking about setting up a good percussion setup, mostly bongos and congas etc... anybody have any suggestions of what other instruments would make up a pretty good percussion setup? or a few different possible setups? i see the perucssionists on tv and in concert at times, but its hard to tell every instrument they have...

thanks

timbales, wind chimes, blocks and cowbells, djembe, different shakers and some effect cymbals, check out billy martins

[Bellringer]

I think it's good to balance out percussion drums with bells, shakers, chimes, and even wood blocks. Its also fun to make percussion instruments. I like to fill coffee cans with different items to get a variety of tone for shaking. Sand, glass, pellets, change, gravel, etc. You can always coat the inside of a metal container with glue and felt to change the tone a bit.
I always liked Skeleton Key's approach to percussion. They have everything from a red wagon to a keg. Meg White has a board with different pitched desk bells attached in a piano key pattern. It's great to have the basics but also stay unpredictable and original.

Originally Posted by Bellringer

I think it's good to balance out percussion drums with bells, shakers, chimes, and even wood blocks. Its also fun to make percussion instruments. I like to fill coffee cans with different items to get a variety of tone for shaking. Sand, glass, pellets, change, gravel, etc. You can always coat the inside of a metal container with glue and felt to change the tone a bit.
I always liked Skeleton Key's approach to percussion. They have everything from a red wagon to a keg. Meg White has a board with different pitched desk bells attached in a piano key pattern. It's great to have the basics but also stay unpredictable and original.

those are some pretty good ideas, guys... yea, i saw that meg white bell board, pretty cool... anything else that might be interesting?

Well, I'm definitely about the concept of "if it makes your ear happy, hit it". That and you can NEVER go wrong with some brake drums. Go to a junk yard and ask them for some, they're cheap. Get a few different ones, and you're all over it!!

That, and when you get a cowbell, do splurge. Nothing sounds better than LAYING quarter notes into a good cowbell.

[Nubus]

[GearJunkie]

I'm a big fan of the ratchet. Seriously, its a useful tool and a useful percussive sound.

I would recommend avoiding tablas. They are really cool instruments, but not easy to master. People spend years learning the basic scales of the tabla.

[dagosto]

I find bongos and congas to be the most useful drums. They are very easy to get useful sounds out of. Congas are some of the most easy drums to record. I always use an XY pair of SM57's. You can mix them loud or bury them under a dense mix and they always add something nice to the song.

[smopo24]

Originally Posted by dagosto

I find bongos and congas to be the most useful drums. They are very easy to get useful sounds out of. Congas are some of the most easy drums to record. I always use an XY pair of SM57's. You can mix them loud or bury them under a dense mix and they always add something nice to the song.

Chimes, a good set of bells, and a few triangles would be nice; you never see enough of those! And I agree with dagosto; congas and bongos are not just fun, but easy to record, and bing to life a track when mixed into the right music.