Bongos

Bongos are a pair of small, open-bottomed drums of Cuban origin, consisting of a larger drum called "hembra" (female) and a smaller drum called "macho" (male), traditionally connected by a wooden bridge or metal hardware. These hand-played percussion instruments feature natural or synthetic drumheads stretched over shallow wooden shells, producing bright, penetrating tones with excellent projection. Essential in Latin music genres including salsa, mambo, rumba, and Afro-Cuban jazz, bongos provide crisp rhythmic accents and intricate polyrhythmic patterns. Modern bongos are available in various sizes, materials, and mounting systems for both traditional and contemporary musical applications.