The conga is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and come in three types which relate to their size and pitch: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest).
Congas were originally used in Afro-Cuban music genres such as conga (hence their name) and rumba, where each drummer would play a single drum.
During the mid-20th Century, it became increasingly common for drummers to play two or three drums. Congas have become a popular instrument in many forms of Latin music such as son, descarga, Afro-Cuban jazz, salsa, songo, merengue and Latin rock.
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