When performing with Changes In Latitudes Brandon plays a multi-percussion kit that is built on a foundation of the three central drums of the típica rhythm section in salsa and cuban popular music: congas, bongó and timbales. In a typical salsa band there would be separate percussionists playing each of these three types of drums, but in Changes In Latitudes Brandon uses each type of drum to mark particular parts of each song, creating multi-percussion arrangements in which he switches seamlessly from one drum to another, creating the illusion of a full típica rhythm section.
In addition to the three main families of drums in his multi-percussion kit, Brandon employs a variety of small hand percussion that adds musical textures and colors to each particular song.
In his use of five congas together, tuned to a musical scale, Brandon has been most inspired by congueros such as Jerry Gonzalez, Daniel Ponce, Carlos Valdés (Patato) and Giovanni Hidalgo (Mañenguito). In his use of percussion for musical texture and color Brandon has been most inspired by brazilian percussionists such as Airto Moreira and Robertinho Silva. Other percussionists who have inspired and influenced Brandon’s approach to percussion in Changes In Latitudes include Ralph MacDonald, Bill Summers and Doc Gibbs.
When onstage with Changes In Latitudes Brandon currently uses the following instruments:
Congas
LP Giovanni 9.75” requinto (LP804Z-AW)
LP Giovanni 11” quinto (LP805Z-AW)
LP Giovanni 11.75” conga (LP806Z-AW)
LP Classic 11.75” conga (LP804Z-AW)
LP Giovanni !2.5” tumba (LP807Z-AW)
Brandon’s congas all have Remo NuSkyn heads.
The Giovanni quinto, conga and tumba are mounted on an LP Triple Conga Stand (LP291).
The Giovanni requinto and The Classic conga are each mounted on Meinl folding stands (TMC-CH).
Bongó
LP Generation III Bongó [7.25”/9” shells] (LP201A-3) with Remo tucked Fiberskyn heads.
The bongó is attached to the LP Triple Conga Stand using an LP Bongo Bracket (LP454) and an LP Camlock Accessory Bracket (LP330A)
Brandon’s drum configuration for Changes In Latitudes’ big stage productions (Click on photos to enlarge)
Timbales
LP Tito Puente Timbales
[14” & 15” shells] (LP257-S)
with Remo Fiberskyn heads.
Mounted on the Timbales
LP High Cowbell (ES-2)
LP Low Cha Cha Cowbell (ES-12)
LP Uptown Timbale Cowbell (ES-6)
LP Songo Cowbell (ES=8)
Pete Englehart Clave Bell
LP Sambago blocks (LP617)
Set of 5 LP Granite Blocks (LP1210), modified
to accept z-rods for mounting cowbells.
Cymbals
A Zildjian 12” splash (A0212)
Sabian 13” AA El Sabor splash (21360)
Hand percussion
LP Super Güiro (LP243)
Meinl Shekere (SH1BK)
Meinl synthetic seed pods (WA7BK & BI7RY)
LP Aspire 10” Triangle (LPA123)
Franco 12” Pandeiro (from Brasil)
LP Double Row Studio Bar Chimes (LP513)
LP Macho Maracas (LP394)
Rhythm Tech Pro Tambourine (RTPRO10)
Hardware
Highly modified LP Percussion Table (LP760)
Modified 4 post Pearl Percussion mount (PPS-52),
attached to percussion table’s rack.
Photos and plot for the full multi-percussion set that Brandon Marger uses for Changes In Latitudes
large stage productions (Click each photo to enlarge)
Brandon close-mics each of his 5 congas with AKG C408 (older model) and C418 (newer model) condenser Micro-Mics. The Micro-Mics have their own integrated clips which attach right to the rims of the congas. The 5 conga mics are loomed together and sub-mixed through a Rolls RM82 eight channel mixer (located at the percussion position), which sends a single XLR conga sub-mix out to the mixing board.
Brandon also close-mics his bongó with an AKG C418 Micro-Mic which clips directly to the drum’s hardware. This mic is also loomed together with all of the other Micro-Mics.
Brandon mics his chimes and small hand percussion with an AKG C430 Micro-Mic that is attached directly to the rack of the percussion table with an LP Mic Claw (LP592A-N).
Brandon mics his timbales from below using a Shure PG81 condenser mic, which mounts by combining the mount-all bracket from an LP Stealth Block (LP1208-K) with the microphone mount from an LP Mic Claw (LP592-A).
Brandon’s use of close-mic technique enables the use much lower gain levels than overhead mics would require. This helps to reduce bleed from other instruments on stage, and to reduce feedback from the monitor system. Brandon’s extensive use of the AKG Micro Mic series means that the majority of his microphones are extremely low-profile, and are nearly invisible to the audience. The use of integral mic clips and mic claws throughout the kit allows Brandon to mic his entire large multi-percussion kit without cluttering the stage with myriad mic stands; and the cable loom prevents all of the mic cables from becoming a tangled mess.
Storage & Transportation
With such a large multi-percussion kit, storage and transportation is an important logistical consideration. The five congas all travel in individual rigid plastic cases on wheels. The bongó, timbales, all other percussion instruments, and some of the smaller hardware travels in a large red road case nicknamed “Big Red” that was custom built for Brandon by Joe Bennett in 2003. All of the heavy-duty stands and hardware travel in a large blue vintage Anvil road case. The entire kit is stored year-round in Changes In Latitudes’ equipment truck, where it sits ready to be loaded into the next venue.
