using the bongo might not be a bad idea, it will give good stick rebound like a snare would, Rudiments are good to know, they seem worthless at first but make sense when you apply it to the entire kit, when you get the basic idea of what your doing try and lead with your weaker hand from time to time too.

a basic rudiment is L= left hand R=right hand

R-L-R-R-L-R-L-L

just repeat this pattern until you can do it so fast it sounds like a blur, it will take a very long time to go fast at first but it will come together will practice.