Cajon

A cajon is basically a wooden box that was invented when African slaves started pounding out beats on the only thing they could find - wooden crates. The cajon has since grown into an insanely popular percussion instrument, probably because it's so accessible, looks fairly easy to play and can deliver such a range of different percussive sounds. Unlike a full drum kit, they're also really lightweight and easy to carry.

Playing the Cajon

To play the cajon , you have to sit on it. While comfortably seated, the cajon is pinned between your legs while you strike the front side with a fist, your palm, fingers or the flat of your hands. It's fairly easy to figure out where to strike the front playing surface to get the bass drum, snare, and hi-hat sounds (so the basics of any drum kit ) and play a simple beat on a cajon, but if you want a little more in-depth guidance, you can find it in our blog: Three Basic Cajon Beats .

How Does a Cajon Work?

A cajon is a wooden box with a front playing surface that's also made out of wood. Most cajons also come fitted with snare wires, which are inside the box and attached to the back of the playing surface so that, every time the surface is struck in a specific way, the wires rattle and you get that classic snare-drum-style sound. Because striking the edges of the playing surface produces a different sound than striking the middle, you can hit specific points of the surface and mimic the variation of a drum kit: so the kick drum, snare and hi-hat - giving the cajon a complete palette of percussive sounds.

Picking Out a Cajon

When picking out your first cajon, you need to make sure that it's big enough for you to sit on. Then you need to think about the type of cajon you want. Most cajons are snare or string cajons, so they come with internal snare wires that give the cajon a snare-drum-like sound, while traditional cajons don't include snare wires and have a more tom-drum-like sound. Along with your cajon, you might need a few accessories, so a complete cajon starter pack can be a good idea since they often come bundled up with a gig bag and a lesson book so you get some guidance while you learn to play your first beats.

Cajon Accessories & Cajon Kits

To learn to play the cajon, you don't actually need much more than just a cajon. A lot of cajon accessories are designed to make playing the cajon more comfortable or to expand the setup. So you can get protective bags to safely carry your cajon to rehearsals and gigs or cajon pads, which are basically cajon cushions that provide a more comfy seat. There are also plenty of cajon lesson books to help hone your craft, and once you know what you're doing, you can start adding gear like a kick pedal to firm up your bass drum sound and leave your hands free to play more complex beats.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cajons

Which cajon should I go for?

Make sure to pick out a cajon that's big enough for a fully-grown adult to sit on. It's also probably a good idea to go for a snare or string cajon that comes fitted with snare wires and can produce a snare sound, so you can play a bass drum, snare and hi-hat sound. If you're not sure what to get, then you can find more tips in our Cajon Buyer's Guide.

How do you play a cajon?

The cajon is played by striking of the front playing surface with your fist, fingers, palms, or the flat of your hand. By striking the middle or edges of the playing surface, you can play a wide spectrum of different percussive sounds. If you want to know more, see our blog: Three Basic Cajon Beats .

Where does the cajon come from?

The cajon was invented by African slaves when they grabbed crates and started banging out beats. It's believed that the instrument grew up in Peru to mimic traditional African drums.

How much does a cajon cost?

A full-sized cajon that's big enough for an adult to sit on and comes fitted with a playing surface and snare wires will set you back less than a hundred pounds. From there, the price can rise to over a thousand pounds.