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The Cajon
From Transport Crate to Box Drum
Do you still remember the moment when you first noticed the cajon, the rhythmic or percussion instrument? I remember it very well. It was in a typical pedestrian zone in the mid-90s. In front of the glass window of a large department store stood a guitarist with an acoustic guitar in his hand. Dressed in a black-and-red suit he looked like a Spanish torero. The guitar-playing torero was rhythmically accompanied by a fellow musician. The accompaniment sounded a little like the interplay of bass drum and snare, and I really had to look twice to believe my eyes.
What is that guy doing? I had never seen anything like it! The supposed drum sounds didn’t come from a drum kit at all, but from a rickety wooden box the drummer had sat on. He leaned slightly forward while playing and produced deep, bass-drum-like tones with the heel of his right hand, and, using his left hand, a sound resembling a snare drum.
Impressed by the southern rhythm, a few pennies fell into the open guitar case. Naively, I hoped with my generous gesture that the drummer could soon buy himself a proper drum kit. Years have passed since then and I was proved wrong. In hindsight, the musician I had then dismissed as poor turned out to be a true pioneer. The formerly rickety wooden crate is now incredibly popular.
The Cajon: A Historical Leap
The percussive instrument we know today as the cajon originally comes from Peru and was born out of necessity. As we all know, necessity breeds invention. During colonial times the first versions of the cajon were made from simple transport crates. These wooden boxes were mainly used to transport fish, fruit and other foodstuffs. The African slaves — who had not only been stripped of their possessions but also their instruments and drums — repurposed these transport crates for knocking and drumming rhythms. Drumming and making music together strengthened the sense of community among the slaves. The hype around the sounding box drum grew over time and the techniques for producing sound were developed further. Today the models no longer come only from Peru; renowned manufacturers around the world produce them in a variety of versions. The basic principle of modern cajons, however, still follows the same characteristics of the earlier Afro-Peruvian construction.
The Construction of a Cajon
A cajon is basically made from six wooden panels assembled into an upright rectangular box. There are also models made from plastics like acrylic or even sturdy cardboard, but the warmer-sounding material wood has established itself as the standard. The panels are usually made of multi-ply plywood, which convinces with very good resonance behaviour. In some cases manufacturers also use solid woods. The most common wood types are birch and beech. If you want something more exotic, you can also find models made from alder, wenge or walnut. Among the panels you distinguish between the resonance panel and the striking/front panel (rear and front), as well as the slightly thicker side walls that form the body.
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Tone Production inside the Cajon
Tone production inside the cajon works on the same principle as an acoustic guitar. By striking the front plate, a tone is produced inside the body that is amplified by vibrations in the resonant chamber. Through the sound hole, which is located in the resonance panel on the back, these vibrations can escape again. The volume produced when playing a cajon is usually sufficient for small events and acoustic sets. If it needs to be louder, the box drum is also perfect for miking with a pickup or microphone. By positioning the microphone you can achieve very different sound results.
The Sound of the Cajon
What remains characteristic to this day is the "rattling" sound. This originally arose because the upper area of the striking surface was not fixed to the body. With each strike the front panel rattled against the frame. Through small changes and modifications with parts made of metal, the typical buzzing snare-like tone of the cajon developed over the years.
Today there are, depending on the manufacturer, several ways to produce the snare tone. Sometimes wires or tensioned guitar strings run diagonally behind the front plate, or entire snare beds are mounted behind it. The snare effect can conveniently be switched on and off on some cajons, muted and its tension adjusted. Sometimes the snare effect can even be removed completely and replaced with other effects. This allows for a wide range of tonal variations.
Fundamentally, the sound of the cajon can be described as very versatile and warm. Depending on striking technique and playing zone, which we’ll look at in more detail in the next paragraph, you can produce very different sounds with a cajon. The range extends from deep, full bass-drum sounds to bright, almost overtone-rich conga tones. In between, depending on the settings and model, you’ll hear a rattling or crisp snare sound.
The Different Playing Zones of the Cajon
The striking surface of a cajon can be divided into different playing zones. Relatively in the centre of the striking surface is the bass area. Here the name says it all. With the flat, outstretched hand or the palm you can produce deep, bass-drum-like sounds. Directly above are the so-called slap and tip zones. Striking there produces the characteristic buzzing snare sound. To the left and right of these — i.e. in the upper corners of the striking surface — you’ll find the clap corners. Here the typical cajon sound mixes with overtones. With the snare effect switched off, you’ll notice similarities to a high‑tuned conga. Percussionists sometimes even use the surrounding side walls in their playing. Due to the thicker wood these produce very nice tonal differences and combination possibilities. We recommend that you include the side walls in your cajon playing. In our video we demonstrate the different playing zones once again.
Special Forms of the Cajon
Under the umbrella term cajon — which primarily refers to the Afro-Peruvian models — other so-called special forms have of course developed over time. We would like to briefly introduce you to the most important cajon variations.
Bass Cajon
A bass cajon is easy to explain. In most cases it is an almost twice-as-wide variant of the typical Afro-Peruvian version. The larger resonant chamber allows cajon sounds with an even deeper bass foundation. Another way to get deeper bass frequencies out of your cajon is a tuning method: by using a so-called CajonPort from Kickport you can achieve a fuller and richer cajon sound. Installation is child’s play. The CajonPort is simply pushed into the sound hole of the cajon and does the rest.
Cuban Cajon
The Cuban cajon traditionally comes in three different sizes, which — in descending size — are called Salidor, Tres-Dos and Quinto. These cajons are usually wedged between the legs or held by a separate stand. Only the largest among them — the Salidor — is played seated by the percussionist. Over time they were largely replaced by differently tuned conga models.
Slap-Top Cajon
The slap-top cajon is another special form of the classic cajon. Due to its special shape it is wedged between the legs. Its shape resembles a T. The striking surface rests on the player’s thighs when playing. They come in various designs. A snare effect and different sound holes or slits are standard equipment. Some models even come from the factory with a pickup system and integrated tone control.
Cajon Kits
The DIY movement is on the rise! Everything is homemade these days, so why not build an instrument — even a cajon — yourself? Different manufacturers like Schlagwerk and Meinl already offer prefabricated parts and complete kits to get you closer to your dream of a self-built cajon. The DIY and "make your own" cajon kits are inexpensive alternatives to get hold of the popular box drums. The fun of building is included free of charge.
Cajon Accessories and Add‑On Extensions to Buy at session
The market for percussion accessories has changed a lot in recent years. So it’s no surprise that a whole range of useful helpers and extensions — so-called add‑ons — for the popular box drums have become established. Besides simple and padded seat boxes (cajon pads) and practical transport bags, you can expand your cajon into a multifunctional Swiss army knife with simple Velcro strips.
From powerful multiclaps, with which you can create countless "clicking" sounds, to various flap sets for jingle, clave and/or castanet sounds, right through to side‑kick and foot‑machine extensions, musical creativity is almost limitless.
If you like electronic options, you can either go straight for the Roland EC-10 Electronic Cajon or lift your cajon sound to another level with suitable pickups, microphones and special cajon sound modules. Special sticks and brushes, as well as ergonomic adapters, round off the accessory range.
Posture When Playing the Cajon
As with all movement patterns we know, we should pay attention to good posture when playing the cajon. To place our strokes optimally in the different playing zones and to avoid back pain, we should always keep an upright upper body. When playing, our torso is slightly bent forward; we should make sure our back stays straight. Small tip: if the cajon is tilted slightly backwards while playing, the striking surface is much easier to reach. Optional wedges that we can slide under the cajon, such as the Schlagwerk Ergo Cajon Adapter, make playing much easier.
Cajons for Children
Children or shorter people should make sure when choosing and ultimately buying a cajon that they can handle the box drum comfortably. If you would have to lean too far forward, consider opting for smaller variants or models specifically designed for children.
