Cajon Drum: History and Playing Instruction

How the cajon drum came to be and the evolution of this instrument into mainstream music today. Includes clear instructions for beginner cajon playing techniques.

Cajon drums are drums presently crafted out of wood, but the Cajon drums of yesteryear were in the form of simplistic boxes, tiny drawers from dressers or crates for fish. The actual term "Cajon" is derived from the Spanish language and when translated means "box." As time passed, the Cajon drum was reshaped and reconstructed to appear as it does today: a six sided wooden box with a whole on one side of it, usually the back side. The wood utilized on five of the wood panels in Cajon drums is crafted out of 3/4 inch wood: typically white wood, or pine wood. The last side of the Cajon drum box is crafted from plywood material.

Cajon drums have a history that can be traced back to central and West African slaves from Peru, as well certain regions in Cuba; it is believed that the drum was created in the 1800s on the coast of Peru, and in just five decades time the Cajon drum became a widely used and widely appreciated instrument. At the turn of the century, people began to experiment with the shape of the Cajon drum to change the sounds that the instrument would produce when played.

This instrument is now identified with Afro/Cuban music such as the famous rumba, as well as Afro/Peruvian style music. The type of cajon drum that was first used in regions of Peru was actually a wooden box or crate that was commonly utilized for harvesting fruit. Slaves in Africa relied on the crates as a drumming tool and later developed the Cajon drum from the simplest fruit harvesting wood crate design.

The cajon is gaining mainstream interest from all types of percussionists around the world. Famous cajon players like Mario Cortez, Nina Rodriguez, and Stephan Maass are making the instrument much more accessible with their modern playing techniques.

How to Play the Cajon
The side of the Cajon drum that is crafted out of specific wood or fiberglass material, also known as the frontplate, is the actual playing area of the drum. The side with a hole cut into it is typically the back siding of Cajon drums and is the portion that is positioned perpendicular to the Cajon drum head or parallel to the head depending on the drum style. The tapping region on the Cajon drum is further identified as tapa or drum head.

When an individual plays Cajon, he or she positions their body above and over the box; some drummers straddle the box while playing, and others sit upon it when they play. The drummer will take the Cajon and tip them or tilt them inward in order to begin playing. The surface of the drum is then tapped with the open palm and fingertips to derive different sound effects from the instrument.

Cajon Drum: Open Tone

With a flat hand and fingers together, you will hit the front plate with the full length of all four fingers at the top of the drum. Thumb is lose.

Cajon Drum: Bass Tone

With a flat hand, this time with your fingers spread and open palm, hit the frontplate with your entire hand in the middle/upper area of your cajon.

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