Cajon?

[k_russell]

My partner and I are looking to add some percussion to our mix. Cajon looks like a practical option and provides the sound that we are looking for.

Neither of us have a very strong background in percussion. We hope to recruit an experienced drummer to help us shop.

If you have experience with this instrument, please provide some tips on what to look for and avoid.

We plan to use it to accompany acoustic guitar, vocals, mandolin, and harmonica.


Thanks

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by k_russell

My partner and I are looking to add some percussion to our mix. Cajon looks like a practical option and provides the sound that we are looking for.
Neither of us have a very strong background in percussion. We hope to recruit an experienced drummer to help us shop.
If you have experience with this instrument, please provide some tips on what to look for and avoid.
We plan to use it to accompany acoustic guitar, vocals, mandolin, and harmonica.
Thanks

Recruit a percussionist with his own cajon.

[Brent Hahn]

Cajons vary as much as guitars do. I settled on a Meinl. The sticker on the bottom says "Ammara Ebony Birch." This video is shot to playback, obviously, but I'm playing it the same way I did when we made the recording. "Kick" in the middle down low, backbeat up in the corner. In mine I've installed shortened snare wires (like for a snare drum) inside the upper "backbeat corner." Tricky process because you can't get tools up in there, I did it all will Krazy Glue.

Cajons are uncomfortable because 1. you need your arms to be longer than they actually are, and 2. It's a wooden box.

Also, miking matters. You should have one mic for the "kick" in the hole in the back, and another in front for the backbeat. Using SM58's I've found that the best spot for the "kick" mic is for the ball of the mic to be pretty much exactly halfway into the hole. Which sounds easy enough, except that you're gonna tend to scoot and/or tilt the cajon back as you play. You have to make yourself not do that.

[k_russell]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Recruit a percussionist with his own cajon.

That was our plan. Easier said than done

[Br1ck]

The Elvin Bishop Trio uses cajon for percussion and a baritone guitar for bass. His percussionist also does most of the singing and he's seriously good at both.

[Coler]

I play a meinl cajon with adjustable action on the snare, and I add a couple of other things, to get a hi-hat sound or a cymbal.

It's a nice piece of kit. Very accessible. Get on YouTube and you will have a lot of fun.

Things to look for - you want to be able to adjust the tension of the soundboard (allen key on the corners) and I like a snare and to.be able to turn it on or off. Meinl are a solid brand.

As Brent Hahn has said, if plugging in, micing is very important, and finicky.

[Brent Hahn]

Forgot to mention earlier -- you can use a backwards kick drum pedal for the kick part of it. Play it with your heel. Frees up one hand.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by k_russell

That was our plan. Easier said than done

Yeah, but otherwise it's like saying we want a harmonica player in our band, what kind of harmonicas should we buy.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Yeah, but otherwise it's like saying we want a harmonica player in our band, what kind of harmonicas should we buy.

That's easy. Only play songs in keys a fourth lower than the harmonicas you've already got.

[k_russell]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

That's easy. Only play songs in keys a fourth lower than the harmonicas you've already got.

That's how we handle songs with harmonica parts.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

That's easy. Only play songs in keys a fourth lower than the harmonicas you've already got.

Originally Posted by k_russell

That's how we handle songs with harmonica parts.

[Dlew919]

The cajon, to me at least, is the most versatile of percussion. It is relatively easy to learn, portable and can be adopted to any style, unlike djembes or bongos, or even congas. (All of those are great, but less versatile than a cajon).

Learn your beats - or get someone who knows their beats. Not just the Latins, but the lot. Most tutorials start on latin rhythms, and it's a good place to start. (And for many people, to stay.) But learn the beats you need. I once saw a banjo player bring up a cajon player, and it was awful. Bluegrass banjo against Son and Calypso beats. It did not work. (And given she had somehow snared a spot at a national festival, she was not popular).

[8ftsq]

Watching this thread. In the same situation.
Was considering mounting a Roland EC-10m on my acoustic and looping it. I can get some cool stuff banging on my guitar, but a dedicated player would be better 😊

[Rudy4]

If you're going mic a Cajon then you might as well get a KAT Multipad.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

If you're going mic a Cajon then you might as well get a KAT Multipad.

I guess. But I record with my cajon, too. At first it was "placeholder before drums," but now it often stands on its own.