By JOHN DALY
A Cajon drum or a box drum is one that has become fairly popular in recent years due to acoustic and coffeehouse-style shows. The Cajon drum offers a great range of sounds and also dynamic levels, allowing you to create great grooves and beats.
While there is a bit of a learning curve with a Cajon, with a few hours of practice you will be able to replicate easy beats with ease. All that being said, how do you know what type of Cajon you should get? With so many different styles and types out there, it can be very difficult to make an educated decision. You might even end up picking a drum that doesn’t work for the style of music that you are creating. Sound, comfort and aesthetics each play a role in picking your Cajon.
Here is how you can find the right type of Cajon drum for your style.
The Sound of The Cajon
When it comes to any musical instrument, the most important aspect of it is the type of sound that it can create. The drum can be the most comfortable and easiest to play Cajon you have ever found, but if it sounds bad, it is not worth buying. When it comes to choosing a Cajon based upon sound, you need to do your research and look around. You can check out videos or lists to find what people think is the best Cajon drum box along with other recommendations. While videos and articles online are great to get a baseline, there is no replacing actually going there and trying the drum out yourself. Give it a few hits in each area where it can produce sound and see how it sounds to you. If you want to be sure that you are getting the right style of drum, bring along the music you plan on using it with and jam to a song or two. If it fits seamlessly in, you know you are finding the right drum for your style.
These drums have a wide variety of sound ranges, as well as some Cajon drums, which emphasize a more treble sound while others go for a heavier bass. Researching the drums beforehand and understanding where they are best will go a long way towards ensuring that you pick the right Cajon. If you aren’t sold on the sound, you definitely should be looking at another type of box drum.
Comfort
After the sound, the next important thing for you to look at with drums is the comfort level. If you are planning to play for a while, you need a drum that you can sit on comfortably for hours on end without any issues. Along with that, how you go about hitting the drum and producing sound will factor into comfort. If you are having to use too much force to get the right sounds, you are going to tire yourself out quickly. While this isn’t a big deal when you are practicing, if you are performing it can lead to a massive disaster. Sit down on the drum and play it for a few minutes, really taking the time to feel the instrument and how it plays. If you play it for only a few seconds, you won’t be able to get a good idea of the comfort level. How comfortable you are when playing the Cajon is extremely important and should definitely influence your choice.
Aesthetics
The final thing you should consider when looking for a box drum that fits your style is the aesthetics. You can find all kinds of drums with different designs. If you are minimalist or want something that looks professional, you can go for a simple wooden box drum that is sleek and clean. If you want to leave an impression on anyone who sees you drumming, look to go for a more bold drum with tons of different patterns and colors. At the end of the day, the drum should be a reflection of your personality, from the way it sounds to the way it looks. If you can’t see yourself playing the drum because of how it looks, you should definitely move on and look at a new one.
These are three main things you should look at to know what type of Cajon drum is best for your style. As you are playing music, the sound that it makes will always be king and should be your number one priority. From there, you can then look to find a drum that is comfortable to play and has a nice design. No matter what style of music you are playing, you’ll be able to find a drum for it. What type of Cajon do you want to get?