Basic playing methods of cajon

The basic playing methods of the cajon are as follows:

The percussionist who plays the cajon mainly uses his hands to beat the cajon at different positions to make sounds. Use your fingers to create rolls, use friction to create volleys, tap with different parts of your palms or in specific postures to create different sound effects; you can even use the soles of your feet or props (such as foot pedals) to create different tones. .

1. Open bass: refers to using the entire palm of the hand and 5 fingers together to hit the drum head close to the center, and immediately leave the drum head to produce a low-frequency sound. Squeezing your fingers tightly, slightly opening them, or arching them will change the bass tone, which is like a big drum on a jazz drum.

2. Fingertip weak muffled sound: refers to using the 1st and 2nd knuckles of both hands to hit the top of the drum surface close to the frame. During practice, it should be gentle and stable, and no sound should be made. The sound is equivalent to the high hat cymbal of a jazz drum.

3. Sharp and crisp sound: After striking, the drum skin should be pressed lightly with your fingers to make a crisp and high-pitched sound, which is the most difficult. For the Slap tone, use the fingers of both hands to quickly hit the upper left and right corners (the area where the sound lines are installed). It feels like a slap. This tone is equivalent to the snare drum of a jazz drum.

4. Open sound: refers to the impact between the edge of the palm and the fingers. After the impact, the fingers do not press the drum head and the hand immediately leaves the drum head, allowing the drum head to vibrate freely. After percussion, the sound sounds longer and distant.

5. Finger muting: After striking the drum head, keep your hands or fingers on the drum head for a short time, or use another pair of hands to assist in silencing the drum head to eliminate the sustain vibration of the drum head and make the sound smoother. It sounds shorter and closer.