How To Play The Cajon For Beginners

1. Preview: hi and welcome to how to play the CA Home for beginners. My name is Larry Crowe, and I will be your instructor. This course is designed for beginners, So if you've never played the co home before, or if you just want to improve your basic technique on the co home, this is the course for you. Let's take a look at what we will learn in this course. Build your confidence and expression on the call. An introduction to the coholan, the playing position, the basic tones of the co home exercises and patterns to practice some traditional flamenco and Peruvian rhythms. Some other useful patterns that you can incorporate into your plane. Some bonus techniques, some different ideas you can use to approach the call. So let's get started. 2. Introduction To The Cajon: like a home comes from the Spanish word kaha, which means box or create or drawer. And as the name implies, the cone is a box that you sit on and you play the front panel. There's a sound hole cut into the back, and the front is loosely attached to allow a rattling sound. To me, the origin of the cone can be traced back to Peru African slaves who were brought to the Americas by the Spanish used shipping crates or boxes to accompany their songs and dances. The cone can be heard in Cuban, Brazilian flamenco and other contemporary music. The cone was introduced to flamenco music in the 19 seventies by Paco Doula Zia On a trip to Peru. He was given a Coronas a gift, and it is now featured prominently in his music and that of other flamenco artists. There are many different kinds of co homes that feature interesting in lay and color and design. The Peruvian CA home is basically a simple box. The flamenco home has guitar strings running up and down inside the front panel 3. The Sitting Position: The first thing you need to know about the cone is the playing position, and what's great about a cone is it's a drum that you could actually sit on. So it has a seat built in, which makes it really easy and really unique. Um, basically, you want to tilt the cone back and put your legs to the side, sitting as comfortably as you can, and you want to keep your back as straight as possible. So good posture is really important, especially if you want to play for a long time. So tilting the co home back is important because it it brings up the playing surface and makes it a little easier for you to play. It also helps the projection of the sound so you can play it like this down if you're more comfortable. The trick to this is balancing it, okay, so either way is acceptable and you just put your legs to the side comfortably like this, and that will just give you room to play the cone with your hands like this. OK, so tilting it back slightly for projection and sitting up a straight as possible. Very important. OK, make sure you remove any jewelry, any rings or bracelets you might have on because you don't want to damage them. You also don't want to damage your home, and now we're ready to play. 4. The Bass Tone: Okay. The first tone that we need to know about is the bass tone. Bass tone is important because it's a fundamental tone for most of the rhythms that you're gonna play on the cone. Okay, so the base stone is a low tone, and it's played in this area of the cone like this. So you're going to use the palm of your hand, Maybe a little bit of the fingers here, this part of the hand you can tuck your thumb and if you want, and you're striking the cone here, so your wrist is lining up with the top edge like that. Okay, so that's your position. And of course, you wanna be able to do with both hands, so your hands should look like that. Okay, you're striking the coholan like this, and you're using the whole length of the arm. So, really, this the stroke is coming from the shoulder, and the whole arm sounds like this. So I'm striking the cone and coming off of it, and I'm trying to get ah thud. Kind of a nice, deep fud sound. And of course, you want to do it with both hands. Okay, so you're striking the cone in this region here, you don't need to play down here like this. That's that's over extending your arm in your shoulder. And that could get kind of painful. I mean, this is another sound get. It's a very muted sound, but the best bass tone is up in this region. So some simple exercises that we could do just to work on her based own the 1st 1 would be just alternating our hands. Right and left, right, left like this. Okay, practice slowly. Try to achieve an even sound. You know, from your right hand to your left hand, make sure that it's an even sound. Another possible exercises to any chant. Right? Right. Left, left, right, right. Left left. Double strokes. Sounds like this. And once you're feeling comfortable, you know, practice a little faster. Okay? So once you're comfortable with your base tone, it's time for the next lesson. 5. The Slap Tone: Okay. The next tone then we need to know is the slap tone. And this is, ah, high pitch kind of percussive tone. Really important. Teoh to know this one. And, um, it's played like this. You line up your knuckles with the top edge of the cone like this, and you strike the cone like this. Okay, so you're using a little more risk now, Not as much arm using mawr more wrist action. And you want to do with both hands. So a simple exercise that we could do again is just alternating strokes. Right. Left, right, left. Practice slowly. Try to get an even sound between your right and your left hand like this. Okay. The other important thing to know is you want to keep your thumb away from the top edge. You don't want to hit your thumb on. The Kohona can be really painful. So again, keep the thumbs away from the edge. Another great pattern to practices to rights in two lefts, double strokes like this. So it's all in the wrist, you know, practice those exercises again very slowly at first. Get comfortable with the sound and getting even sound. And you know, Then you can kind of push yourself to practice a little faster like that. So once you're comfortable with that slap tone, now we're ready to combine the bass tone and the slap tone. 6. Basic Patterns for the Bass and Slap Tone: Introduction: Okay, Now that we've learned the bass tone and the slap tone, we're going to work on some patterns that involved both those sounds OK, and the first, a group of patterns. Very simple. Just quarter notes or a four count. 1234 So patterns, based on a four count. Very simple. There's a Pdf available with the video that shows the notation and all the exercises that are included in this video course. Uh, don't panic if you can't read music. They're very simple, and we're going to go through this one at a time. If you can count, you'll have no problem with any exercises in this course. 7. Quarter Note Exercises Part 1: Okay, so let's start with some basic quarter note patterns or four count patterns. Very simple. So that can't be won to three four. So what we're gonna do is we're going to play a pattern that involves to base tones and to slap tones. Okay, Bass, bass, slap, slap. Okay. And the first, the first possibility is right hand. Left hand. Right hand, left hand. So, bass bass slap, slap. Okay, very simple. So we'll try it. One to three. Four. Okay. Very simple. Three other possibility is leading with our left hand. And if you're a left handed person, this should be a little easier for you and for right handed person. It's a great challenge. It's always good with any kind of hand. Drum, toe, learn, toe lead with your right or your left hand. And later on, when we get into more complicated patterns, you may have to do that using leading with right or left hand. So let's try that same pattern again, basically, but leading with left. So it will be left, right, left, right, bass, bass, slap, slap. Okay, let's try it. 1234 Okay. Now, another possibility, um, is to rights and two lefts. So, bass, bass, slap, slap. Okay, Right, right. Left left. Really? It's basically just doing double strokes. So that would sound like this. One, 23 four. And of course, we should do it. Leading with left. 12 34 Okay. 8. Quarter Note Exercises Part 2: Okay, Another quarter note pattern or four count pattern would be base slap. Base slap. Okay, so it's you're basically doing double strokes, but you're playing to different tones, so that could be a little tricky, but again, it's great to be able to do this. And, uh, so bass slap bass slap like that. Okay, let's try it. One to three, four. Okay. Another great one is bass slap slap base. Okay, so now we're alternating our hands. Right. Left, right, left. Okay, let's try that one to 34 Okay. And then our last four beat pattern is really the inverse of that. So it's a slap bass bass slap. Okay, Slap bass, bass slap. And it's still right. Left, right, left. You're alternating. Let's try it. One, 234 Okay. 9. Quarter and Eighth Note Exercises Part 1: All right, now we're going to work on some quarter notes and eighth note patterns. Okay, The first rhythm. Very simple. It's just 12 and 34 and 12 and 34 OK, that's the basic rhythm. And the first possibility. Very simple is bass slap slap bass slaps. Okay, so right. Left, left, right, left, left. Very repetitive pattern. Let's try it. 12 and 34 Okay, very simple. Now, we should do the opposite. Left, right, Right, Left, right, Right. Okay, here we go. 12 and 34 Okay, very simple. Now, another possibility for this pattern that we're working on, which is basically bass slap, slap, bass, slap slap is we could play this way. Right? Right. Left, right, right. Left like that. Okay, very simple. So it's still bass. Slap, slap, bass, slap, slap. But we're playing at. Right, Right, Left, right, right. Left. Okay, so let's give that a go. 12 and three, four. Okay. And the next possibility is more of an alternating approach. Where you're going, Right, Left, right, left, right, left. Okay, right. Left, right. Left, right, left. Same rhythm. It's still 12 and 34 and and it's still the same tones. Bass, slap slap bass slaps that. But we're approaching it in a more alternating fashion. Let's try it. One, two and 34 Okay. 10. Quarter and Eighth Note Exercises Part 2: Okay. Our next, uh, exercise you want to work on is the rhythm goes like this one and 23 and 41 and 23 and four . Okay, so it's bass bass, slap bass, bass slap. That's that's basically the pattern. And there's a few possibilities, so the 1st 1 would be right. Right? Left, right, right. Left. It almost. Sounds like a rock beat. Okay, here we go. Let's give it a world one and 23 and four. Okay. Now we should do the opposite. Left, left, right, left, left. Right. So it can't you in one and 23 and four. Okay. Very simple. Now, the next possibility is more of Ah, Well, you're gonna You're gonna alternate the bass tone, and it's going to be right. Left, right, right. Left, right. So, bass bass, slap bass, bass slap. Okay, let's try it. One end, 23 and four. And we should also practice the opposite. Left, right, left, left, right, left. Okay, let's try it. One and 23 and four. Okay. And the last possibility is kind of a combination of the previous two. So Right, left, right, and then left, right. Left. So really. We're kind of combining those last two. Um, so your hands are really alternating. So one more time. Right? Left, right, left, right, left. And it's still bass. Bass slap bass, bass slap. Let's try it. One end 23 and four. 11. Patterns in 3 Part 1: Okay. Now we should look at some patterns that air in three. Okay, a basic three count. 123123 It's handy to be able to play in 34 You want to be able to be comfortable in all those kinds of rhythmical possibilities. So let's start really, simply so that count is 1 to 3, and the first pattern is gonna be base slap slap. So Right, left left. Very simple. Let's try 123 Okay. And we should also try it, leading with the left hand. So left, right, right. Bass. Slap, slap. Let's try that. 123 Okay, Another possibility is right. Left, right, right. Left. Right. So you're working your right hand quite a bit. So that should look like this. Right? Left, right, Right. Left, right. Like that. Let's try it. 123 And, of course, the opposite. Left, right, left, left, right, left. Okay, let's try it. 123 Okay. And now we can actually combine those last two to create an interesting pattern. It will be right. Left, right, left, right. So it's really to patterns of three. Let's try it. 123 Now Another possibility is bass bass slap. So there's a little more bass tone in this pattern. The first easy one would be bass bass, slap bass, bass slap or 12 3123 So let's try that. 123 Of course, we should do the opposite. Left left, right. 123 12. Patterns in 3 Part 2: Okay. Next we want to play the bass bass slap pattern. Like this. Right, Left. Right. So Right. Left, right, right. Left, right. Another possible three pattern. Let's try it. 123 And of course, we should do the opposite. Left, right, left, left, right, left or bass Bass slap bass. Bass slap. Okay, let's try it. 123 And lastly, we're gonna combine those patterns. So Right, left, right, left, right, left. Okay. So, again, everything's sort of alternating. It actually turns out to be more of a six beat pattern. Uh, let's try it. 123 13. The Accent Slap Tone: okay, by now, you should be feeling really comfortable on the cone. You've learned the bass tone, the slap tone, and you've run through a bunch of patterns, so you should be feeling pretty confident. And it's pretty amazing. Just between the bass tone and the slap tone, you can come up with a lot of rhythmical possibilities. So now what I want to do is introduce another tone, and it's really it's really related to the slap tone. It's another possible slap tone. I call it the accented slapped. Oh, so what you're going to do is you know you're gonna line up like you're playing a slap tone like this and actually, maybe raise your fingers a bit more and you're going to spread your fingers like this. So it's gonna create a thinner, a thinner tone, but very percussive. Okay? And of course you have to be able to do it with both hands, so I'm spreading my fingers. I'm using sort of this top part off my fingers, so I'll give you a little comparison. This is the basic slap tone, and then the accented slapped home. Okay, so it adds another kind of quality, um, to your co home plane 14. Basic Patterns for the Bass, Slap and Accent Slap Tone: Quarter Note Exercises Part 1: OK, now let's look it Doing some patterns that involved the bass tone, the slap tone and this accented slapped own. Okay. And, um, so we're going to start again? Very simply, just by working on some quarter note or four count patterns. Okay, so the 1st 1 is, um, basically bass slap base accent. Okay. Very simple piece. Slap bass accent. Okay, let's try it. 123 four. We should also try leading with left hand, and that is gonna look like this. Bass slap, please. Accent. Okay, left, right, left, right. Okay, let's try it. 1234 Okay. 15. Quarter Note Exercises Part 2: Okay. Another possibility is, um, using double strokes. Right. Right. Left, left. OK, so we're going based slap base accent. Okay. Bass slap bass accent. Okay, let's try it. 12 three, four. Okay. Of course. We should do the opposite. So, bass slap bass accent. Okay, left, left, right, right. Double strokes. Let's try it. 123 four. Okay, the next possibility is bass slap slap accent. Okay, So, pace, slap, slap accent, and we're just alternating. Right, Left, right, left. Okay, let's try it. One, 234 All right. And we should also do the opposite. So left, right, left, right. Or base slab, slab, accent. Okay. One, 234 Okay, so the next possibility is right. Left, right, right. All right. Right. Left right. Bright, little bit trickier. Right. Left, right, right. It's still base slap slap accent. All right, let's try this. 11 to three four. Okay, let's try the opposite. So left, right, left, Left. These slap, slap, accent, bass, slap, slap, accent. Let's give it a world. 1234 The next possibility is base base. Accent slab. Okay, Face case. Accent sub. Right, Right. Left, right. Okay, right right, left right. It's a bit tricky. Let's try it slowly. 1234 Of course, the opposite. So pace, pace, accent slump. Face to face. Accent. Slap. All right, left, left, right, left. Let's try it. One to 34 16. Quarter and Eighth Note Exercises Part 1: Okay, now we're going to look at some patterns that are quarter note, an eighth note patterns. So the first one is 12341234, okay. 234. Okay. So base slab, slab, base, accent. Snap, snap is accent. Okay, 1234. That's our basic rhythm. Okay, let's try it. 1234. Okay, and now we should do the opposite, which is left, left, right, left, right. Okay. So pays slab, slab base accent. Okay, let's try it. 1234. Alright, the next possibility is right, left, right, left, right. Okay. Like that, okay, right, left, right, left, right, or base, slab, slab, base accent. Okay, let's try that. 1234. All right, and we should look at the opposite, which is this left, right, left, right, left, or base, slab, slab, base accent. Let's try it. 1234. Alright, how are we doing? 17. Quarter and Eighth Note Exercises Part 2: Okay, The next pattern is 12 and three, M 412 and three. M four already. So bass slap, slap, accent, accent base. A little bit trickier. So right, Right. Left, right, left right. Says there's a lot of right handed motion in this pattern. Let's try it. One to end three and four. Okay. And we should of course, look at the opposite. So left, left, right, left, right, left again. A lot of lefts. Left. Left, right, left, right, left Already. 12 and three and four. Okay, Another possibility. More of an alternating fashion. So right, left, right, left, right, left, and then starting over again with the right hand. It's the same pattern. Basically, it's still bass. Slap slap back sent Accent base. OK, but we're alternating a bit more. Let's try it. 12 and three and four. Okay. And we should also do it, leading with the other hand. So it it will look like this. Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left. Okay, here we go. 12 and three and four. Okay, 18. Quarter and Eighth Note Exercises Part 3: Our next pattern is 12 and 3412 and 34 But it's bass slap bass, bass accent. Okay, Pace, slap, bass pace, accent like that. Let's try one to end 34 All right. Of course, we should do the opposite. So left, Right, left, left, right. Or bass Slap based pace, Jackson. Here we go. One to end. 34 Okay, Another possibility is playing it in more of an alternating fashion like this. So one, two and three. Or like that one on three or so. Bass slap, bass, bass, accent like that. Let's try it. One, two and 34 Okay. And of course, we should do the opposite. So left, right, left, right, left or bass Slap Peace, Peace accent. Let's try that. One to end 34 All right. 19. Patterns in 6 Part 1: Okay. How you doing so far? Are you, uh, enjoying yourself having fun? Now we're gonna look a tsum patterns that are in six. And we're using all three of the tones, the bass tone, this slap and that accent tone as well. So these air patterns in six. The first pattern. Very simple. Just 123456 Okay, very simple. So this one is to base tones to slap tones and two of the accented tones. Okay. And you're just alternating. Right? Left, right, left, right, left. Very simple. Let's try it. 123456 Okay. And also, we should try it leading with the left hand as well. Let's try it. 123456 Okay, that's a great one, because you can really hear all the tones. That's a really great one toe work on. So our next pattern is right. Left, left, right, left, left. So bass slap, slap, bass, accent, accent. Okay, let's try that. 123456 All right. And of course, leading with left. So left, Right, right. Left, right, right. Okay. Bass slap. Slap piece. Accent, accent. 123456 Okay, uh, again, That same one, but more of an alternating fashion. Uh, Right, Left, right, left, right, left. Okay, bass. Slap slap. He's accent. Accent. Let's try it. 123456 Okay. And of course, the opposite. So leading with the left hand. Now left, right, left, right, left, right. Okay, let's try it. 123456 All right. 20. Patterns in 6 Part 2: Okay. Another pattern and six account is simple. It's just 123456 But this time, we're going to play. Um, Right, right, Right. Left, left, left. So you're going, You're running through all the tones. Basically, you're playing the bass tone, the slap tone and the accent tone in one hand. And the bass tone, slap tone and accent tone in the other hand. Okay, So again really good for working your hands, and eventually it will really help you get around like a home. So let's try it. 123456 Okay. And of course, the opposite. Leading with left. 123456 Okay, now, the same idea in more of an alternating fashion. 123456 Okay, So, bass slap accent base slept, Jackson. Okay, let's try it. 123456 All right. And of course, the opposite. So left, right, left, right, left, right. Okay. 123456 21. Patterns in 6 Part 3: Okay. Our next rhythm in six is 123 and 456 And 123456 in. Okay, that's a rhythm. Here's the way it looks. 123456 Okay, so it's a bass slap, slap, slap, bass, slab, accent, accent. Okay. Like that one. Okay, let's try it. One, 23 and 456 And okay . And of course, we should do the opposite. Left, right, left, right, left, right. Okay, let's try that. 123 and 456 And all right. Our next pattern is 12 and 345 and six. Okay. And it looks like this one. Two in 345 and six. So base slap slaps that these slap slap, accent. Okay, bass, slap, slap, slap bass slaps that accent. All right, let's try it. 12 and 345 and six. - All right. And of course, the opposite. Want to end? 345 and six. - All right. So our last pattern here in six is one in 234 and 56 Okay, one and 234 and 56 So it's going to look like this it has a lot more bass. Tone it. 1234 56 Okay, base pay. Slap, slap. Bass, Bass slap baxam. Okay, let's try it. One and 234 and 56 Okay . And we should look at the opposite. Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right. Or base pay. Slap, slap, please. Pay, slap, accent. Okay, let's try it. One end. 234 and 56 All right. 22. Traditional Rhythm: Rumba Flamenco: all right now that we've explored all the tones and we've practiced a lot of different kinds of rhythms, I thought it would be a great idea. Toe look at some traditional rhythms that have played on the CA home, and the 1st 1 I want to look at is called the Rumba, and the rumba is used in flamenco music. And of course, the Kahan is very much used in that style of music. The rumba is just a simple form of flamenco. There's many forms in that genre, and I chose the room because it's pretty simple and it's a lot of fun. I'm just gonna play for you a little bit and then we'll talk about all right. It sounds like this. Okay, so there's this basic kind of structure in there. 123 1 to 10 3 4123 four! 1234 And it basically involves the bass tone and the accented tones. So if we just look at that structure 12 and three more. 123 more. 123 412 and three more. All right Now, the rest is being filled in with basic slapped owns that airplay kind of quietly, and some people call these ghosted tones or muted tones. So now what we have to do is incorporate those. So it's just to go very slowly. It's based. Own slapped, own slap tone, accent, tone based, own slapped, own ex accent tone slapped on. Okay, so basically one and 2 10 3 10 4 1 10 to 10 3 and four, 1 to 10 3 41 to 10 in four. Okay? And once you get comfortable with that, it started to speed it up. Okay, so that's the basic room. But another variation is to add a little bit more bass tone in there. So the basic structure again, that basic accent structure for this variation would be one, two and three. Work one, one, 23 more. 23 more to three when to three more. Okay, so now let's try to fill it in with those other tones, and we'll break it down really slowly. Okay, so bass slap, slap, accent, pace. Just lap accident pace. All right. - Okay , so that's the basic Roomba. Just take your time with it. It's complicated. Um, it will be on the pdf is well, and you could work your way through it and just take your time and practice it slowly 23. Traditional Rhythm: Marinera: this next traditional rhythm is called marinara, and it's a Peruvian rhythm. The marinara is a dance. It's a courtship dance, and this is the rhythm that accompanies that music. Now it's in 68 or to six. Rhythm a six count 12 and 345612 n 3456 Okay, it sounds like this. Okay, it's an interesting rhythm. It starts with an accent tone, which is really cool. And let me just show it to you slowly so Accent based own slap base slept bass slap 12 and 345612 and 345612 n. 345612 and 3456 So the trick is right, right? It actually starts with two rights. I like left, right, left, right, Okay. And there's another variation. Just adding a little bit more bass tone. It sounds like this. Okay, And let's look at that. 12 and 345612 and 34561 to 10 345612 and 3456 Okay, so there's a little bit more bass tone in there. So that's two variations of the Marondera 24. Popular Music Rhythms: Country, Funk and Rock: The cone is a really popular instrument, and it's finding its way into a lot of different kinds of music these days. So I was thinking that we could look at a bunch of different rhythms in the popular music area. So, for example, playing some rock music, I mean, basically, the cone has the bass tone and the slap tone, and it sounds a little bit like a drum set so you could play some rock patterns. Um, with with your friends if you're jamming in a band situation and so it could sell in something like this. So that's really simple. I'm just playing all based tones with my right hand and playing some slap tones and accented tones of my left hand. So three, you Okay, so that's a basic rock pattern that you could use. Here's another possibility. Maybe something a little busier. So again, just let using my dominant hand, which in my case, is my right hand for the bass tone and just playing some accented tones and left and just, you know, really chugging along on the bass on the bass tone. Okay, so there's a couple of rock patterns that you could mess around with now. Another possibility for the cone is in country music or in roots music. And, uh, again, it's It blends radium with that kind of music. Really? Really? Well, a very simple country beat that you could use could be this. It's a great beat. You complain it all kinds of speeds. Okay, Another possibility. Okay, a little faster. Okay. And the other possibility is mawr, you know, sort of funk patterns. Something like this. - Oh , right. And another possible funk pattern. 25. Multi-Tasking: Okay, I called this section of the video multi tasking because sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you might have to add a little extra flavor to the music that's going on. I know I find myself in that position sometimes, and you could do something very simple, like adding a shaker to your kahan play. So this is where the multitasking kind of comes in, and I'll give you a couple of examples of what that could sound like. Look, okay, so that's a nice little groove that incorporates the shaker. Now another possibility is adding, maybe a cow bell on a foot pedal. That could sound really interesting, and it just adds another flavor and dimension to what you're doing. So let's try something really simple. - Okay , you could even add the shaker toe that to get really crazy. So you're really multitasking. Let's try something. All right. So there's just a few examples of what you can do with the cone to add some extra sounds. Textures. You could have wind chimes and symbols going on. There's really a lot of possibilities with comb, so have fun and explore your own ideas 26. Conclusion: All right. Well, here we are at the end of the video and the courts, and I hope he had a great time and learned a lot. We have explored a lot of possibilities with the cone, and I hope you you learned a lot and enjoyed yourself and will continue to enjoy playing the cone. And I encourage you. You know, if you have any comments or questions to contact me and also to find, you know, some fellow coholan players, you guys can get together and play and practice and work out some interesting music together. That that could be a lot of fun. So take care. It's been great to work with you and we'll see you again.