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Rafa Cajón

Level 1 · The Three Sounds · 1-4

Boom meets crack

Switching sounds cleanly - the core cajón skill.

What you play

B bass · S snare · g ghost · rest
1
B
2
·
3
S
4
·
60 BPM
startpass

How to play it

  1. 1Alternate bass on beat 1 and snare on beat 3 , moving your hand between the centre and the top edge.
  2. 2Exaggerate the position change. Big move now, small move later.
  3. 3Make the contrast as big as you can: deep round boom, bright sharp crack. Listen for two obviously different characters.
  4. 4Play it with one hand first, then try bass and snare both on the right with the left resting. Keep the click running - the move between positions must not steal time.
  5. 5Record about 60 seconds.

Listen forClear alternation of two distinct sounds, a low boom and a bright crack, with steady spacing between hits.

start 60 · pass 80 BPM · take about 60s

Record a take

I start the click at 60 BPM, count one bar, and stop after about 60s. Phone about a metre away, facing the front plate. You get my notes within a minute of sending it.

Watch out for

  • • Both sounds converging into a generic mid whack
  • • Rushing beat 3 because the hand is already travelling
  • • Looking down and hunching. Stay tall.