Rafa Cajón

Level 4 · Sixteenths & Fills

4-1 - Sixteenth-note hands

Four taps per click, R-L-R-L, relaxed at slow speed.

How to practice it

Continuous sixteenth-note ghost taps, strictly alternating hands, four per metronome click. Keep it SLOW and light - this is a relaxation exercise disguised as a speed exercise. Speed comes from looseness, never from effort.

Suggested take: ~60s · start 55 BPM → pass around 70 BPM

1
g
e
g
&
g
a
g
2
g
e
g
&
g
a
g
3
g
e
g
&
g
a
g
4
g
e
g
&
g
a
g
55 BPM

Start at 55, exercise passes around 70. Legend: B bass · S snare · g ghost · - rest

Tips

  • Count '1-e-and-a 2-e-and-a'. The number lands on the click.
  • The moment forearms tense, slow down 5 BPM.
  • Tiny motions - fingertips fall from 2-3 cm, no more.

Watch out for

  • Tension creeping in and hands seizing up
  • Accenting every first note of four unintentionally
  • Hands drifting apart in volume at speed

Record your take

Aim for ~60s. Put the phone ~1m away, facing the front plate. You'll get Rafa's feedback within a minute of submitting.

Up next after this: 4-2 - Your first fill