Cajón grooves by style
One rhythm per page, taken apart slot by slot. These are the grooves that get you through a whole genre rather than a single tune, which makes them the better use of a practice hour.
Looking for a whole arrangement instead? The song pages run start to finish.
The pop backbeat on cajón
Bass, tick, crack, tick. The groove that fits most songs ever written.
92 BPM · 4/4 · 20 bars · brand new
The rumba flamenca groove on cajón
The groove behind a Spanish guitar in a bar. Bass, backbeat and a floor of ghosts.
100 BPM · 4/4 · 16 bars · easy
The reggaetón groove on cajón
Dembow is 3-3-2 with a backbeat on top. Two strokes and you are in.
95 BPM · 4/4 · 12 bars · easy
The half-time groove on cajón
One backbeat instead of two. The hardest easy groove there is.
72 BPM · 4/4 · 16 bars · easy
The waltz on cajón
Three beats, one heavy and two light. Counting in fours will not work here.
150 BPM · 3/4 · 16 bars · easy
The 6/8 groove on cajón
Count six, feel two. The rolling pulse behind a thousand slow songs.
76 BPM · 6/8 · 16 bars · easy
The festejo groove on cajón
The Afro-Peruvian 6/8 the cajón was invented to play.
104 BPM · 6/8 · 16 bars · moderate
The shuffle on cajón
Blues, swing and early rock all sit on this. Count it in threes.
96 BPM · 4/4 · 12 bars · moderate
The bossa nova groove on cajón
Quiet, even sixteenths with the accents on top. Restraint is the technique.
130 BPM · 4/4 · 12 bars · hard
The bulerías compás on cajón
Twelve beats, five accents, and the hardest compás in flamenco to hold steady.
200 BPM · 12 beats · 8 bars · very hard