Cajón
previous
next
The cajón is a parallelepiped, resonance box, which has a hitting plate in front, called harmonic tap (tapa in Spanish) thinner than the other sides, which allows an elasticity and a resonance specific to the cajón. On the back, a hole of about 10 cm in diameter allows the output of the sound (same effect as a decompression vent of a loud speaker). A timbre placed under the top plate vibrates when the instrument is struck. It makes it possible to differentiate the cajones, while giving to the sound this resemblance to the snare drum of a drum kit. It may consist of : guitar or bass strings, a timbre of snare drum, tiny bell, or any metal object that can vibrate. Some cajones do not have a timbre, which gives a sound which more resemble the specific sound of the bongo. The top of the striking plate of the typical flamenco cajón, is not fixed on the upper part, giving it a slammed sound.
| Family |
| Percussions |
| Pitch range |
| High, but of undefined height, composed of three basic notes : high, medium and low. Possibility to play also on the sides, which enriches the range. |
| Material |
| Wooden structure with a finer front plate with tackled strings on the inside. |
| Size |
| 19.7 in (50 cm) height, 11.8 in (30 cm) wide and about 11.8 in (30 cm) deep. |
| Origins |
| The cajón is a musical instrument invented in Peru by African slaves deprived of their traditional percussion in the 18th century. |
| Classification |
| Idiophone: an instrument that produces its sound through the use of the material from which it is made, without needing strings or a stretched skin. |
| And also... |
| Plating his foot against the plate some cajóneros stifle the sound of their cajón and gives an amazing rendering ! |
