I love the Cajon! I find it perfect for accompanying the guitar, and it is fun to play! Jamming, live gigs, and recording – it is great for all situations. Wish I could play the Cajon and guitar at the same time!
The sounds from those are nice!
Are they connected to a microphone? Maybe install wireless pickups for larger live gigs.
Also – straps like one may use with a guitar could be cool.
Hey Walter!!
Yes, they can come with a clip in shure Beta mike, or just the actually slip (which is a screw in) for the mike, this option is availabel for those who wish to make use of it. As per straps, it is well in the pipeline, and so are carry cases! 🙂
Hello Keith! Thanks for th nice comment! It took a while and most of the pics was taken by myself, it really is fun though, I love it! Personally, my favourite one is the abayomi just because it is really awesome value for it’s price!
Hey Heidi!
I received the cajon that I ordered from you the other day, and it is SUPER!
The sound and build of the cajon is simply amazing 🙂
I want to thank you for your great service and your generosity for providing online tutorials on how to play the cajon.
Just wondered, is there any special method on ‘tuning’ the strings in the cajon, or you just go by ear and what you think sounds nice?
Hallo Heidi. I was recently given a Cajon as a gift and have found your online videos very helpful in learning to play – thank you for your generosity in providing them and for sharing your talent! I hope soon to be busking with a friend who plays guitar, and would like to add a small cymbal like the one you are using on the video in Liverpool station. Does this have a particular name, and is it something that regular music shops stock? Or can you suggest an online supplier? Finally do you have any plans to perform in South Wales where I live (or somewhere near)? I would love to hear Fernandos Kitchen live. Cheers Les.
Hey Les!!!
I have been on the verge of answering your question when I realised my small busking cymbal had been stolen whilst out busking in cambridge with the trio, and I am not completely sure of it’s model and number and size (I am really not so into cymbals yet, but I seemed to have been blessed with a good eye for one), I will soon be getting a new one from the usual shop, I will let you know!! It is a small cymbal, very cheap and hand made, Stagg. For the first one I got I paid £15 and the last one I got was £25, but you have to go and try them and pick your one, because many of them just sound dead…. Hope this helps! Oh and they do break after a year of playing and heavy smacking (like I do) with the hands. Also get yourself a STRONG cymbal stand, you will never regret it!!! I went through loads of crappy cymbal stands that just broke completely… and thats only with hand playing, never minds sticks!! I use a pearl stand, get a good one for about £60 – £80 and you will have a stand for life! 🙂
Hope this helps you buddy!
Hey Heidi, thanks a lot. What did you mean by putting the towel inside the cajon? How to do it? I have been tweaking it for a week but the thing is that I cant get rid of that buzzing sound. How about placing a piece of cloth between one or two of the strings and the inside of the front panel? and the snare sound is still so much felt. is that because I have got a Cosmic La peru or it is the tuning? Thaaaaanks.
Hey Saman! Issues with the strings and buzzes is unfortunately an inevitable issue as your cajon gets older…. thats why I get a new one every 6 months! 🙂 But thats because I play a lot…. Now how old is your cajon? There is a stage where the strings or snares feed into the wood on the inside of the front panel, creating a slight distance between the strings/snares and the wood, thus it makes a buzzing sound and you can try to tune it to get a better sound but once that has heppened it’s difficult to get rid of the biussing sound. I like your idea of placing a cloth inbetween the strings and the wood, I will be trying this out later today and testing it. Anyways, back to the a few other ways to improve this buzzing issue. You can change your strings because it could be that your strings are old and worn out (especially if you tend to tweak the tuning a lot and tighten it a lot) but It might cost you just as much ads to actually buy a new one! Also even if the strings are old and you get them replaced (or even do it yourself), it’s possible that the front panel has got some slight errosion on certain areas where the strings touch the inside of the front panel we play on, so you might still get a buzz. It’s just one of those things that happens to all string and snare cajons, to some it happens faster than others, depending on the quality of the cajon and the way it’s been constructed. So no way you can avoid it from happening! It’s important to know this because everyone thinks there’s something wrong with their cajon when it starts buzzing… well, it’s normal! Just ensure you buy a good quality cajon to delay the buzzing for as long as possible! 🙂
Sounds like I’m your lazy student. I’m replying so late. My Cajon is not even two month of age but I play more than two hours a day preparing for a few performances, I know that’s nothing in comparison to the amount of time you play. I guess it is just the snare sound that annoys me sometimes and It gives me undesired overtones. I guess it is the nature of this Schlagwerk La Peru Cosmic, it is far better than many other brands though. Anyways I learned a lot from your advises. Now I know many things about how cajon changes over time and all. I appreciate that. I will try to find you if I travel to London one day in future. you are just awesome.
Hi Heidi. You’re truly talented. I´m from Uruguay and been taking cajón peruano lessons since june 2011 with Martin Ibarburu (one of the greatest percussionists of my country). Your teaching technique is cristal clear and really helpful. If ypu are interested let me share this link:http://ameijenda.com/luthier/?page_id=334&lang=en. You can watch a brief Ibarburu solo and check out some specifications of the peruano cajon.
Greetings Heidi!
I just found your videos on Youtube (and then your site here) and may I say you are an awesome cajon player and percussionist! I am very impressed and inspired by your playing. You clearly have rhythm in your soul!
I played percussion/drums a lot through my school days (including 3 years in drum corps) and it was my passion. Then as an adult I haven’t played for years. About a year ago I am getting back into playing percussion and drums and really loving being back in touch with my musical side. I bought my first cajon a few months ago and love it. What a great, versatile instrument!
I am playing in an acoustic folk/rock style band and I find that it’s nice to mic the cajon to pick up more nuance and greater range of sound from the instrument. I am curious, how do you mic your cajon? What mic do you use? Do you use two mics, from behind and in front, or just a single mic in front?
Would be great if you wrote a post about this. I also want to agree with some comments on your videos that you are an excellent teacher and have a gift for teaching. I wish you all the best in this new venture. Thank you!
Scott in West Chester, PA, USA
Heidi, is the cajon available now, and what would be the total us dollar including shipping charges?? Tucson AZ
Thanks,
Juan… 847-624-3491, home 520-797-1029
Hello Louie!
The dimensions will be standard, like the prk cajon, 50 x 50 x 30. It has an awesome sound and look. the Price will be around £150 – £170. All details will be confirmed within the next 2 weeks! 🙂
I started classes Cajon here in Montreal Canada, one of the best school of percussion, I discovered the Cajon and decided to make my favorite instrument.
Except that one lesson per two weeks is far too little for me.
I discovered your site and your lessons and I literally fall in love with Fernando kitchen, … every night I spend 30 minutes to one hour or until all the ryhtmes you teach are engraved in my body.
Finally all that to say, thank you for the lessons, I hope to see and hear Fernando’s Kitchen in Canada or on my next trip to London.
Pierre
Hey Pierre!!
Thanks for the comment! Good that you are practising 30min at least each day, you will improve immensely if you stay faithful to daily practise, even if it’s 15 min, just keep it constant!!!
And than you for the very nice msg of thank you!!! 🙂 Preciate it muchisimo!
See you soon in Canada or London!
BONJOUR HEIDI
J’ai découvert le cajon il y 3 mois lors d’une soirée chez des amies. (je suis batteur).
Donc je me suis intéressais au ajon .
Je suis allée à woodbraas pour essayer des cajons.
J’ai choisi un lp elite car le son ressemble à une batterie.
Ensuite j’ai cherché des cours de cajon sur internet.
Et la j’ai découvert le site de fernando’s kitchen puis le site cajon box enfin les cour de cajon. HEIDI JOUBERT
Et bien entendu j’ai été dessus de mon achat car je trouve le cajon prk et exeptionnel.
Mais j’attends que mes finances remonte pour acheter un cajon PRK SIGNATURE HEIDI JOUBERT.
Ca c’est une bonne nouvelle.
J’ai la semaine dernière joué chez des amies et la on à insonorisé mon cajon. Ouahouououou !!!
C’été génial !!!!!
Donc j’ai une question quel matériel me faut il ? (micro+ampli) pour insonoriser mon cajon
Pour terminer merci pour les cours de cajon gratuit et d’avoir crée le site cajonbox.
Je te soutien pour tout ce que tu fais pour le cajon.
Musicalement
ERIC
Heidi, I am new to percussion (and music, for that matter) after playing with a friend’s cajon for a few days. So I got my own and loving it, but just starting to learn. I will probably need to buy a decent one from you!)
I went on youtube and typed in beginner cajon lessons and your radiant face shows up so I want to thank you for the great lessons!!
You are such an impressive percussionist and I look forward to learning from your videos, too bad I don’t live in London otherwise I would have taken lessons from you in person, if you even offer that.
Blessings,
Jack
Hello!! I am not sure what you are asking? If you mean to ask which cajon I would suggest for busking, there’s only 1 I would recommend, the prk cajon I havce been playing on the street for the last 4 years daily! 🙂
Looking at the meters in the video (specifically the one in the lo-fi piguln), it seems like the reason the snare is more easily heard through the mix in end is mostly volume. I wonder if the difference would have been as dramatic at similar gains. Or maybe I’m imagining things
Thanks , very helpful. I’m a guitarist so I know to keep hot water, lotion, ect. away from my pads. I have noticed a bit of swelling in my hands after playing cajon, its not a problem en less I have to jump back on guitar ( feels like I’m playing with someone else’s fingers!) Any thoughts? It goes back to normal in about an hour so it may be just part of it…Thanks!
Hey Keith! This is a very interesting qsubject, regarding playing guitar after playign cajon, it happens to me too, but nothing to the extent that it happens to a proper flamenco guiatrist, it is impossible to play right after playing cajon, I have no tips on this yet, but I will chew on it. For now all advice I can give is what you already know, don’t play cajon just before you intend to play guitar…. Very annoying I know coz they kinda go hand in hand!
My PRK Castigador cajon just arrived from New York. Do
they usually come with the wires taped inside already ?
It looks like it was made in 2010 and is number 496.
Definitely has a brighter bass sound than the Meinl.
Now time for more practice. Thank you for all your
videos they are very informative and helpful.
Hey Ganga!
Yes all the prk cajons are tried by the makers and then they tape down certain parts to get the bext sound according to them. It is highly likely that your cajon was made in 20120 if you bought it from a store and not from cajonbox.com. Thats what they do, they store them. But old or new, these cajones are wonderful! Have fun!
OH rats, if i would have known this would have
ordered your new one instead of the Castigator.
Looking forward to the reveal of your new line
though. g.
Very interested in the new cajon. Is it available yet? How much to ship to USA?
Or can I pick one up when I’m in the UK for a trip in August?
Thanks
Andy
Hello Andy!
It should be available within about 2 weeks or so, we are just in the final stages of the production of some cajones. I think it would be possible for you to get your cajon from me in August depending on how fast it goes and how many gets pre ordered etc, but I will only know this once It is released for pre order (we’re almost there). I would suggect signing up to the newsletter if you have not done so yet, that way you will knoe when it is set to be ready for pre order. Lets hope it’s soon so I can have your cajon here in the uk in August (they need to ship it to the UK). Otherwise there would be no issue to post it you to in the USA. 🙂
I experimented with taking a look at your web site in my ipod touch and the structure doesnt seem to be right. Might wanna check it out on WAP as well as it seems most cellular phone layouts are not really working with your web page.
Thank you very much! I am getting the whole website redone (in terms of design) within the next couple of weeks, and I will make sure it’s automatically mobile compatible, thank you very much for pointing this out! 🙂
Hello Ganga!
This is a very very vague question and difficult for me to answer, in fact impossible to give you one answer on that. It would depend on a lot of things, not just the amount of hours you play, and it’s very difficult to make a rule on this one, depends also what you mean by toughen up, to what degree. I can vaguely guess simply to make an effort in answering this question, but it is not certain at all… all I can say is personally for me, with 4 hours daily performing live accoustically like I did busking on the street (really slapping that cajon like MAD haha, beginner style), about 2 months….. But i cannot say for sure, I do recall having many blisters in the beginning, I was a bit too wild…. and so you see It really really depends! 🙂 And when you stop playing for 1 month, depending on how old and hard the layer of skin is, you might even need to start all over again! :-/ I would just say don’t worrry about it and just keep playing! If you are faithful with your playing, it WILL pay off, eventually. 🙂
Ganga,
I can’t comment specifically on the hand injury/blisters for the cajon because I started playing this instrument after already playing congas on a regular basis. So, my hands are already “conditioned” to a certain degree. However, my experience with congas may be helpful.
Like many newbies, when I first started playing the congas, I really smacked them hard — probably too hard. Also, when playing out live, sometimes the heat of the moment calls for some “spirited smacking” which has caused me some painful bruises and, during Winter months especially, some cracking of the skin.
For me, I have found the best remedy for skin issues to be raw shae butter. (I have a good friend who owns a hair salon in my town and carries a lot of skincare products — she raves about shae butter.) At first it feels very greasy, but after 15 or 20 minutes it absorbs into the dry skin and really helps speed up the healing process! I usually apply it after a gig, before I go to bed.
If you need to play with banged up hands, you can use standard, white first-aid tape to pad your bruised areas. When playing congas during the Winter months (while humidity is so dry), I will often tape up my hands before playing, making sure to cover the sensitive areas on my hands that tend to split.
Like I said, I have not yet had the need to take these measures after playing the cajon because it’s still a fairly new instrument for me. Heidi can comment further, but my thought is that if you’re hands are in bad shape, you may be hitting the surface too hard. Check out some of her vids on technique, which I have found to be quite helpful.
Something else to consider is the cajon itself. The first cajon I purchased absolutely sucked — I found that I had to strike it too hard (and it funny places) to get good sound. This resulted in bruises and a sore back because I had to lean too far forward to reach the sweet spot for the bass sound. After watching a few of Heidi’ vids, I noticed that her PRK cajon had incredible sensitivity and a nice low-end sweet spot higher up on the playing surface. She isn’t leaning forward to get the thump! I ditched my old cajon and bought a PRK. This changed everything. I am no longer leaning forward, and I find that I do not have to strike the playing surface hard in order to get a nice, crisp snare sound. I have therefore been able improve my technique, playing more with the fingers.
The PRKs are not cheap. If price in an issue, you should seriously consider one of her Cruz models. They are manufactured by PRK, feature the same craftsmanship, and are quite a bit less expensive.
Anyway, hope I have not wandered too far off the topic here. Sorry for the super long post. Good luck!
Hey Tim!
Nice long comment, I love it, and so informative, even I got some tips! I know that for sure I would be investing in shea butter when I get into congas, thats for sure! 🙂 And yes, I can definitly agree with you on the plasters point, many times I had pain in the beginning (sometimes it’s inevitable, simply because one does lack the proper technique, and tend to have a crappy cajon to start with, and that matched with a lot of playing everyday, like I did, busking accoutically on the street, is a perfect recipe for PAIN and bruises, blood and blisters…. ) None the less this time is very exciting, I remember even feeling very happy and somehow proud when one of my blisters popped as I was busking, splattering some blood accross my then-white-cajon, which made quite an effect on the audience and the whole performance.. it was fun!
Anyway, back to the point, I do agree about the plasters, many times I had pain and Instead of playiung mr tough guy, It would have been wise to simply wrap up the hurt finger parts with plaster and perhaps putting on some healing cream or something at night before going to bed….. I did eventually learn to do this and heck, it really made those painful gigs I had to do 50% less painful! 🙂
Thanks for the great input Tim, many ppl benefit from these kind of comments, I definitely did, it’s wonderful, thanks!
I took my cajon to an acoustic guitar gig a few weeks ago, no one there had ever seen one. They would say, whats that, whats it for? After they heard it they all wanted to play it and find out all they could about it. Of course they all now know who Heidi is and who FK is. Big hit!
Yeah cool reminder article and great video. Our city has summer main street marketplace where musicians who sign up are allowed to play out doors (only time you can without a permit & paying taxes – grrrr) and even leave a case open for some spare change. I’ll walk around till I find a guitarist or 2 and hope in with them. Great idea adding in a little splash on a stand, have to look into that! Keep up the inspirational work!
peace.
hola heidi, you re write cajon is the oldest rythme i confirm that in my family we are gitanos and in fiesta we make a sound of rumba like cajon in table in box of sugar anywhere we make this sound but whith cajon is better lol
Yes you are right, the table playing is very much the beginning of cajon playing!!! 🙂 I love gitanos!!! And fiestas too!!! Invite me and I will be happy to join one day!
Heidi-
I am an Elementary Music Teacher. I came across your videos on youtube. I teach an Instrumental unit called “World Drums”. Along with my Djembes, Doumbeks, Darbuka, Congas, Bongo and other smaller drums like the Log Drums from Africa I have a regular Bebops Cajon without the snare and a Meinl Snare Cajon. I just added a Meinl Cajon Bongo to the Drum circle this past Christmas. I use the drums to teach tempo, dynamics and rhythm according to their grade level.
I found the comments on this blog very interesting about how to adjust your snare. I have a question about adjustment of the screws across the top of the front plate for your natural/open tone and the slap…do you have any tips on this? Also…have you ever worked with young people in grades 1-6 to teach them Cajon technique?
I really enjoy sharing percussion with my students and some have gone on to be a part of the Band program in our school district and play Brass, Woodwinds, and percussion. One of my students is going to University in our area on a full Music Scholarship and plays Oboe. He asked me what an Ocarina was in Third Grade and that was the beginning of my Woodwind unit from the Stone Age to teach them about playing woodwinds and also songs from Zelda Ocarina of Time video game plus many other songs. I was very glad they have brought Ocarina of Time back again with the 3-D DS game system. They go on to learn the Soprano Recorder which is similar to the clarinet other woodwinds in Fourth Grade. Of course, before the orchestra it was the instrument of the day in time of Mozart and Bach.
If you have any suggestions about teaching the Cajon to my students I would appreciate any ideas. I now have a SmartBoard in my classroom this year and plan on showing videos of you playing the Cajon to help my students understand how to play. I guess you know the Cajon came from Peru around the 16th century and was created by the African slaves…
Look forward to hearing from you and receiving the newsletters!
Musically yours,
Ms. G
Music Teacher-USA
Hello Ms G!!!
Thank you very much for your very nice and long comment, it made me smile way more than just a few times, it’s always good to hear from other teachers! As per teaching your students, the best way to teach them is to make sure they have fun with the cajon, ensemble class is always a good one too, where you get them all to play a simple groove in unison, and one by one each one gets a turn to solo and be creative (one at a time) for say 4 bars, and then once they get comfy with that, move it up to 8 bars etc! Hope this helps, and please do send me some pics/vids of the class, would be great to write a blog about your classes and your students, and also a testimony as to how my cajon lessons are helping ppl to learn all over the world! 🙂
Blessings to you!
Heidi
Hello Heidi: I’m new to the Cajon, and have been watching your video lessons. You are a very good instructor. Thank You for sharing your time and talent. I appreciate it, very much. I hope to trade up to a PRK some day. I also enjoy the video’s of you Folks, busking. So Cool. I live near Nashville, Tennessee USA Music City. Maybe Fernando’s Kitchen, will play Nashville sometime. The Web site is Great! Catching any of the Olympic games? Or busking for the crowds? Thanks Again, Best Regards: Marty
Yes Marty, we have played the Official Mall of the olympics, the weekend before the olympics, to celebrate the torch arrival and the olympics, and yes, loads and loads of busking to the crowds! 🙂 Thanks for the nice comment! Keep practising, I hope you improve super fast!
Wow, they look great!
Congratulations…!
(One more thing, sinsce you’re contact form is not available:
Your website is not navigateable with Safari on a Mac…)
Hi Heidi,
I would like to get a very good cajon ( for France) , could you please tell if there are differences between each model ..rabioso…castigador…invencible…mescalero..veneroor if it is just the design that change on each model ?
Do you have a list of the prices that you could send me ?
I heard about your new cruz cajon, I suppose they will sound better ?
Best regards
Olivier
Hello Oliver
There is no difference in the PRK cajon selection, it’s simply cosmetic. They are really wonderful drums.
See prices and more info on these link: http://cajonbox.com/shop/cajon-shop/ http://cajonbox.com/prk-cajon/
A demo vid of my cruz cajon will be done within the next week do keep an eye out. They are handmade by Prk percussions, with fine quality wood. Pre orders will be taken from laer this week.
More info on that soon!!! Keep cajon rocking!
Hey Heidi.
I saw your Youtube video with the ensemble and it was really impressive, I enjoyed it a lot. I’ve been a hand percussionist for the past 25 years and that type of ensemble is what I would like to perform in. Nice stuff.
Been playing snare drum since 5th grade in the 50’s. Have Cajon Snare. Snares tuned to be prominent. Recently, played at Old Time Instruments Jam Session with 30+ people. Cajon compliments these acoustic instruments well. I tend to revert to playing my Cajon like a snare drum using right hand and fingers to play rolls. Bass with left hand hitting lower. Sounds great with the banjo, guitars etc. Is this totally wrong?
No there is no wrong way of playing any instrument, in fact, the more creatibve you can go, the more unique and original you will be!!! But there are some basic guidelines as many ppl prefer a set method to start with and once they get the hang of it, slowly let creativity come in to play. with the cajon, being a fairly new instrument, there is really no set school for playing the box, so fire away by all means!!! Got a vid so I can see how you play? 🙂 Would love that!
Hey Stefan!
I have been planning to update my site for months now (you couldn’t view the site from mobiles either, it was so annoying) and I finally got this up. Actually this is a temporary template I am using, I have yet to install my new template (a bit more fancy etc) but I am just so so happy that ppl can now browse properly!! Thanks for the reminder!
Hello!!!! Thank you for the very very nice feedback, it makes me super happy!! Great to hear it’s not a waste of a site and that it is indeed helping cajoneros y neras! 🙂
Heidi!
I stumbled upon your Youtube videos while searching for rythym instrument tutorials and I was so blown away by the both the instrument and the musician that I decided I HAD to learn how to play!
I debuted my cajon with a group of musicians this past weekend and everyone was so curious and impressed with the range of sounds and grooves that this little box can produce. I had an absolute blast!
I would love to pre-order one of your cajons. I am patiently waiting to upgrade my entry-level instrument to something I know will have both a robust sound and a robust build! Can’t wait!
K.
Awesome Karen!
You’re right, this box is super amazing, I have the same reaction everywhere I go play, life is great with one of these!!! I am presently listing my Cruz Cajon for pre order and it will be ready to pre order by end the weekend, i will inform you via the newsletter ok!!! 🙂
Thanks for subscribing and for your encouragement!
Hello Taylor
you can order a cajudoo through our cajudoo shop. It wasn’t showing up in the menu for somre reason but I have just made it visible again, simply look under the shop drop down menu. They are great little drums! 🙂
Ok that sounds great, in your demo videos you have them directly in with a 1/4 inch jack. Do they come installed or is that a modification you made personally?
Hey Taylor!
All the new cajudoos comes with the Microphone screw in hole (it screws in), these will be listed on our webshop shortly, but as for the cajudoo abayomi for sale on the cajonbox webshop, it is possible but you have to request it before purchase as not everyone wants that extra, and it costs a little bit more.
Hey Dusten! The Cruz Cajon has just been listed on the cajonbox webshop, and can now be pre-ordered from this webshop only at the moment (the pre ordered cajones will be shipped out early September, you can pre-order now and get your Cruz Cajon by 15 – 20 September in the EU).
Hope this helps! Videos and demos are well on the way, Sign up to my newsletter to stay updated. 🙂
Heidi, this looks like WordPress site. Yes? There is a cool add-on (will find the name) that can post all or certain blog posts (and threaded comments) on a Facebook page that you designate. Pretty cool. I use it on both of my sites – works great. If you choose to integrate your Website with a FB page, there’s another add-on (something like “Facebook Social Slider”) that puts an expandable tab at the edge of your website pages that show a current, real-time snapshot of your Facebook page. You can see it in action at http://www.thehiredhandsband.com. And by the way, YES Stefan, content is king! Most people don’t have time to navigate thru fluffy fluff.
Excellent info (as usual). Will try this out today as a matter of fact. I have three decent mics for live performances: an very sensitive Shure condenser mic that I typically use for overhead, and two Shure SM-57’s instrument mics. If I am ONLY going to mic the sound hole in the back, which type of mic would you recommend? It’s interesting that you mentioned taking out the mids … something I was thinking about. Thanks again Heidi.
You are Amazing and Brilliant Cajon Player as well as trainor I have ever seen in my life. All your uploaded videos are very good. Keep uploading some more videos for beginners. Thank you very much for providing this wonderful training.
Regards,
Naveen G
Hello Naveen!
Thank you very much for your generous comment, it is always wondeful to hear how my work affects ppl’s lives, it is so encouraging! Thank you! It means a lot…
Hey Bob!
I might just start up a new group class in London around September/October! Sign up to my newsletter to stay updated, or check back here again in a month or so!
Hi Heidi,
Just wanted to check whether you were still planning on doing Cajon classes this Autumn in London? Am buying my first Cajon and would be really keen on coming!
Thanks
Robin
Can you make a video showing us the differences between the piano and guitar string variants of your new cajon? They look beautiful and I can’t wait to get one!
Hey Dusten! videos of the cruz cajon and different ranges, as well as compasrison vids, are well on their way, within the next week or so there will be a few up….thanks for the nice comment on the beautiful design, they really are beautiful, in looks and sound, I have had some guests over from Germany (a musical family) and we have all had loads of fun trying these out, jamming together and comparing them to my other 5 cajones (at the moment I own 7, haha, I am super blessed) and we have all been delightfully surprised at the ease of playing and getting a wonderful sound out of the cruz cajon, both the piano and the guitar string cajon….I can honestly say I am in love with my own brand, and that is an even better blessing than having 7 cajones! 🙂
Sign up to my newsletter and you won’t miss the vids when they are posted up!
What is the current conversion rate for the USA dollar and what is the S&H fee to the US?
Thanks,
Ron
P.S. You are a fantastic player and teacher of the cajon, I really appreciate your talent and enthusiasm.
Hello Ron!
You can find the current conversion rate and the Shipping and handling fee listed on the cajon shop page. But thanks for asking, I have now added the US price and the EU price on this page to make it easier for eberyone to see it instantly without looking for it! 🙂 Remember that this does not include your customs fee (if applicable).
Hello, I recently picked up a cajon I love the damn thing! I play a regular set. Your band rips! you rip!! thank you for taking time to make these videos i am for sure a student they help out soo much keep riping hope to see your live show one day.
Aloha
Yes we ship worldwide, but it’s possible that we might not be able to track to certain countries. We can also arrange a different payment method, just let us know how you would like to go about it and we’d organise it! 🙂
Heidi, you’re my new favorite person! I play djembe and was considering adding a set of bongos to the mix but, uh-uh….not anymore! I’m waiting for the demo vids…all I need to decide now is, piano or guitar. Hahaha, life is awesome. 🙂
Hi Heidi,
Im brazilian but I live in Barcelona. Your video lessons are amanzing!!!! I didnt have any idea of how to play the cajon, and now only 3 weeks after I started practicing, I can follow all your lessons. Please keep uploading more videos, they are great and help a lot!!! I always thought that my right hand would be the “smart” hand, but sudenly I found out that the smart hand is the left one 😀
Actualy, when I´m playing I disconect from all my problems, its an hour of my day that I relax. I love it!!
Can ask you a couple of things? First of all, when are you planning to come to Barcelona? And the second thing is, can you teach the TURN (I dont know if thats the word I have to use… between the compasses)?
thanks a lot
xxxx
Hello Hello!!1
what a wonderful testimony on my lessons, I am so so glad I could help you leanr in just 3 weeks!!! :-))) As per your questions, I will be visiting Barcelona very woon (wiuthin the next 3 months), we might play a bit too, but I am actually going to the Prk workshop where they hand make my cruz cajones, so I am very exctied!! and as per turning the compass, I am a bit unsure of what you mean? Sorry….
Cajon love
Heidi
Hahaha what i wanted to tell you before is actually called brake!
I can do your excercises but i cant put them into a whole, Please help me Heidi!!
So when you coming you gonna do a workshop, because i would love to be a part of it and when and where are you playing???
Thank you so much!!
Hello Fernanda!
Where are you based, in London? If so I might be starting up a workshop on cajon sometime in September or October! 🙂 Sign up to the newsletter to stay updated! Mwha!
Hi Heidi,
I own a small djembe which I’ve been playing around with for about a year. I was shopping around for a Bongo drum until I came across these. What would be the main difference between one and the other, playing wise and how they sound in your opinion?
many thanks,
Afshin
Hi. I found your videos on youtube and since then found and now use your web page. Its great to have a page structured like this in order of which to follow the videos. Having learnt guitar by youtube its hard as all the videos are mixed together with no order, but its nice to be able to follow a method such as you have laid out, of which meant I went and bought my first Cajon today, a DG Chanela of which you are teaching me well.
Thank you kindly for the help and inspiration,
Michael
Hey Michael!
Thanks for the great feedback! It’s wonderful to hear I have somehow inspired you to get a cajon! Remember to check out my cruz cajons when you feel like a new cajon huh! 🙂 Keep practising bro, I will be posting up more vids, as much as I can, to help you keep learning!
Cajon love
Heidi
Hi bella Heidi, your work is fantastic, i m from Argentina and i like the Cajon (Cajon Peruano).Those cruz cajon, and prk cajon are Flamenco?? with bordona??. Sorry my english is orin.
I m a bass guitar player, but the percusssion is so close to me. Cajon peruano, cuerdas de candombe, bongo, timbal….Well, you´re an amazing mixture (beautiful and esplendid payer). i ´m a new fan. good life, peace, kisses.
Good videos, post more videos with the band.
Saludos desde latinoamérica.
Hey Guillermo!
Si they are both flamenco cajons, but I can get a Peruvian Cruz cajon made specially for you if you want it, it will sound wonderful as well without the strings. Thanks for the very kind words chico, me gusta, muchisimo! 🙂 I will for sure be posting more vids of the band!
Un abrazo desde londres!
No so improvised….. all patterns are “robed” by Entre dos aguas, with one note every 10.000 changed….
remember that rumba flamenca , rumba catalana and carebbean rumba are trhee pattern very different each with other.
Regard
Hola Manuel
Puedes hablar con tu banco si necesitas financiacion. Otra solucion es comprar un cruz cajon tambien hecho por prk pero mucho mas barrato.
Saludos desde londres!
mucha gracia de ta respuertas yo es qui quiero el cajon prk pagar en tarjeta 3x 4x a una pagina de internet heidi y si se puedes en londre en tarjeta 3x 4x veces gracia y si conoses en barcelona saludo
Hello Nicholas!
The entire quote for a cruz cajon would be £175 (guitar strings) plus your postage of £55 to malaysia (it seems pricey but they use seriously the best courriers to make sure your cajon gets there without any damage or loss) so the final figure is £230 all inclusive. Did you find it difficult to figure out the final price on the shop page? this info will help me as I would then redo the shop page to make it easier for ppl to see the final figure.
🙂 Heidi
hi,
i’m thinking of replacing the strings in my current cajon with piano strings (until i read this i had no idea that was even an option!) can you tell me a little more about them? how expensive are they, where can i get them and how different is the sound to guitar strings.. i’m currently using A strings tuned up quite high so i get nice clean bass and snappy snare… i’m using a duende duo, would piano strings be an option?
Thank you for keeping this updated with even more lessons! This is starting to become my new favorite site, it’s my one stop place for all things cajon. Thanks again Heidi for keeping me excited and motivated to learn more and push myself as a beginner cajon player.
Keep up the good work,
Dusten
I’m from Madrid, Spain, so I do not speak or understand English very well, but I am learning a lot from your video lessons.
It’s a shame not to live in the same city and country to attend your classes.
Thank you.
Yo Antonio!
Gracias por el mensaje! 🙂 I am happy to hear you are learning, perhaps you learn some english from my lessons too while you’re at it, jaja! I might be visiting Spain for group classes and workshops in the coming year, sign up to my newsletter to stay updated on whats happening! And thank you for the nice comment, I appreciate it!
Saludos desde Londres
Hello Luke!
Cajonbox shop do unfortunately not yet stock accersories, but I know of a pedal that you can find in some online store, for cajon, like a bass drum pedal but backwards, I think it’s called cajon pedal, here’s a link I just found on it, it looks pretty cool! http://www.schlagwerk.com/products/cajon-add-ons/cajon-pedal/
Now I never tried it so I cannot vouch for it, but I have used a normal bass drum pedal on one of my cajones, positioning the cajon in front of me like a bass drum in a drum kit, and sitting on a chair or another cajon, that worked well, but this add on looks great, let u know how it goes if you do get it!! 🙂
Hope this helps!
Very useful, Would like like to see more blues patterns and how to apply them to the cajon. Keep up the good work,,,(I knew you had a little blues in you!:)
Hola Manuel
It definitely resembles the sound and quality of a prk with perhaps a fraction less volume and resonance, bear in mind it is made with the same love and care (and even front board) as the prk cajones and they really pride themselves in their work, so it’s very good I can assure you….for half the price it is certainly more value for money in my opinion! 🙂
Sorry Heidi my fault! I was refering to the note you left this guy about a certain cajon:
Hola Manuel
It definitely resembles the sound and quality of a prk with perhaps a fraction less volume and resonance, bear in mind it is made with the same love and care (and even front board) as the prk cajones and they really pride themselves in their work, so it’s very good I can assure you….for half the price it is certainly more value for money in my opinion!
I was wondering who the manafacturer was of this particular cajon you are talking about.
Hope it makes a bit more sense now
Cheers
Wayne
Heidi Joubert Post author
Hey Wayne
The current manufacturer for this is PRK. Hope this answers the Q? 🙂
Heidi
Oliver
Hi. Are you using the piano guitar string version in this video? Thanks, Oliver
This lesson and your performance is fantastic, Heidi! Because of your inspiring talent and the wonderful lessons you offer on this site, I’ve purchased and started playing the Cajon. Thank you for giving so much of yourself. I look forward to all your future lessons and the upcoming Fernando’s Kitchen CD. You’re awesome!
Heidi,
I am just trying to make sure I understand the pricing to America/USA, Is it $175.00 plus $55,00 shipping? is there another customs charge and if so do you know how much? And it is available in black with the natural color front plate isn’t it?
Hey Michael!
The prices are £175 for the cajon plus £55 for shipping to the USA, I will put the converted amount in dollars up right away (still under construction the shop, sorry). It could be subject to a customs fee, but not always, and I am unsure what that fee would be. I will try and find out from someone who had to recently pay for the customs fee. I do know that many of our buyers in the USA have not had to pay a customs fee, but that would depend on the customs of your area, I am not too sure how it all works. Yes it is available in Black body with a natural front plate.
Hello Bill!!
Wonderful to meet you last night at the London Eye!! Good luck with your group, and when you want to, get one of my cruz cajons for the band!! 🙂
xx
Hola,
Te escribo en español que veo que te defiendes bastante bien en la lengua de Cervantes.. 😛
Me encanta esta página, he visto un par de video tuyos y me han encantado, las caras que pones cuando tocas el cajón son típicas caras de un apasionado y que verdaderamente lo sientes.
También soy percusionista y desde hace un año y medio tengo un cajón peruano. Me ha servido mucho tu video de “Bulerias” ya que el “Tempo” es muy diferente del que estoy acostumbrado.
Yo por herencia de mi padre, he aprendido desde niño a tocar Congas, bongos y timbaletas… vamos, lo relacionado con salsa, merenque, bachata… y toda la música caribeña relacionada.
Desde que vine a España me he enamorado de la música española y era inevitable comprarme un cajón y tocar la música con maestros de la guitarra.
Así que muchas gracias y si algún día te pasas por España os esperamos en “L’Espineta” (Calafell – Tarragona)
Hello Heidi could you provide a few titles of SlowRocks on which this applies just for more training and getting to find the breaks and fillings. Thank you ever so much for this lesson, it is really excellent!
Thanks for these lessons. They are easy to follow, long enough to share alot of information and are fun too. I’m enjoying practicing these rhythms and patterns. You’ve got me sounding better already.
Hello Manny!
Very interesting that you ask, I have not yet formally added Hi hat to my cajon kit, but I have been working on this for the past 3 months (on my cowbell pedal) and am about to invest in one, it just takes a lot of co ordination to play with a hi hat, and up till now I have just been developing mainly my cajon technique… but yes, Hi hat is great and it’s the next development for me as a percussionist! 🙂 I will probably be adding some vids with the hi hat and some ex within the next 2 months.
Hello Manny and Heidi
I’m using a hi hat with my set when I fx. play swing music. Either I play 2 and 4 with my foot or I use broomsticks (or sticks) to play the swingbeat on the hi hat. I also play the claves rhythm together with my congas. I think it’s great and it gives this metallic sound to the wooden/skin sound.
I play a Yambú Peruano (conga cajon from Schlagwerk). It fits great into my set of congas and it’s better for my back 😉
Thanks for your great videolessons.
Hi Heidi,
I caught up with you outside the Guildhall (Cambridge) last month and you mentioned the possiblity of another course in Cambridge later this year or next year. Just really registering my interest so you know that people are keen.
Loved the CD, it’s given me a totally unrealistic goal !!!
Keep up the good work, hope the rain stays away while busking and looking forward to the next newsletter.
Darren
Hello Darren
I might quite possibly starting up a group course in Cambridge from October, I will let you know once this is confirmed ok!
Otherwise next year for sure…. I think! See you sooon!
Great news! Cambridge beginners cajon course, starting up on Wed 16th Jan 2013. Enrolment for the course has now begun and you can now secure your space in the class.
Cajon beginners course:
A basic beginners course to get you playing the cajon.
The course cover a complete foundation to get you started on the cajon. We will cover basic technique and exercises, various grooves, time signatures and styles such as funk, pop, rock, blues, as well as some flamenco and latin patterns. Throughout the course we will also look at performance, improvisation, playing with other players and instruments, and ensemble.
Dates: Wed’s 16 Jan – 27 Feb 2013
Duration: 7 weeks, 7 classes
Cambridge
Get in touch for more details!
Heidi Joubert http://cajonbox.com
Hi Heidi,
Do you still have places left for this Wednesday evening in Cambridge ?
I’d like to attend, and possibly my teenage daughter – we have 1 cajon between us so would need to hire 1 from you for the lesson.
Hope to see you on Wednesday,
Darren
Hello Darren
Yes there is still space for you and your daughter to join in our cajon classes, send me an email so I can send you the enrolment details etc!
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
Please could you contact me WRT looking at distribution options for your range in South Africa, if you don’t have an official agent in the region as yet? Please email me direct if possible, and maybe remove this post straight after?
Thanks
Jason
Hi bella Heidi, your work is fantastic, i m from Argentina and i like the Cajon (Cajon Peruano).Those cruz cajon, and prk cajon are Flamenco?? with bodorna??. Sorry my english is orin.I m a bass guitar player, but the percusssion is so close to me. Cajon peruano, cuerdas de candombe, bongo, timbal .Well, youb4re an amazing mixture (beautiful and esplendid payer). i b4m a new fan. good life, peace, kisses.Good videos, post more videos with the band.Saludos desde latinoame9rica.
Hello, I recently pikced up a cajon I love the damn thing! I play a regular set. Your band rips! you rip!! thank you for taking time to make these videos i am for sure a student they help out soo much keep riping hope to see your live show one day.Aloha
Hey Heidi!
I really love to watch your videos. In all of them, there is to see how much you enoy playing that really cool instrument! It would be that nice – if you’ll come to Southern Germany one day and we’ld meet! But I don’t this ever will happpen…
Much Love
Georg
Hi Heidi,
Thanks for providing these superb video lessons. For me as a beginners it is sometimes hard to follow – event though I play drums for a while now. One thing that is particularly weird is having to “mirror” you in my brain – your right hand is on the left on the screen. Probably it would make sense to mirror your videos, or introduce a different camera angle filming in “birds eye view”. Or simply to have the tabs/scores published under each video. Your RLRL notation with the bold letters is a very good idea, but putting it below the video as text or picture would be helpful for practicing, without having to rewind the video.
Keep up the excellent work!
Oliver
Dear Oliver!
Thank you for the fabulous tips!!! I honestly did not think about mirroring my vids yet, that is simply genius!!! When I get a better vid editing software, I will definitely do that!!1 Thanks buddy, for sharing your very nice ideas here! 😉 Preciate it a lot!
Heidi!
Canto desde que tengo memoria…Me lleva el Soul, Funk, GOSPEL! Hip-Hop, R&B…soy de Argentina, acá no tenemos la cultura negra arraigada y cuesta conseguir información o gente BUENA en estos estilos. Toco un poco batería, huevos, pandereta, cajón y cualquier instrumento de percusión que esté a mi alcance!!. Encuentro tus videos sencillos, y contagiosos. Quiero más data! Más lecciones! Más instrumentos!
Hermosa voz, hermoso Groove!
Go with d’flow girl!
Saludos!
Nato
Hello Heidi.
I’ve only just been introduced to the magical percussion instrument The Cajon Drum. I love them, as I’m not so great at playing the drums, but have very good rhythm. I’ve been hitting table tops for 45 years (to the annoyance of my family and friends) cajons seem so suitable for what I want to do.
Do you have a monthly payment system? I want a Cruz Cajon with piano strings, as it sounds genius.
I love your lessons they seem really relaxed and will help me improve my playing.
Thank you.
Ricky
Hey Heidi
I impromptu went into a music shop last week to buy a guitar and ended up coming out with a Cajun as well as the guitar. I stumbled on your website as want to learn to play it well. Your videos and band are amazing and they encourage me to practice, practice, practice. Well done and thank you for encouraging me.
Deirdre x
Hola Fernando!
El precio para un Piano Cruz es £165 + postage to Mexico (£55) all in all £230 (just convert it or look on our shop page for USD or other currencies! 🙂
Gracias!
Do you do private lessons at all ? Am in Spain at the moment
but wanted to contact you to find out. Or will you be doing
any busking within the next couple of weeks and if so where.
Would really like the chance to see your group or take some
private lessons before i have to return to the states. Am in
Europe until the 2nd of October then have to fly back. Am
loving the cajon and thank you for your channel it gave me a
good running start. Of course there is much more to learn and
keep banging away all day every day. Something has to sink in.
Hello Ganga!
At the moment I do not do any private lessons, I unfrotunately have no time for that, but I might be starting up my cajon group class in October, however, it seems you are resturning to the states on the 2nd October! We will be busking around London and bath this month, but we have no set concerts (there will be none untill we finish our album, which is well on the way). I would suggest you stay in spain and just learn as much about the cajon there as possible! And next time you come over, we will have some very exciting stuff up and running! everything is crazy here after the olympics and we are also not so busy with things as we are focussing on the recording for the next 2 months. Would have been lovely to meet you though!!! Keep practising! 🙂
Hi Heidi,
I’ve been playing the Cajon in an acoustic band for 10 months now.
I stumbled across your website & I must say it has hugely inspired me 🙂
Im now looking to incorporate a splash/crash and was wondering what setup you gig with?
Cheers,
Dan
Heidi
Is there a stockist of the Cruz Cajons in London? I work in Gower St in the West end, so would love to have a go on one before ordering a Toro off of you. Cheers!
Peace!
Ricky
Hello Ricky!
Currently there are no stockists in London, but myself 🙂 I will be having these available for sale at all my cajon workshop classes and at any shows that I might be doing with my band. If you want to, we could arrange for you to try one in London for sure! Soon I will have these stocked in various percussions stores around London but it might yet be a while..
Anyway, they are great and you really should try it if you intend to buy a cajon! let me know and we could arrange a convenient time.
Heidi
Hello! Our Cajon school is planning a Autumn Cajon course of 10 weeks in London, sign up to our newsletter to stay updated on this! It will be in October.
Hola Josep!
Great to hear from you man! You can order a cruz or prk from our cajon shop: http://cajonbox.com/shop/cajon-shop/
Follow the link and scroll down the page till you find the paypal buttons. Then find the cajon and the model you want, select it, and click… you will then be redirected to paypal that will give you the options of how you would like to pay….. It’s that simple! And you don’t need to have a paypal account, you can pay by credit card. Hope this helps! Let me know if you don’t get right.
Hi. This is Thomas from Frankfurt/Germany. I’d like to get information about your cajons and prices. Are they available in Germany? Any shops where I could eventually check them out?
Thanks for your videos. Great playing, but also great teaching!!!
All the best
Hey Thomas!
something must be a bit wrong with this page as there’s no content, I will fix it and when you visit again it will be up again so you can check out prices! i am uncertaind of distribution in germany at the moment but it is possible that it will be very soon!
I didnt know these drums at all. Just got an impression via YouTube.
This guy plays a melodic theme and improvisational variations on 2 HDs. Its great! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17ojj7tgrqw
Thanks for the awesome tutorials! After a few weeks of watching your videos and practicing I actually had the courage to join a local Flamenco group, you’re an amazing teacher.
Hi Heidi, i’m looking to purchase the Cruz Cajon. Is the 10% discount applicable to this model as i can’t see it as one of the options on this page. thanks!
fang
Hey Fang
The 10% discount in our shop is now no longer applicable, however, keep an eye out for the newsletter as we are going to give away a Cruz cajon, and give away some discounts on them very soon! If you want to get one ASAP, then please contact me personally so I can arrange to give you a discount specially for you (you have been a very loyal subscriber Fang!) 🙂
Heidi
Like Peter above I just discovered” (sort of like Columbus “discovered the New World. It was, in fact, always there) the cajon. I’m a very untrained rock drummer who is getting into some lower keyed situations and the cajon seems a good way to go. Except the back thing. I am an old geezer with an already marginal back. Anyway, I’m listening to your tutorial, will check out your web site and thanks for making my morning. (Dixon, New Mexico USA – It is probably night where you are) Einar
Great to hear from you! 🙂 Get a good cajon and it will clear up any issues with your back, as you don’t need to reach down/stoop down to get the bass sound out with a good cajon!
Hello Louie!
I am not sure where you can buy all the CD’s listed here, I have yet to list the details and where you can buy them, but you can buy my band’s CD on the Band website called fernandoskitchen.com 🙂
Cheers!
Hi Steve!
Of course I do, the Cruz cajon is simply unbeatable for value for money! The best cajon at the best price! And it’s my own signature line brand, I definitely recommend that one! Get them from the cajonbox shop store!
Can you also supply a good quality bag for the cajon? I saw you busking in Cambridge in Aug 2011 and was very impressed. Bought your CD. I’m an ex drummer living in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and my options here are limited to hand drums. Want to treat myself to one of your fabulous looking drums for my birthday in October. Keep music live and here’s wishing you every success. Phil.
Hey Phill!!
There are loads of cool cajon bags online, I am currently getting some bags to my store, but it might take a while yet. Check out this bag I use myself:
The meinl deluxe cajon bag… it’s got a HUGE zip (the zip is what breaks on the bags so get one with a BIG and strong zip)
I had bought the cajon recently and I didn’t know how play this instrument. Since the cajon in Poland is still few popular instrument, I have no place to learn on it. I was looking for something on the internet for a long time, but no lessons didn’t fit me, and I didn’t understand a lot of words because I don’t know English so well 😛 And today, something wonderful happend – I found your lessons and immediately I liked how you play and how you explain. Your videos are very helpful !
As you can see, your lessons help people from all over the world, it is amazing, thank you for this very, very much! You are great! And I hope you will continue this videos, that why I wish you so much strength and an even greater love for what you do!
Greetings from Poland 🙂
Hei
So wich Cruz Cajon is the one you are using in the youtube video ? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mT2FVgTVmQ)
For a powerfull bass .. should I order the one with Piano Strings ?
Thanks !
Hey!!1
That one I use in the video is the guitar string TORO model of the cruz cajon. They are both good but I would suggest the guitar string if you liked the sound of this one in the video! 🙂 They both have a really powerful bass
I’m going to be in London on Oct 8 for a day or 2 and would love to see the Cruz Cajon with a view to buying one and toting it back to the US myself to save the shipping. Do you have gigs that week where I could see them?
Thanks
Hello Heidi, nice playing. I’ve played a doumbek/darbuka the last 7 years and occasionally see it in Flamenco music. The rhumba rhythm is also called malfuf in Arabic and is usually a 2/4. I’ve also heard it called a broken clave. My wife has decided to learn flamenco dancing so I’m looking to add a canon to my percussion repertoire. Excellent site. By the way! Be well.
Hi Heidi,
I saw you playing in Cambridge two weeks ago – that was fantastic! My husband has always wanted to learn to play cajon (he plays djembe) and I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know when you are planning to start your classes. I would also like to buy cajon for his birthday – your advice would be appreciated on where I should get one for him. Thank you in advance! Good luck with your album! Olga
Hello Olga!
Great to hear from you! If you want to know about the lessons, I suggest you sign up to the cajonbox newsletter, we are finalising all the details. As per cajon, I would recommend that you buy one of my Cruz cajons, which is available directly from me, here on this website, on our webshop.
Hello Olga!
Happy new year, welcome to 2013
Thanks for letting us know of your interest for a space in in our Cambridge beginners cajon course, starting up on Wed 16th Jan 2013. Enrolment for the course has now begun and you can now secure your space in the class.
Cajon beginners course:
A basic beginners course to get you playing the cajon.
The course cover a complete foundation to get you started on the cajon. We will cover basic technique and exercises, various grooves, time signatures and styles such as funk, pop, rock, blues, as well as some flamenco and latin patterns. Throughout the course we will also look at performance, improvisation, playing with other players and instruments, and ensemble.
Dates: Wed’s 16 Jan – 27 Feb 2013
Duration: 7 weeks, 7 classes
Cambridge
Get in touch for more details!
Heidi Joubert http://www.cajonbox.com
Hi all, most of the music Heidi mentioned above can be found/listened to at Spotify….. Enjoy!!! Oh and… Brilliant site Heidi….!! Very entertaining and a great spot for every Cajon aficionado…. Chapeau!
Hola Heidi, queria agradecer a la vida por permitirme conocer por este medio el encanto de tu ser,si bien no soy musico y lo mio es la pintura artistica creo que despues de mirar tus videos,verte tocar el cajon y de escuchar tu voz creo que me animare a aprender ,seguro que hay en la divinidad de tu alma alimento para mi inspiracion ,una vez mas gracias por compartir tanta belleza con tu musica.
Excellent info (as usual). Will try this out today as a matter of fact. I have three deenct mics for live performances: an very sensitive Shure condenser mic that I typically use for overhead, and two Shure SM-57 s instrument mics. If I am ONLY going to mic the sound hole in the back, which type of mic would you recommend? It’s interesting that you mentioned taking out the mids something I was thinking about. Thanks again Heidi.
Hello Hassan!
i would suggest a Shure beta condensor mike for the back only, but they can be pricey, so I would say to be safe, go for an sm 57 shure mike! 🙂 just push up the bass frequencies as it has good mids and high range but a bit lacking on the bass!
Let me know how it goes!
H: Thanks for the list. All those wonderful artists and albums, except for my new favorite, Fernando’s Kitchen, are also available on iTunes. FK could sell on iTunes simply by going through an Official Europe Apple Aggregator. 🙂
For a current listing of aggregators, create and/or log into your iTunes account and go to: https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wo/7.0.0.11.9.3.1.11.1.0.5
Hello Heidi,
The cajon is brand new to me. Saw your videos and went out the next day and got myself a cajon. Today I will follow your first lesson with my new cajon. I play the guitar and I am hoping I can add the cajon to my music. I started with guitar a year ago. Looking forwards to learn more about this beautiful instrument the cajon. Thank you for sharing your knoledge with us. Can´t wait to be able to introduce some sounds to my own music. I loved your lessons!!! Love hearing you play!!!
Thank you for introducing the cajon to the world!!!
Hi
Thanks for the vids they are a great help. I am in the market for a new cajon and am looking at the Cruz. Once again thanks for the vids they and you are inpirational.
Many thanks
Dave
Really enjoyed it! What a great sound. The hang drum, has a hypnotic sound that just grabs you. The two of you jamming sounded so wonderful. And the three of you laying down that fantastic driving beat, was very cool. That Prk sounds amazing! Thank you so much for your time you put into your web page. I know your very busy, yet you take time to teach and share with us. It is greatly appreciated from across the pond, in Tennessee, USA
Hey Marty! Glad you enjoyed it so much! The hang and cajon is a great combo. The cajon featured in this video is not a prk cajon, it’s a cruz cajon, yes they sound fab!! 🙂 Hope to catch you on that side of the world soooon! 🙂
I love the song Gitano moro. It is a great song! I have watched this video several times. I have viewed you and Sebastian, playing this song in different cities, and I love it. Sebastian is fantastic on the guitar, Tom is great on the bass, and you rock on percussion, and the vocals, WOW. Keep up the great labor of love you guys have for the music. I have only had my cajon for 3 months. Hope to move up to a Prk some day. But your lessons are helping me so so much! Thank You for your time. Best wishes from Tennessee. Oh, and I wanted to also say, The cow bell, was so cool!
Thanks Buddy!!! Thats very nice of you, I also Love Gitano Moro, It seriously is our fav!!! :-)))) Thank you thank you thank you for the very nice msg Marty, and I do hope you get yourself a prk someday 🙂
Peace and love
Heidi
Wow….that is just amazing!!! Heidi, you’re always just an outstanding foundation for whichever group of people you play with. The sound of this is so new age…hope that doesn’t sound too cliche-ish, but it’s so very soothing to listen to. When you make it to the states, I’m going to be hard-pressed to not bug you for a jam session!!! This is top-shelf!!!
Hello Mohamed!
You are not too late, the classes is starting mid October, enrolling starts this week! 🙂 But make sure you enrol this week to ensure you get a space, it’s seems to be very popular! More details will be up by tomorrow about when and where!
Hello!!1
Nooo you haven’t missed it, it hasn’t started yet, I have been organising the venue (it has beena bit of a mix up) so hopefully by next week I will have all the details of the course, looks like it is set to start mid to end October and only run for 7 weeks. I will DEFITELY keep you informed as soon as I have the details via the newsletter ok! 🙂
Hola,
I personally saw to it that your CD was posted to you this week (all the way to Florida:-) So you will receive it soon ok! Enjoy!
And thanks for buying one of our CD’s, let me know if you have any other questions!
Un saludo desde Londres
Gracias por existir.Quiero aprender a tocar el cajon¿me puedes ayudar?.No puedo pagarte , pero si vienes por España -Valencia- a las cervezas invito yo.Saludos y abrazos.
PD;¿Hablas expañol?
Hi everybody. Just received my new Cruz Cajon “Leon” all the way from Barcelona to Plovdiv, Bulgaria with no problems whatsoever. It is number 5 and fresh from the workshop. Looks great, now starting to annoy the neighbours (joke) by practising everyday. Heidi I love your lessons as they are easy to follow but saying that I think the flamenco rhythm will take me some time to master (got to learn to count in spanish – right!) keep music live! Phil, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Hello Phil
Wow nice one thanks man, super DUPER happy to see that you enoy our CD and your new Cruz cajon! Happy neighbour disturbing haha! Un dos, un dos tres….. 🙂
Heidi
Ordered my cajon at the end of September, it was shipped out from Spain on the 5th October and arrived in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on the 9th. Fantastic! and no taxes to pay! I’m an ex-drummer of 30 years in the UK now living in Bulgaria, I have a djembe and a Turkish hand drum – I’m limited to hand drums as I don’t have transport here and getting a little too old now for gigging with a large drum kit. Saw Heidi busking in Cambridge in August 2011 and loved the sound of her cajon and the music of her band Fernando’s kitchen so I bought their CD. My brother plays flamenco and jazz guitar. So here we are a year later, came across her website with the lessons etc… and decided to buy a cajon for my birthday which is some day soon and to add to my collection. Have already started her lessons. The cajon is great quality and was fresh from the factory – number 5. Here’s wishing heidi great success.
Aaaw Phil thats very very sweet of you to leave such nice feedback, I am sincerely pleased that you like your number 5 Cruz Cajon!!1 So you have number 5 of the Cruz Cajon of the model and string system you bought!!! 🙂 One of the first huh!!! Well enjoy it, and try not to annoy the neighbours too much! Oh, and much success with the flamenco rhythms man, give me a shout if you need any help with it! 🙂
Cajon love
Heidi
Hello Heidi: I’m new to the Cajon, and have been watching your video lensoss. You are a very good instructor. Thank You for sharing your time and talent. I appreciate it, very much. I hope to trade up to a PRK some day. I also enjoy the video’s of you Folks, busking. So Cool. I live near Nashville, Tennessee USA Music City. Maybe Fernando’s Kitchen, will play Nashville sometime. The Web site is Great! Catching any of the Olympic games? Or busking for the crowds? Thanks Again, Best Regards: Marty
Hello Marty!
Thanks for this wonderful comment! It’s always great to hear how people find my videos useful! We might possibly be around the USA for a tour within the next 2 years, so keep an eye out!!! Yes, been busking a lot with Fernando’s Kitchen to the olympic crowd, but now that Chirstmas time is almost here, it is even bussier! 🙂
Heidi
Hey Heidi,
many thanks for your great website. I admire your groovy and inspired way of playing the cajon and I actually learned a lot from your lessons. I was really impressed by the video you did with the hangdrum player. The first part with cajon and darbuka I enjoyed most.
Greetings from Hamburg
Ernst
I like the small one that you played the best. I am assuming that this is the one that is for sale right now. I am correct in assuming that to Oregon, USA, the cost plus shipping would be $129.68? You mention that I might need to pay some customs too?
I have enjoyed watching your cajon lessons. It has helped my drumming in general. I like how you help develop the internal sense of timing. Blessings in whatever your creative passion leads you to do….
Hello William
Yes the abayomi (the smallest one) is the one I have on sale here, I am listing the larger sizes today as well, but they are all improved, with a better drumhead and improved roundness to give a louder sound for acoustic playing. Also added to this collection will be the cajudoo pro, intended for playing miked up (the cajudoo pro comes with a shure beta clip in/screw in mike hole, perfect to fit a Shure beta 98 S into for the optimum sound out of your cajudoo)
And yes, the final price for USA would be $129.68, that includes the postage. We use the best courriers as these istruments are fragile, so they need to be taken good care of when in transit.
As per paying customs, it is possible, like with any item you buy internationally. But most of our customers don’t have to pay customs, it’s only if customs decide to charge you for it. Standard procedure for any international mail.
Hope this helps!
Hi Heidi,
I just wanted to ask if the Cajon school in London in October is for Beginners? Also, I hope I have not missed the enrolment – how can this be done, as I’d hate to miss out? Really excited about the possibility of coming on your course and getting started on such a great instrument. Many thanks
Oli
hola heidi.. I have started playing cajon and you have inspired me a lot. Your tips and vidoes are of great help, I have been playing the cajon for 2 months, and my band and I played at one of the resorts in the Maldives yesterday, and was well received. If I saw the combination of those instruments I would have definitely tried them. Good choice and the new instruments I am seeing for the first time, is amazing. Would like to try them sometime. Keep it up. cheers
Hello Anton!!!
Yes this is possible, we are a bit delayed with our course due to other commitments I had, but we are now looking to start up next week or the week after till just before Christmas (about 6 weeks or 7 weeks), once a week. sign up to the newsletter for the final details coming very soon!
Heidi
I love your vids and have proven to be very usefull. I have decided to invest in a new Cajon and would like to know what the difference between Cruz and Prk. As far as I can see there are less screws on the front of the Cruz. Is there a massive difference in sound? Also I am torn between guitar or piano strings. Is it easy to tune the guitar stings and in the event of needing to replace them is this straight forward.
I live in Norwich and would love to see FK in our city(Sounds great) once again thanks for the vids they are so helpful
Peace
Dave
Hi Heidi,
I’m Mexican and i love the percussion, really get to work and learn a new instrument to forget everything, is beautiful!!!, thank your lessons are great!!!
Saludos y buena vibra!!
hello Heidi;
i hope you are doing well, i am still waiting for the commencing date of your lessons of course i am looking forward to it, i also want to know if it’s only on thursdays or can it be on other days, thanks for taking the time to read my comment and best of luck for you and yours for the rest
regards
Hey!
Date we start is next week thursday the 25th, if you can’t make the first class it’s ok, it is a bit short notice… London is crazy! Unfortunately I cannot make any other days at the present so Thursday is it. If you cannot attend the whole course, don’t worry, you are more than welcome to drop in whenever you can, it will be really relaxed as it is beginners.. 🙂
Hi Heidi,
I’m looking on the Cajon School page and I can’t seem to find the info about enrolment for the new October course. Is there another link or way I can enrol? Hope I haven’t missed aything.
Thanks
Oli
Hello Oliver!
Eh! 🙂 I have been meaning to list the details, I will send out a newsletter on monday with all the details, and list it here on the site too, It’s been one mad weekend of busking and performing and recording (yip thats my excuse:-)…..
But can’t WAIT!! I am excited….
Hey Heidi,
I love what you are doing with these instruments. I own a simple Pearl cajon at home and I am so happy that I have found a new way to play with it. I also play marimba and congas. Thank you so much for posting these wonderful and concise videos!
Hola Carmen!!
Gracias por el mensaje muy bueno! 🙂 Glad to hear you are learning with my vids! I’ll keep posting them as often as I can ok!
Un saludo desde Londres
In a drumstore I’ve seen the “hangdrum” named “happydrum” and your jamsession seemed like a happy time. I like the sound the instruments together. Great 🙂
Hey Heidi, just curious as to where you find your skin is the toughest now – certain points on your fingers? Curious to see if it’s the same as mine! 🙂
Hey Matt
Your technique and which fingers you use most will affect this, I find the toughest skin on my right hand, middle finer, on both folds of the joints, but especially on the first joint from the top, the other side too, but because I probably use more strength in my right hand and lead with the right hand it’s harder on the right than the left. Then the tips of the finger in the middle there’s some “kitten pads”, especially the ring and middle fingers… really mostly those 2. Hope this makes any sense to you haha.
Aloha! Thank you soo much! Your lessons are soo helpful! thanks for sharing those grooves in the intermediate lessons. And your band full on rocks!! Keep it up 🙂
Hi Heidi – yep, makes perfect sense!! That’s really interesting – perhaps we have similar techniques – I have similar ‘kitten pads’ on middle and ring fingers, and mainly middle fingers on the second joint from finger tips but also index fingers on first joint which is more pronounced towards the middle fingers. And right more than left for the same reasons. I am starting to practise left hand leads and generally exercising my left hand more to strengthen it and keep it more independant (same as I do on a full drum kit).
Hey Heidi!
Your videos are great and you have really helped me a lot!!! Any chance of any workshops or FC performances in the US any time soon? Particularly in the Baltimore/washington dc area?
Thanks for inspiring this girl drummer!
You rock!
Chana
Hey, greetings from your neighbours here in Ireland :p
As a djembe player I was always humming and hawwing about getting a cajon but after watching this video, I was sold. I figured that if I could play the djembe, the cajon would be no problem. Any problems I’ve had though, I just came straight to this site, you’ve been an amazing help with your videos.
Hello Heidi! I’m always a big fan of your work and style so it’s a bit overwhelming for me to ask you a question haha!
I ordered an LP cajon and it just came in today; I’m pretty new to playing the cajon but I believe I got the basics/sounds down. The thing is, there is this one pitch that buzzes every time I hit it and it’s quite annoying. I turned it around and saw in the inside that there’s a really thick masking-tape looking thing that was taped onto the left two strings (the side where most the buzzing happens).
I was wondering if it’s supposed to be there or is this a defected item they tried to cover up with tape?
If it’s supposed to be there, is there a way to get rid of the slight buzzing sound?
Thanks for your time! =)
Hello Rae!
Thanks for writing, please do not be overwhelmed to ask me anything, thats why I made this website! 🙂
As per your buzzing issue, it is known that many times tape is used to tape down the cajon strings to control the buzzing issue, and it is not unheard of that the makers of the cajon tape down the strings even when it’s brand new, but I have never known them to use thick tape, it was always 1 or 2 thin strips of tape per string, almost randomly placed, just to hold the strings against the wood.
Having said that, this can actually cause a lot more buzzing than help it if it is not applied in the right place, etc. It’s a bit of an art to get this down, but each cajon will buzz 9if it buzzes) in different places and so you need to get used the fact that you might very well need to adjust where you put tape on every cajon you will own! However, might I add, that LP is a complete beginner brand, which means of course the sound will not be as good as a pro or student cajon, and also it will be much more prone to having buzzing issues.
There is a way to solve this issue, you will need to take the tape off and replace it (get a new tape, make thinner strips) and figure out where you should put the tape. You can hunch behind your cajon, put your finger against the string/s that is causing the buzzing, and gently tap the cajon with the other hand on the TAPA or frontboard, to hear where you must tape the string against the Tapa to get rid of the buzz, then tape the string down in that point.
Also if you cajon has the ability to be tuned, this can also help this a lot, as you can simply tighten the string or loosen it to get rid of the buzz….. But it could be that your cajon doesn’t have that option, which is yet another reason to get a invest in a good cajon even from the start if you can. But I am sure you will be able to get rid of the buzz, with patience and perseverence.
If you are not happy though, and it was buzzing from the start when you got it, you can of course also write to the guys you bought it from and have it returned if they have a returns policy. I once had a very expensive cajon delivered to me which had a terrible buzz…. I simply told them and they refunded me! I had to post it back though…….
For future, if you want a cajon without any buzzing issues, you should take a look at my cruz cajon piano string cajons, the firstcajojn with a piano string system, strung a bit less than half way of the TAPA, they are absolutely superb and have NO issues with buzzing, tuning or taping down, and what volume and bass!! 🙂
Well I hope this answer is thourough enough haha!
Cajon love
Heidi Joubert
Hello Randy!
I use quite a few cymballs, especially when I perfomr onstage with my band Fernando’s Kitchen (i use 5 onstage) but my favourite one (and the one I use these days for busking) is an AAX XPlosion Sabian Cymbals, 11 Inch (also featured in the video). There are also 10 inch ones that are great! It has some sustain but is super thin so does create a great crash. They go for about £120 but it’s well worth it, there are not many cymbals you can play with your hands!
I am unsure if you mean how long the shipping will be for the cymbals or for the cajons on our webshop. For all our cajons, the estimate delivery time is between 2 – 4 weeks for Australia (we have sent quite a few down under already, it can take a while but we send all our cajons fully insured with excellent couriers:-). If it’s for cymbals, that would differ depending where you purchase them from.
🙂 Happy cymbal hunting!
Hallo Heidi. I was recently given a Cajon as a gift and have found your onnlie videos very helpful in learning to play thank you for your generosity in providing them and for sharing your talent! I hope soon to be busking with a friend who plays guitar, and would like to add a small cymbal like the one you are using on the video in Liverpool station. Does this have a particular name, and is it something that regular music shops stock? Or can you suggest an onnlie supplier? Finally do you have any plans to perform in South Wales where I live (or somewhere near)? I would love to hear Fernandos Kitchen live. Cheers Les.
Hello!
i use many different cymbals, and have just today talked with a distribution company to sell cymbals in our online store! I would say a good one to start with is the Stagg 8 inch splash, it’s cheap too!!!
Good luck with the busking, please send me some vids whne you do have some up, I would love to see it!
Heidi
Hi,
I’m writing from Palermo (Italy). I’m interested in buying the “Prk cajon rabosio” http://cajonbox.com/cart/. I would like to know if it is available and the price with the cost of the spedition to Palermo (Sicily, Italy).
How long do I need to wait for it, and how to pay?
Waiting for your answer.
Thank you. Bye
Ciao Silvia!
The price for the Prck Rabioso is £310 plus the postage to anywhere inside the EU which is £35, so all in all you are looking at £345, this inculdes postage & packaging. We post out the cajones fully insured, with a tracking number. Also at the moment there is a 1 week waiting period for any of our cajones because we are extremely busy with orders, especially with Chirstmas, but once we post it (approx 1 week after you ordered and paid for the cajon), it will take 1 – 2 weeks to reach you in Italy. So you are looking at about 2 weeks, max 3 weeks all in all.
Hope this helps!
Hello!!!
Thanks for letting us know, we will be starting private lessons on skype in December, so sign up to our cajonbox newsletter to stay updated on this! With skype, i can be very flexible as to times, so don’t worry about the time gap! 🙂
Heidi
Yes, I would love to join Heidi’s skype lessons. How would I go about signing up? Also, since I live in North America, there is a large time gap. Would it be a problem to have sypke lessons in this case?
Hello Heidi,
I have never owned a Cajon before however, I am looking at purchasing the Cajon Cruz with piano strings but wanted to know if you have had issues with strings breaking and how you go about replacing them if they do.
Also, I noted in one of your posts that a full wood version was about to be available. Is it available and how do I purchase via the website?
Regards
Peter
Hello Peter
I personally never had a broken string, with one silly exception. I was tuning the cajon strings so tight that the string literally snapped. I was trying to get rid of a buzz but even though tuning the cajon can really imporve this, taping the problematic string/s down with tape is also a commonly used factor to stop a buzz…. so no, the breaking of strings is not really a thing that happens, unless you really do tighten the strings way too much than is needed. However, you can easily replace a broken string, but have to unscrew the frontboard in order to do so, it’s simple woodwork, however, like I said, broken strings is not really an issue to be worried about as long as you don’t overtune your cajon! If you are however concerned about this, then might I suggest you go for the non tunable Piano string system? There is no way the strings will break as firstly there is no tension tuning system, and also there is no need to adjust the strings.
All our cruz` cajons are wood, however, our completely birchwood cruz cajon will probably be listed on our webshop within the next week or 2, we are currently taking it through a testing phase, once we are certain of the quality and tested the endurance, we’re ready to add it to our cajon shop. They sound really really great so if you can wait a bit, it will be well worth it! 🙂
Purchasing a cruz cajon from cajonbox.com is easy! You simply find the product in the store, click on it, and then simply add it to your virtual shopping cart, and then you can choose to pay by paypal (even if you have not got a paypal account you can pay via paypal with your credit card) or you can choose to do a direct bank transfer into our cajonbox account. Really easy and safe!
I sincerely hope this helps you, please let me know if you have other questions!
Heidi
Thanks Heidi,
The piano string option is currently my preferred based on your comments however do you have video on the website or anywhere that shows the difference in sound between the piano string and guitar string Cajons?
Regards
Peter
Hello Peter!
there is no video yet, however, I am working on it, so hold on just a bit more!!! In my opinion, they are both equally as good sounding, with the piano strings being perhaps a bit louder in volume, but it’s all down to personal taste! 🙂
Heidi
Thanks Again Heidi,
You have really helped me make up my mind on my 1st Cajon and I will order directly and look forward to getting my skills up to scratch via your online lessons.
Cheers
Peter.
Peter Brazel
Sorry Heidi,
One more thing. I am going with the Toro Cruz Piano String Cajon but notice it does not come with a bag and I could not see a bag for sale on the website. Could you please point me in the right direction to purchase a decent carry case.
Thanks
Peter
Hello Jerry!
Thanks for writing to me! The new and improved Kaira cajudoos almost ready to be listed and sold on our site, give it another week and we’d have them available, just doing all the final testing of the new Cajudoo range. The new kaira is not as big as the older version, but it sounds better! and super bass! Pictures, vids and listings to follow soon! sign up to our cajonbox newsletter to stay updated on this!
Heidi
Hi,
I own a cajon but it does not have strings, is basically a metal thing that simulates the strings. I want to put strings to the cajon to get a very sound. Can you share with me how can I put the strings? How many strings? Any specific position?
If you can share pictures I would appreciate.
Hello julio
Thanks for your questions. It sopunds like you have a snare cajon, the snare being the metal thing you refer to in your statement. To put strings on your cajon is more than just a matter of sticking strings to the frontboard, even though you can of course try this. It has to be built into the cajon with a tuning system etc. I would suggest you take a look at some how to make a cajon videos on youtube to get a better idea on how to do this, but it might mean you will have to take your cajon apart and rebuild it from scratch….. Or you could just buy a new cajon with strings, and you can have one with snare and one with strings? Snare cajons do not specifically sound bad, unless it is simply a bad cajon, in which case it will probabaly not sound much better with strings.
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the CRUZ CAJON that I received well and quickly in FRANCE!The range of sounds is Amazing!I can t stop playing since I have got it,and as you say the bass sound is very high and it is easy to play,even for a beginner like me 🙂
I will learn step by step the lot of rythms possible with this kind of wonderful instrument (It is Nice in my Living room).
Many thanks.Let s the music play!
Tony
Los conocí una noche en Londres, bajo el London Eyes!! Y me encantaron, el sonido del cajón con tus manos fue impresionante. Nos llevamos “Calle Compas” y lo escuchamos y disfrutamos muchísimo acá en Buenos Aires.
Me encantaría comprar el box rabioso o el arrabalero 🙂 Hacen o hicieron envíos a Argentina? Es posible?
gracias Heidi
Hi Heidi!
My girlfriend Nazia got me a cruz cajon for my birthday, and I absolutely LOVE it! Thanks so much for making sucha fantastic piece of equipment that I can add to my instrument arsenal!
Do check out my music (www.soundcloud.com/hanimalikfm) if you’re bored and looking for something new, I only recently released my album ‘No Remorse’ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hanimalik !
Cheers,
Hani
Hey Hani!
Wow thanks for this nice feedback, great to hear you are pleased and I am so so happy you are Lovin the Cruz man!!! Your Girlfriend is an extremely nice lady for getting you one for your birthday, haha! 🙂 Marry Her!
He man, I checked out your music, it’s really super, I like the stuff a lot, great music bro! And I absolutely LOVE the cover, with the chess pieces, I do like chess you see…. 🙂 Also read the interview in the rolling stone faceless man! cool!
Hope you use some of the cruz for your next album, I’d be well stoked if you did! Ever need a cajon player in London.. give us a shout! 🙂
Cheerio and enjoy el cruz…
Heidi
Hello Nathan!
You can buy the cruz cajon from our online shop here http://cajonbox.com/shop/
We post out worlwide, your cajon is fully insured as well! Check out postage guidelines here:
Next year we will have cruz cajones stocked in all major countries, but not yet, now it’s only available here at cajonbox.com
Hope it helps!
Heidi
Really good information here thanks. I will use this in the future. Currently I use an aloe vera based cream that helps heal my hands as I drum very hard and fast to dubstep/dnb and because its so syncopated every one of my finger tips have calluses on them as well as the middle of my fingers where my snare hit comes from and I do notice a big difference when I lose them however I play 4 hours a day or more so my main difficulty has been endurance, breathing, posture and maintain balance. I now no longer hit with my full hand for bass notes but use my fingers to produce the same sound and save energy
We’ve had the cruz piano string, black style cajon in the house for about a week now. I wanted to have a clear definition between the kick and the snare sound, and although I wanted the snare to be less ‘rattle’, i did want a rock sizzle sound. Some cajons seem to be all thud and tom without any sound of snare. I particularly wanted something I could use for rock style drumming. heidi was really helpful with her advice! I was looking at the Schlagwerk 2 in 1 cajon (£120) which a friend of mine leant me, in fact it was borrowing his that got me hooked. The price of Heidi’s Cruz is substantially more, but I wanted to support her, and get a quality instrument. The big question is, does it deliver on the sound, and is it worth the extra? The answer is a massive YES!!!
The first thing we (that is my 6 year old, 11 year old…and me.) found was that the Cruz was harder to play. Yes, harder. Read on though, McDuff. The problem was there are many more variations of sound tone in the tones available than the Schlag. in such a small area. You can have different tones of snare, from tight, to rim shot, to a fuller-almost-bass snare and retain the sizzle. The nicest sound I have discovered is to have a fast strike with the middle joint of my middle finger. Equally, the bass kick is variable. A full flat hand in the middle will give some of the snare still, but a strike with the front of my hand creates a beautiful rich thud, which can be a dry sound, or have a boomy resonance depending on how I attack/release it. Heidi is right, you don’t have to lean over the box at all, the kick is near the top centre, and it’s more relaxing to play than the Schlag.
The technique of rubbing your foot up and down the front to change the bass tone works wonderfully, and again there are many variations that you can produce, and still retain some of the resonance. Personally again i found it easier than the Schlag to achieve this.
And there’s more.
I don’t know if it’s the same on the lighter colour cajon, but the playing of the Cruz is like playing a silk skin! The schlag still felt like striking a bit of wood, but Heidi’s offering has more of a soft drum skin feel to it.
The other thing is volume. Again, on the Schlag it seemed as though you had to give it a fair old whack to get the individual sounds. I have really enjoyed the Cruz being able to play it really quietly for practice, as well as being able to get some massive volume out of it. Truly, you can play it with your finger tips and it sounds just as good, which is excellent if playing completely acoustic with just a classical guitarist who is un-mic’d and you don’t want to drown them out. Then again, i think it will hold it’s own sitting in the right place in the mix with a louder set up, and of course mic-ing it up is easy.
If there is one downside, I would say it was the feet, which are felt. Now I don’t know much about cajon building (scrap that, i know zilch, nadda, nothing!). I guess that it is to isolate the sound. I wonder if outside they might get a bit soggy? Will that soak up the water to damage the wood? Also, i play in our kitchen which has a slippery tiled floor, and when I have been practicing side hits with my heel, the cajon has moved a bit each time. I will look into getting a rubber mat. That said, of course, it’s not damaging the wood floors in other parts of the house! And if you are wondering, Heidi said that the Cajon’s she recomends (incidentally the expensive versions of hers, from the same manufacturer) have angled feet so you don’t have to tilt the box backwards. The Cruz has this feature too, even though she doesn’t mention it on her own descriptions. And the result? The schlag needed to be tipped, and the Cruz doesn’t! Cruz sounds just as good tipped or not (so why bother getting cramp…just don’t do bother tipping) and sounds as good as a tipped Schlag.
The rest of the construction is so solid, and whilst i wouldn’t want to throw the thing around, it looks like it could take it. Must get a cajon bag though…Perhaps that’s something else that Heidi could provide? That and giving some access to things like heck sticks and low hats…
I think it took about 3 weeks to arrive, because Heidi didn’t have any in stock when I ordered. So she arranged to have it made up and delivered straight from Spain from the manufacturers. Worth the weight. it was really well packaged, arriving in a well fitting corrugated box, and enough soft-clad padding to protect it for it’s journey, and FRAGILE stickers all over it. Sufficient to say it arrived recorded and in perfect condition. It smelt wonderfully lacquered and new too!
Apart from the feet issue (any ideas Heidi?) this is one perfect and professional musical instrument. Don’t get it for a school, it’s too good! Unless of course you want to inspire them with a truly professional instrument. Yes, even the kids can play it. Particularly my 11 year old who I have been trying to find an instrument that will work for him for ages! If you are asking if it’s worth the extra money I would say 100% yes. Score it 9.75 out of 10!
(just in case anyone wonders about my qualifications to comment, I’ve been in bands for the last 20 years as guitarist, vocalist and occasional drummer in everything from folk style to rock set ups).
Peace
Dear Reverend Andy
Wow, thank you so so much for your wonderuful and very detailed feedback on my cajons, it is not often that people take the time to give such a detailed response to a product they bought, and the fact that the Cruz Cajon is still fairly new, means that this is one of the first (and most detailed) reviews of my cajons I got yet, a very important factor for any start up product! 🙂
I am extremely honoured that such a very nice and thoughtful person bought my cruz cajon, and also the fact that you wanted to support me is awfully kind, it means so so much! 🙂 THANK YOU!
So so so SOOOO happy you are so mad about your Cruz cajon, it pleases me, my aim is not to make a business that takes as much as it can, but to offer a really great product at a fair price, something which is quite rare these days, and judging from your rating, I can be a bit more at peace realising that somehow I did achieve this with my cruz cajon range! 🙂
I might be making kid cruz cajons, in case you wanted to get some for the kids, haha, but might still be a while, anyway, I will let you know, and give you a nice discount on them as a thank you for this really descriptive feedback! 🙂
Thanks once again, I really do appreciate it!
So much blessings and love to you and the family!
Heidi Joubert
We’ve had the cruz piano string, black style cajon in the house for about a week now. I wanted to have a clear definition between the kick and the snare sound, and although I wanted the snare to be less ‘rattle’, i did want a rock sizzle sound. Some cajons seem to be all thud and tom without any sound of snare. I particularly wanted something I could use for rock style drumming. heidi was really helpful with her advice! I was looking at the Schlagwerk 2 in 1 cajon (£120) which a friend of mine leant me, in fact it was borrowing his that got me hooked. The price of Heidi’s Cruz is substantially more, but I wanted to support her, and get a quality instrument. The big question is, does it deliver on the sound, and is it worth the extra? The answer is a massive YES!!!
The first thing we (that is my 6 year old, 11 year old…and me.) found was that the Cruz was harder to play. Yes, harder. Read on though, McDuff. The problem was there are many more variations of sound tone in the tones available than the Schlag. in such a small area. You can have different tones of snare, from tight, to rim shot, to a fuller-almost-bass snare and retain the sizzle. The nicest sound I have discovered is to have a fast strike with the middle joint of my middle finger. Equally, the bass kick is variable. A full flat hand in the middle will give some of the snare still, but a strike with the front of my hand creates a beautiful rich thud, which can be a dry sound, or have a boomy resonance depending on how I attack/release it. Heidi is right, you don’t have to lean over the box at all, the kick is near the top centre, and it’s more relaxing to play than the Schlag.
The technique of rubbing your foot up and down the front to change the bass tone works wonderfully, and again there are many variations that you can produce, and still retain some of the resonance. Personally again i found it easier than the Schlag to achieve this.
And there’s more.
I don’t know if it’s the same on the lighter colour cajon, but the playing of the Cruz is like playing a silk skin! The schlag still felt like striking a bit of wood, but Heidi’s offering has more of a soft drum skin feel to it.
The other thing is volume. Again, on the Schlag it seemed as though you had to give it a fair old whack to get the individual sounds. I have really enjoyed the Cruz being able to play it really quietly for practice, as well as being able to get some massive volume out of it. Truly, you can play it with your finger tips and it sounds just as good, which is excellent if playing completely acoustic with just a classical guitarist who is un-mic’d and you don’t want to drown them out. Then again, i think it will hold it’s own sitting in the right place in the mix with a louder set up, and of course mic-ing it up is easy.
If there is one downside, I would say it was the feet, which are felt. Now I don’t know much about cajon building (scrap that, i know zilch, nadda, nothing!). I guess that it is to isolate the sound. I wonder if outside they might get a bit soggy? Will that soak up the water to damage the wood? Also, i play in our kitchen which has a slippery tiled floor, and when I have been practicing side hits with my heel, the cajon has moved a bit each time. I will look into getting a rubber mat. That said, of course, it’s not damaging the wood floors in other parts of the house! And if you are wondering, Heidi said that the Cajon’s she recomends (incidentally the expensive versions of hers, from the same manufacturer) have angled feet so you don’t have to tilt the box backwards. The Cruz has this feature too, even though she doesn’t mention it on her own descriptions. And the result? The schlag needed to be tipped, and the Cruz doesn’t! Cruz sounds just as good tipped or not (so why bother getting cramp…just don’t do bother tipping) and sounds as good as a tipped Schlag.
The rest of the construction is so solid, and whilst i wouldn’t want to throw the thing around, it looks like it could take it. Must get a cajon bag though…Perhaps that’s something else that Heidi could provide? That and giving some access to things like heck sticks and low hats…
I think it took about 3 weeks to arrive, because Heidi didn’t have any in stock when I ordered. So she arranged to have it made up and delivered straight from Spain from the manufacturers. Worth the weight. it was really well packaged, arriving in a well fitting corrugated box, and enough soft-clad padding to protect it for it’s journey, and FRAGILE stickers all over it. Sufficient to say it arrived recorded and in perfect condition. It smelt wonderfully lacquered and new too!
Apart from the feet issue (any ideas Heidi?) this is one perfect and professional musical instrument. Don’t get it for a school, it’s too good! Unless of course you want to inspire them with a truly professional instrument. Yes, even the kids can play it. Particularly my 11 year old who I have been trying to find an instrument that will work for him for ages! If you are asking if it’s worth the extra money I would say 100% yes. Score it 9.75 out of 10!
(just in case anyone wonders about my qualifications to comment, I’ve been in bands for the last 20 years as guitarist, vocalist and occasional drummer in everything from folk style to rock set ups).
Peace
Hi Heidi,
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the CRUZ CAJON that I received well and quickly in FRANCE! The range of sounds is Amazing!I can’t stop playing since I have got it, and as you say the bass sound is very high and it is easy to play,even for a beginner like me 🙂
I will learn step by step the lot of rythms possible with this kind of wonderful instrument (It is Nice in my Living room).
Many thanks. Let the music play!
Tony
Hi Heidi,
I am part of an acoustic duo called THEORY of FORM and after seeing one of your video’s approximate a year ago though wow, the cajon is definitely for me. We’ve added it on a couple of songs from our upcoming debut album and it really gives a great sound along with guitar.
I got a reasonably cheap cajon to start with and now that I am definitely a cajon convert I wanted to get something a lot better, a more professional instrument. The Cruz range seems to fit that bill perfectly so if you have any more info regarding the availability of the Cruz that would be great as I would be looking to get an order in within the next couple of weeks.
I would really appreciate any comments or pointers of how I can improve my playing.
Best of luck with your new album with FK, looking forward to hearing it.
Many Thanks
Gareth
Hello Heidi!
Your work here is inspiring me to get a cajon for myself. I’m essentially a singer, but love tapping my fingers on tables and surfaces, so perhaps a cajon will be a much better surface to tap on! 🙂
Although I was wondering how to figure out if playing the cajon is my thing – ergonomically speaking. Is there some way of trying out a cajon (ideally somewhere in Cambridge) before I make up my mind? (I sound like a pessimist, but I just don’t want to get something that may not be fit for me and ends up lying around in the house collecting dust)
Heidi,
Thank you so much for your passion and commitment to playing this beautiful instrument and sharing that with us. I look forward to hearing from you again.
Happy Holidays
Gary
Hello heidi,
Why is it that the PRK Cajon are more expensive than the Cruz Cajon? Is it because of the quality of the sound, durability or the materials use?
Hello!
firslty, the prk has a name that has come a way, so that pushes up the price, players like pirana has played their cajon, and with a name so comes a price. Also yes, there is slight difference in the wood used for the body of the cajon, but not the tapa (frontboard), the main differences are that the prk is more refined cosmetically, for instance, it has 4 fancy tuning pegs where the cruz has the usual screw tuning system, used for tuning many of the modern day cajon strings. Also due to the body of the Prk being made of a slightly better wood, The prk has a bit more resonance and volume, but both of them have simillar sounds and tones, and they are both built to have a super powerful, clean, neat bass… So really up to what you want to spend. They are really good, both of them.
Hope this helps!
I would love to here the side by side comparison on both before I commit to buy, also can you please give us the price in US dollars, you can send it to me on the mailer, or however is best. If I here the two and get a US price on them, I can choose what to buy, I currently own A Kotz cajon, excellent, but the response from Mike Kotzen on making me a new Tapa, or front board , has been disappointing . Love your pictures, and I’m happy for your new CD, please send me a price on that also…
Blessings….. Juan….
Juan
hi Heidi, love your web site cajonbox and monthly news letter,keep up the good work.Funky grooves are what im in too, so more of them is great for me,getting the Rumba polished now, best wishes david stone
Hey!
Thanks for the great feedback, we’ll make sure there ismore funky grooves coming your way!!! And so good to hear you love my website! 🙂 Keep learning bro!
Heidi
Hello Heidi
My Calle Compas CD was waiting for me on the door mat when I got home last night. I’d only ordered it the previous evening! How did you get it in the post so quickly? Were you reading my mind? 🙂
Really loving the CD and the video lessons. Thanks. Oh and bring your band to Sheffield sometime – we’ve some great little venues you could play at.
Hey Tony!!
Great to hear you are enjoying our CD, Fernando’s Kitchen would definitely love to play in Sheffield, and might possibly do so next summer!!! Keep an eye out! 🙂
Heidi
Definitiely – next best thing to being there in person for a lesson! I am just learning to play this instrument and I also want to teach my 3 boys.
I appreciate the videos Heidi, and I am a big fan of world music and look forward to hearing more Fernandos’ Kitchen music.
Happy Holidays to you and all!!
Hallo Heidi,
thank you very much for those very useful lessons. Really fantastic grooves, easy to learn, but it takes a lot of practise to get a floating style. Keep on, I´m always waiting for new lessons.
Greetings
Ernst
Dear Heidi
First of all, Thank you very much for your assistance in sending me my very own Cajon. It has been a painstaking wait (Spain to Maldives- which you had no control over 😛 totally understand :)) , however, it has ended with much happiness and triumph. till the last minute, till i received the package, i have been super excited.
Here is my feedback to you, well i am not that good a writer, but here goes.
Packing:
It was very well packed, extremely padded and “fragile” stickers all over the box. And from the box, i can say it went thru a bit of a toss here and there, but the Cruz has withstood the long journey all the way from Spain to the Maldives.
Unboxing:
Most of the time i enjoyed unboxing my phones, however, this is the first time I have really enjoyed unboxing anything. It was very well padded and packed for a long trip within unknown territories heheh.
The Cruz:
To be very honest, this is class, a work of real craftsman and all i can say is, it has been as lovely as you. It reflects you and goes hand and glove as your signature. My first words to my band members, ” Oh My GOD, she is beautiful”. Black is my fav color, and so fine details on ur signature, the edges and the finishing. Looks like a lot of love has been put whilst making the cajon. It is super super neat, clean and well polished. Polished for high quality export. My hats off to the artisans.
The Cruz Cajon:
I just luv the sound of the Cruz cajon. Thank you very much for the detailed elaboration on explaining the piano strings and guitar strings; guitar string is for me and the kind of music we play. The tight snare sound and the clean and clear base tones, is just the right touch of tones that i needed.
These are just few things to say about the Cajon i have more, but words fail me. I have not really been able to play today as i am too bz bz bz…
Last but not the least, sweet Heidi Joubert, your signature Cruz Cajon has crossed continents and the very first CRUZ Cajon is in the Maldives. I am very pleased to play the Cruz and I am looking forward to find a Market for your Cajon’s here as well. I will share my playing experience and upload some videos from one of our gigs. I am now a proud owner of your Cruz Cajon.
May god bless you and hope we meet online or maybe here in the Maldives… hey who knows. heheh
So much love your way, and my very best wishes to your artisans and every one at Fernandos Kitchen. Your website, http://www.cajonbox.com is super awesome and it has got all the information anybody seeking advice on the Cajon is available.
Girls n Guys, I am not pro at playing the cajon yet, but this website is for beginners, intermediates and those who are in doubt of finding the right Cajon and has helped me in improving my playing experience. As a satisfied customer, a perusing musician (percussionist) Heidi’s signature is top class.
About Heidi, she is a super bz girl, teaching the cajon to others, playing the cajon and many more. Despite her bz schedules, she has been very helpful, really understands what a customer needs and advices in a way that even someone with not much experience would understand. Customer Service from Cajonbox and Fernandos Kitchen, i’d give it a 8.5/10.
Hello!
It would be great if you decided to cross the Channel and come to Paris to give us a course one day.
Thank you for your great website!!
Thibault
Indeed I think I shall do this, perhaps next summer!!! In the meantime, spread the word so we can have a big class when I get there haha!
Thanks for the nice words, glad the website is awesome!
Hi Hendi,
Hope that you’re fine and doing great. Just wondering when you’re able to publish all Cajudoo models at your web site shop available for sale?
Thanks,
Hi, I’m interested in the Skype Lessons, please send me information about it to my email. I’m ready to start. Please let me know when is going to started. Thanks
Hey Peter!
I start with Skype lessons in January ok!!! It gives you some time to get a cajon, why not get one of my Cruz cajons, they are great! 🙂
I’ll let you know as soon as lessons on skype start!
I will be starting to follow your lessons soon when I have my Cajon. Will you come to Holland some day and perhaps perform at our little region radiostation?
Hola! Un gusto haber encontrado esta pagina, sos una genia! Siempre quise tocar percusion y me dijeron que empiece con un cajón peruano, que me encanta. Ahora estoy re feliz con tus clases pero practico con el borde de la silla jajaja… que cajon me recomendas que me mande a hacer? Que es el cajón cruz? Ojala vinieras a Argentina!!… Besos!
Hola Natalia! Gracias por las palabras, me alegro que te gustasen mis videos! 🙂 No entiendo muy bien lo que me preguntas acerca de que cajon te recomiendo mandar a hacer. Si te refieres al estilo de construccion, hay unos cuantos y es cuestion de gustos y necesidades. Antes habia basicamente cajones peruanos o flamencos, pero ahora hay muchas maneras de hacerlos. Hay alguien que los haga alla donde estas? El Cajon Cruz es mi marca. Me los hacen a mano en Espanya, y tengo dos tipos principales, uno con cuerdas de guitarra y el otro con cuerdas de piano. El de guitarra es mas flamenco y el de piano mas para musica moderna, pop, rock, funk, etc. No hago peruano de momento, porque pienso que el flamenco es mas versatil y tambien tiene mas tonos, el peruano es mas mate. El Cruz Cajon piano es un poco como el peruano, pero con un sonido mas agudo en la parte de arriba, sin el sonido mas como de snare drum que tiene el de cuerdas de guitarra, y tipicamente el cajon flamenco en general. Nada es mejor o peor, es cuestion de lo que te guste y de que musica vas a tocar con el! Si estas interesada en un Cruz, hago envios internacionales. Tengo varios clientes en la Argentina! Un beso
Ey! gracias por responderme. Si, es verdad, la traducción no es muy buena! jaja. Efectivamente te preguntaba con que cajón me convenía empezar… yo quiero hacer ritmos mas clásicos, salsa, ese tipo. Me conviene el flamenco entonces?. Cuanto esta el cajón cruz flamenco para comprarlo desde acá?. Saludos! y GRACIAS GRACIAS !!!
Hey Natalia!
Si, el Cajon flamenco es perefcto para ti! 🙂 At the moment we are adding new models to our Cruz cajon range, but the current Flamenco cruz cajon models cost £175 plus international postage and tracking at £55 to Argentina. All details are listed on the products page in our webshop!
Let me know if you need any more help!
Un salud
Heidi
Hi Heidi…
you are doing great wonderful work in the field of music..
I m a vocalist and music composer from Mumbai, India. From last 2 years I m desperately searching for Cajon. But getting it in India, is really a tough task. Can u pls help me to get that. I would be greatful to you always…
Musically yours..
Rajendra
Mumbai
India.
Hello Rajendra
Thank you for the wonderful message, it is always great to hear from a composer 🙂
As per where you can find a cajon, I am unsure about India and I was unaware it is so difficult to find one there, and thats why cajonbox is great, we post out cajones worldwide, so we can send one directly to your house in India! This is a great solution, and one of the reasons why we have started up our online shop, to give people the opportunity to get an excellent handmade cajon anywhere in the world! I hope this helps!
I look forward to visitng India someday soon….
Blessings
Heidi
hi there
i would like same one to help me if its possibly
Im from same where in SULTANT OF OMAN (MUSCAT) it is a place in GULF COUNTRY near of UAE and i would like to buy PRK CAJONS but i don’t know if there is any shipping to my country ?????
Hello!
One of our main policies of our shop is to ship out worldwide, we want to give everyone the opportunity to get one of our outstanding handmade cajons, no matter where they are in the world. So no problem, we ship anywhere in the world, but some destinations may take much longer than others. As long as you are willing to be patient for your cajon to be delivered, there is absolutely no problem for us to send you a prk cajon! 🙂
hope this helps!
Is shipping to the US less, the same, or more if I were to buy two of the cajudoos? I think I have a friend who needs one also.
And thanks for the videos — you are both clear and inspiring.
Ole!!!!!
Heidi, muchas gracias por tus clases y tomarte el tiempo….. Señorita a mi me gusta su style….
Very good Job, ur class its awesome, and been learning a lot….. Can u do one more class with the guitar,,, how to follow the guitar… Altos y bajos? Pls pls pls..:)..
Muchas Gracias…
Yamil from PR….
Rasta Nurse….
Hey Yamil
Great idea, I will definitely be looking into doing this for sure!!! Especially for the Flamenco eh! :-))
Keep updated with my lessons via my cajonbox newsletter ok!
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
I also would appreciate Skype hours. I worked through all the beginner lessons 🙂
But the intermediate lessons are a lot of work for me.
I am from Germany and my English is not the best 🙂
I play a Valter blackbox and would love to learn more from you.
best regards
Tarek
Hey!!
Well done, you worked through all the lessons??? Thats great! I am proud of you, many do not go all the way, and I must congratulate you on this! Your english is great too, don’t worry!
I will let you know as soon as I start up the Skype lessons!
Heidi Joubert
Hello Heidi and happy new year!
Yes…all the beginner lessons and know i am working on the intermediate ones. This is not soooo easy 🙂
Lovin it! But it is hard 🙂
Looking forward…
Tarek
I made a cajon a couple of weeks ago and as I’m a drummer thought it would be easy to play the cajon. After looking at you lessons I’m now ‘feeling it’ and transferring my drum skills over. Impressed with you lovely, relaxed style. Keep it up girl:)
I have just invested in a drum box and am looking to book a course of lessons. I came across your site when doing my research. Have you firmed up on the dates/prices for the January courses? if so would you be able to give me some details
thank you
lorraine
Hello Lorraine
As soon as I have all the details they will be up here and also on my newsletter, so sign up to my newsletter to stay updated to the details. They should be out within the next week! I hope you join our classes, they are a lot of fun!
Heidi
Heidi I’m loving your work and lesson on Cajon. You ave a great way of breaking down the beats and patterns and going through them with the beginner in mind. Keep it going!
Hi There Heidi,
I’m a professional musician, i do play lots of instruments, and recently bought another (better) cajon to replace the old one i used.
Did some “googeling” for info and online lessons..
Found you on youtube, and hey, i’m impressed, by a few things.. your skills and the nice, usable and clear video lessons you give, and yes .. to be honoust.. your natural beauty 😉 .. (WoW!)
Really enjoy studying now, so i’ll be lookin in on regular basis.
Very best wishes, keep up the good work, good luck and succes with all the thing you’d like to achieve being a inspiring musician !
Hello!
I am a drummer and guitarist. A worship team needed me to carol outdoor with them recently, but there’s no drums outdoor! So my music teacher gave me a Cajon, and I started to find the tutorials on the internet. After that I found that Cajon is absolutely amazing and the world of percussions is bigger than I’ve ever thought! I think I should leave my drum throne and learn more about percussions. Now I have replaced the chair in front of my computer with a Cajon. I’ve learnt lots of things here, Thank you very very much!
Hi Heidi,
I’m really trying to learn more about these Bulerias.
Any idea of what to listen to?
Even my untrained Buleria-ears can hear the results of search-engines
are most often the Ricky Martins of Bulerias (kind of pop/house-grooves), not exactly what I’m looking for.
Greetings Sven
Hi Heidi,
I’m really trying to learn more about these Bulerias.
Any idea of what to listen to?
Even my untrained Buleria-ears can hear the results of search-engines
are most often the Ricky Martins of Bulerias (kind of pop/house-grooves), not exactly what I’m looking for.
Greetings Sven (www.svenbakker.net)
I am from Malaysia. Cajon is being popularised here in this country. Thank you so much for your wonderful lessons. I can’t find any teacher that teaches cajon, except watching and learning from youtube. Just a question, I am learning lesson 4 (rhumba), how can I speed up the rhythm? I can do it slowly, but once I speed it up, the whole groove collapse. Can give some tips how to speed things up? Thank you so much.
I have just bought a cajon (Ritmo Flamenco one) and I´m sure I´m going to learn all that I need thanks to your lessons. I don´t have any idea.
I really appreciate your videos!!!
🙂
Hey Heidi, this is awesome news. Likewise, i am having so much difficulty in getting a cajon case here hehee. I am sure my Cruz Cajon will go with ur Bag. Give us the good news soon, and I would like to pre-order one immediately. Keep me informed.
Hi Heidi
I would like to buy a Cajon from youfor
Christmas I live in Marylebone and can come and collect it if that is pissible. Cheers Roisin.
Mob 07587105452
eu estou apenas tentando ter certeza de que eu entendo o preço para o brasil, É 175,00 dólares, mais 55,00 dólares de envio? E está disponível na cor preta com a placa de cor natural da frente não é? quanto tempo demora?
Responder ↓
Hello Heidi,
My name is Tapas , i am from India.
I play guitar. I recently saw a cover by “Boyce Avenue” on the song ‘Here without you’ – (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxWEvV9zYj4 )
And i loved this percussion.
Since then i saw many videoz in which cajon is used .
Can you please tell me which cajon is used by ‘Boyce Avenue’ in that song.??
hey thnx for giving it a look…. 🙂
can you tell me which cajon will be good for a starter?
i really want to learn … 🙂
i have seen many of your videos , they are great ,i hv even subscribed you… 🙂
but the problem is i dnt have a cajon :P…
i want to play it in unplugged performances….so which one you think i should pick….?
Hello Tapas!!! Good to hear you wanna learn to play! It is a lot of fun, and really exciting! And without a doubt I would suggest you get one of my cruz cajons. As a beginner, you can go for either the guitar string or the piano string, but you cut out tuning and buzzing hasles with the piano string cajon… so go for that one!!! They both are super duper easy to play because the sound just comes out almosty effortlessly, and they endure for years! 🙂 If you want a good volume cajon with a super booming bass and sharp attack on the high’s, go for the cruz cajon! 🙂 Great name you have man BTW
hola Heidi! hace rato que estoy practicando con tus videos, son excelentes!!! te felicito! tenia una consulta para hacerte, cuando empece a practicar note que se me habia hinchado una falange de la mano izquierda (con la que hago el sonido agudo en el cajon) del cuarto dedo contando desde el pulgar, y me dolia bastante, por lo que tuve que estar varios dias sin tocar…ese dolor se fue, pero ahora siento la misma hinchazon y dolor en la misma falange del dedo medio de esa misma mano, sera que estoy teniendo una mala tecnica al tocar o simplemente que mi cajon no es de buena calidad? tendre problemas futuros por los que deba ir al traumatologo?
mil gracias y un gran saludo desde Argentina!
I´m wainting for your reply! I really want to know what you think, if it´s missunderstood please tell me and I´ll write my question again 🙂 happy new year!!
ok! thanks for your reply! when I play the cajon it hurts me in the two middle fingers of the left hand… I mean, it hurts in the bones of that fingers, the phalanx. I wonder if I´m playing the wrong way or if simply it´s a bad cajon.. I tried to made my question easier haha excuse me for my poor english, cheers!!! and thanks you so much!
Hello Paula
It’s difficult to determine what is the problem if I cannot see you play, if you have a video or even a short vlip that shows how you hit the cajon and play, I would be better able to assist you in advising you as to whats the main issue, but you can be sure it is probably due to a mix of 2 things, 1, your technique (especially if you are a beginner, this is normal, it will take time for your technique to shape properly, just like learning to walk took time) and 2, if you haven’t got a good cajon, it is definitely partly due to that too!
But if you send me a little clip of you playing I can really give you specific advise ok!
Heidi
Mel
Hi there,
I’ve just been given a cajon for christmas because I saw you playing on the Southbank one day and wanted to learn to play ever since! Thanks for introducing me to the instrument. I was drawn to it first for the fact that it looks absolutely cool and sassy especially female players… And it sounds amazing…like a full drum kit without the hassle of carting it around.
I have absolutely no percussion experience…in fact I’m a classical pianist so embarking on this journey would be totally opposite to anything I’ve done before.
Trying to find a decent book ( and compared to the amount of tuition books available for other instruments there are not that many) is quite difficult. Hopefully I’ll be able to learn a lot here . Thanks for doing this…really!
Aaah what a nice nice comment, I am extremely happy that my website and lessons could be of service!!! Thumbs up for getting into it!! Keep going and always have fun grooving! X
Hello Heidi,
First, Happy Holidays and an extraordinary year 2013 !!! Thank you so much for uploading your videos. They are very helpful. I am a trombonist and bongocero, now learning to play the cajon and other small hand percussions. I would like to know if you play Latin pop and how do you apply the cajon to this style of music. Any particular patterns you use for this style?
Hey Curtis! I do indeed play Latin pop and I have 3 nice videos covering a few basic rumba patterns which fits perfectly with Latin styles, go to my cajon channel on YouTube and find the 3 rumba lessons, these vids will get you started on this style, and there’s more visa to come in this specific rumba Latin style! Hope it helps let me know how it goes
Hy Heidi,
I am from Germany (35j)and would like to learn play the Cajon. I see your Videos on Youtube, is there any DVD of you with leassons.
Thanks
Ralf
Sorry for my bad english!!! 😉
Hello! Great to hear from you. I am currently planning to make an instructional DVD to cover all the basics and a wide range if styles, I am aiming to have it released by march/ April so sign up to my newsletter to keep updated! 🙂
hola! heidi.
Muchas gracias por las lecciones, hace poco
compre mi primer cajon, un 2 en 1 ( un lado peruano, y el otro flamenco )
y ahora gracias a vos, estoy aprendiendo poco a poco como tocarlo.
muchas gracias de nuevo!
saludos desde argentina!
Hey Heidi. I’m a keyboard player for a church but I’m buying a cajon in 3 weeks. This is due to fact that we don’t have a drummer so I figured I’d buy a cajon to help out my worship team when I’m not playing keys. However, I’ve never played a cajon in my life. So I’m going to have to trust in God that he will teach me and having some Skype lessons from u wouldn’t hurt 😀 Please keep me posted, thanks.
Muchas muchas gracias por estos videos, estoy empezando y ya aprendí un ritmo gracias a sus videos, estoy muy emocionada por aprender más son muy buenos. 😀 Felicidades por la web esta genial!!
Hola Pablo
Gracias por el mensaje. To ship to Argentina…Si es muy possible, of course, we post worlwide with tracked shipping, the cajon fully insurance to your house.
let me know if you have any more questions
Heidi
Curious on what you use for your cymbal? I have been trying to find an ultra thin crash but ended up getting just a thin crash (Wuhan) and waiting on it to arrive. Hopefully I will be able to play it by hand without hurting too much! 🙂
Great videos and thanks so much for the instruction!
Hey!
I use many different one’s, my Fav one being the AAX XPLOSION Sabian crash, 10 or 11 inch, really nice and thin with a nice tone and good sustain, but I suggest getting a small splash too for that fast response crash
let me know how you get on with your new cymbal!
Hi Heidi,
I wish you a happy new year, health, success and that all your wishes and dreams may come true. Thanks for sharing your helpful and motivating videos. You are really doing a great job and it is always a pleasure to see the fun and joy you seem to have.
Cheers, regards and blessings,
André
I am an absolute beginner and Skype-lessons would be great. I am absolutely interested. So I am looking forward to hearing from you once the details are clear.
Thanks in advance,
cheers
André
P. S. Hope you understand my poor english 🙁
Hello Ansi!!
So good to hear from you again! Cajon bags should be available from end Feb/early March, perhaps sooner if we’re lucky! they are gonna be super!
Hi Heidi. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
No doubt like many other folk today, I am stting looking out at the rain and contemplating goals for the new year in a slight daze after the festive season. Advancing my cajon playing was one of many things on my list and your website has distracted me (pleasantly) from some of the more mundane isues on my to-do list (like moving house, keeping my job etc, he he). so THANk YOU!
I am after a new cajon. Do you advise on cajons beyond those by for example PRK?
I began playing a (very basic) snare cajon in Sept last year at an acoustic night at my local pub. I have a chronic back injury that has prrevented me playing guitar or drums for sometime. The cajon allowed me to participate, pain free, AND have an automatic seat (with no back pain amazingly!!). On the basis of this, I got asked to support a jazz combo where it became clear I need something of better quality. I have been looking at the Leiva Mezquita and the LP Americana snare – both for the good snare sound and distinct bass. Do you have any experience of these?
Further questions and postings to come as I digest this website further. This is a great website and just the inspiration I needed on this dreary, hungover day. It is rare to find someone as passionate about something who is not …..arrogant (careful choice of words as this is a public forum!).
All the best for now
C
Hey!!!
Thanks for the nice long comment :-))
As per the LP or the Leiva, I have not tried either of these cajons yet….. and of course I would recommend one of very own Cruz Cajons, but if you really have to get a non Cruz cajon, I would say that you are always safe with Slagchwerk, they have great sound overall…. good bass, nice snare. I should seriously go and try the LP and leiva cajons though so next time I can give you more details on those!! 🙂
Enjoy my website, and let me know if there’s anything you want to see here!
Much love
Heidi Joubert
Hi Heide. After looking at your site in more detail, I feel I should be calling you Lady H or “ma’am” , or something reflecting the utility of the content here! hee hee
Stuff I would like to see on here would be discussion from yourself and other players on their experience with playing live or recording, reviews of different cajons and interpreting drum set rudiments (mainly based on sanre such as paradiddles etc) to the cajon. I’m not sure there is a facility for anyone to start a discussion topic with other fellow readers and players – but that would be good too.
Great set up though H. Rockadoodle-doo!
Just a quick comment on back pain and cajon playing which may be relevant. I suffer from chronic back pain that prevents me playing drums and guitar, and is why I started on the cajon. When it’s really bad, I use a support belt to play which has helped, but the biggest discovery is to play with “Monster Brushes”. These are like the brushes one uses for soft drum and snare work but BIG! It’s a departure from classic cajon playing but works for me.
Is there a vid where the cruz cajon with piano strings is demonstrated? The Rev Andy Gray has given a great review, and the product description sounds good but I’d love to hear one at least online. I realise I could also try and visit a workshop in Cambridge but getting there could be an issue. If you are playing the Cruz with piano strings, let me know.
(I seem to be adding alot of comments on this website so I may save a few and add under testimonials – it’s so comprehensive – amazing).
Hello Clive!
Video of a comparison between Gthe Cruz piano and guitar strings will be up soon, sign up to our newsletter to stay updated on this. And thanks for all the wonderful comments on my website, it’s great to get your feedback on the brushes and also on what you would like to see more of, if only more ppl where like you haha 🙂
It’s a great pleasure to have you visit my site clive, thanks again and be blessed!
Heidi
Hello!
Skype lessons will only commence end Jan, let us know about youyr interest in the class by sending us an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com
More details will be up a bit later!
Heidi
hello Heidi,
Brazilian’m more alive in Portugal, when you pass by?
I fell in love to hear you play, and it was good to feel how much you enjoy what you do, I hope to one day have the pleasure of knowing your work personally.
I will reflect on you and I hope one day to get there.
Rayane
Portugal
Hello Renen, classes are set to start end Jan, prices and details will be up in a bit, I suggest you sign up to cajonbox newsletter to stay updated with all the details! 🙂
Heidi
One trick i has seen and used to help with unwanted tones or buzz is to dampen the strings slightly by placing Velcro (hook and loop) inside the cajon over the back of the strings.
Put a small strip of hook cloth tape (about 2.5cm) on each side of the strings in the middle and then use a piece of loop (the soft cloth side) over the strings. You can tighten or loose the amount of dampening by how tightly you stretch the cloth when you press it over the strings.
Hello Rush
You can convert the amount from GBP to USD Here: http://www.xe.com/ucc/
The price in USD will vary depending on the exchange rate so it is difficult for me to give you an exact figure, but it would be around $280 for the cruz cajon guitar string and $88 for the shipping and tracking to USA… hope this helps!
Heidi, Thanks for the info. I live in Santa Fe , New Mexico , and Katumba is coming from Cadiz next week to give classes on Cajon y palmas. I needed to buy a Cajon before he gets here so I had to order one from a store here in the states for quick delivery. It will really be great if you can get your Cajon into the stores here! Thank you for your videos , they are very helpful and lovely. I used to live in Barcelona , back in the mid ’80’s (pesetas!) and I pass thru every few years , next time I’m there I will come by the Cruz shop! Ole guapa –
Rush
Hello Heidi , great videos and great energy teaching 🙂 It would be lovely to have you here in Canada , Ottawa Ontario for a work shop. I’m a percussionist I play mainly Samba music and I just start adding the Cajon to my Samba . Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need to setup a workshop in our area.
Cheers to you
These bags look awesome – getting one fosho! How bout adding a stiched down strap on one of the panels so that you can carry it by hand as well? Just s thougt. Well done Heidi
Hello,
just saw your video. Nice composition, nice duo cajon with Hang. I understand this video is also a promotional clip for cajonbox.com
You should be aware about the title of the video. Giovanni is using a Free Integral Hang which is obviously a wonderful instrument. I think their creators would not like to see it called “Hang drum” again.
I’m myself Hang owner and player and understand we should to be careful about the terms we use.
Thank you!
Hello Emmanuel
Thank you for your comment. Firstly I need to state that my videos are not made for promotional purposes, if it was so I would have made much shorter clips, as I am sure you can appreciate these videos take A LOT of time to edit and of course all of them will show my cajonbox logo. Cajonbox is also a free website with loads of very useful info on, and I believe anyone who enjoys my free videos would also enjoy and benefit from this free website. I do these videos and website because I enjoy it, I am not getting paid by someone for putting up the cajonbox logo… As per your comment about the title I give the video, you are absolutely right, and no offense is given by it, it’s just a fact that most ppl know it and refers to it as hang drum rather than just hang, I seriously do not see whats the big deal about what one calls it but then again I know the makers are very adamant about what it is called and so I will respect that, and seeing that it is a bit of a sensitive subject, I will change the title. Thanks for reminding me, Giovanni mentioned something like this but it slipped my mind, I suppose because I have not gotten myself a hang yet….. 🙂
Thanks for visiting my site and enjoying my cajonbox videos!
Hey Heidi and Giovanni, nice combination and awesomely played. I like the groove, your rolls and fills. And Giovanni you’ve got good talent on the Hang or Hang drum (btw hang or hang drum is no biggy) LOL
Keep em coming. Keep it real and give us more of your gigs.
cheers
Ansi from the Sunny Side of Life. 🙂
Hahaha Ansi I agree, no biggy about Drum or no drum lol! anyways, best to not offend ppl when one can help it… even though it itches me to be a bit cheeky hehe 🙂
Hope you havin fun with the cruz buddy!! Catch u in Maldives when I visit!
Hi Heidi,
I went to a live gig last week and saw a guy playing a cajon. I’m a vocalist who has just got together with two guitarists to form an acoustic trio. I loved the sound of the cajon and felt it added an extra special something. I decided to check out the ‘net to find out more…..I found you! Truly inspirational, I shall be purchasing a Toro very soon (I hope you ship to Greece) and will be following your videos. Many thanks for uploading these, I’m so glad I found them.
I see you’re intending a European tour….any chance of Athens being included?
Regards
Hazel
Hello Hazel!!!
Would LOVE tovisit athens, and hopefully we’ll do a concert there sometime!!! I’ll keep you informed! And I also got your order for a toro Cruz Cajon, we’ll be posting it out to you shortly! Sure you will LOVE it! 🙂
Heidi
Built my own Cajon after hearing about the instrument for the first time this past summer. Bunch of us get together and play music on a river island nearby all summer on the weekends. Great time for a Cajon, was always just a bunch of guitars. Now i need some lessons. Pressure is on now. 🙂
Surprisingly the Cajon came out real nice. I like the sound. I think i will really love playing it. Childhood dream of being a drummer, partially fulfilled.
Jeff
Excellent news Jeff!!! Yes now those bonfire nights can have some beats, there sued to only be space for guitarists, aaah the wonderful days of the future! 🙂 Let me know how you fare with your playing!
Hi Heidi,
Thought you might want to know, the dimensions above are 50x50x30 but elsewhere its 30x30x50. (Sorry, my day job is proofreading/editing) I look forward to receiving mine, can’t wait to start playing 🙂
Hi Heidi,
Thought you might want to know, you forgot the apostrophe in “elsewhere it’s”. Sorry, my day job is retirement. Love this instrument though! 🙂
Hi Lady H,
Thanks for posting this video. I think it’s good to promote applications of the use of the cajon, as well as marterial that simply shows how to have fun with them.
I like the overall sound and like the fact that you illustrate a cajon “set-up”, not just the cajon. Those cymbals sound great – I’m guessing the one nearest the camera is the Xplosion you have mentioned in a previous entry, but please let me know. Also, the cajon itself: I didn’t get much of the crispy snare sound, did you have the strings falrly loose, or was this just the recording (or my speakers)?
Keep on rocking girl. If you ever venture further north than Cambridge, let me know.
Hey Clive
Thanks for the nice compliments on my videos and web! The cymbal closest to the camera is indeed not the AAX but a turkish 10 inch splash…. turkish rockbeat. As per the snares on my cajon, you are right, the videos sound is not really good, I unfortunately did not record the audio seperate so the mike used to pick up the sound is solely the video camera mike which isn’t very good at picking up the snary souynd of my cajon for some reason. I am working on recording the audio for all my videos properly in the future so you can have a moer realistic sound of the cajon.
Catch you North Of Cambridge! 😉
Hi Heidi! I’ve been wanting to learn to play the cajon for a while now but I am confused on what brand or style to buy. Does the style of the drum affect the sound that comes out, like if you were going for a hip hop feel? I know i’d be a very beginner but i’m hoping with alot of practice that I’ll get the hang of it. Hopefully you can help me in choosing my first cajon drum!
Hey Olivia!!1
Did you get my e-mail?
So nice to hear from you! And great to hear you getting started on the cajon! :-))
As per which cajon to buy, I would highly reccomend my cruz Cajon (piano strings) for you as a beginner who intends to be serious and practise, it is really good for your posture, the bass is really deep and the volume and sound is just awesome, not to mention it looks really cool! It might be a bit pricey for you though, and therefor I want to let you know that I am adding a cheaper cajon to my cruz cajon range, especially for beginners who are unsure if they will play a lot and are looking for a really great, but cheaper cajon to start with.
These will only be available in about 1 months time though……..
I would say that I won’t recommend you buy anything below £80 – £100 if you do intend to be serious and practise, before you know it you will have to buy a new one, meaning you have wated that money, as very cheap cajons have their bass situated very low, resulting in a terrible posture, and practising like that might make your bad posture a permanent habit, which can cause serious back issues not too far into the future… Also really cheap cajons don’t last. If you looks at cajons in the £150 – £200 you can be sure it
will be acajon that will last for a loooong time (even a lifetime if you don’t bash it like a wild beast)
My advice, don’t go for the cheapest for starting out (unless you are really very unsure if you’d even play it). If you intend to start practising, train right from the start with a cajon that is good. I seriously hope I helped you!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you so much for the website and videos! I have a ameteur musical background in woodwind instruments from my school years. I recently became aware of the Cajon and fell in love! I have never played any type of percussion instrument but with the help of your excellent tutorials I am picking it up and am already jamming with a local band after only a week.. I know I have alot still to learn- It is great to be able to just jump right in and actually play. I am having a blast!This is truly a remarkable instrument and you are an excellent teacher. Thank you for sharing your passion, expertise and talent with the world!
Hello Dragon Lady!
Wow nice msg thanks very much, made me smile! Appreciate your thanks and so happy to hear you are finding my videos and lessons useful!
Keep kickin!
Heidi
Hey,
I’m really interested in learning the cajon, I think that it sounds so therapeutic. Problem is I’m only free every other week because I work on a two week Rota of earlys and lates. I wondered if you did private lessons? Or a fortnightly lesson?? I live on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Thankyou
Hey Sarah!
Thanks for the msg! Why not drop in every 2 weeks to our Cambridge cajon class? I do not currently live in Cambridge so it makes it rather difficult to teach private classes, however, I could do it on Wed if you wanted to as I will be in Cambridge for the group class. Send me an e-mail and we can see if we can make it work somehow!
Thanks!
Heidi
What a versatile instrument! I received a cajudoo abayomi as a Christmas gift (held up by U.S. customs for a couple of weeks, but finally delivered in Nashville). Having now had a couple of weeks with it I am loving it. It is adaptable to just about any kind of music from funk to bluegrass. We even worked up some arrangements for bamboo flute/autoharp/cajudoo that sound great!
Hey P.M.
Wonderful to hear that you are having loads of fun with your cajudoo! They are truly amazing right? 🙂 I’ve been enjoying to record with them over the last week, and wow, what a sound they can create!!1 Keep me updated on what you’re doing musically, if you want, send me a short clip of you performing with the cajudoo and I might like to feature it on our website!
Heidi
Hi, I built a snare cajon a few years back and it sounds really nice. I’ve played drums for years and am always learning new things. You have really excellent meter and nice technique and I’m thankful for what you’ve been sharing here. I’ve learned some new cajon techniques already. Thank you.
muy hippie !!! pero suenen medio bien si no fuera por los harmonicos ! que estorban bastante ! el udu de fibra es mejor ! lo interesante es la base de madera buena idea hay que mejorar la cuestion de la presion en los agudos !!
Hola Camilo!
Gracias por el mensaje! You are right, and thats why Hands on drums has improved their entire Cajudoo range, which is now available from our webshop. More videos with the new and improved cajudoo coming soon!
Appreciate your comment and review! 🙂
Heidi
te agradezco por los vídeos que subes a la pagina yo no soy profesional ni nada de eso tampoco tengo un cajón ya que no cuento con los recursos para adquirirlo pero para cuando lo tenga sera muy bueno por que sin el practico.
I was given a cajon at Christmas. I have never played percussion before and am an absolute novice (struggling with coordination!). I have been really impressed by your videos and think that lessons via skype would be useful – I can’t find any lessons in and around Edinburgh.
Dave
Hello Rebecca!
How are you? It was wonderful meeting you and I sincerely hope you are thouroughly enjoying your new Cruz Cajon as well as the cajon bag (you bought our first bag ever!!)! You are one of the first people to have tried the new kids Cruz cajons, I will defo keep you updated!!! Much love from London to Singapore!
Heidi Joubert
Hey Heidi – me again…
I wanted to ask a few more questions about the piano wire cajon – having just spent an hour in a warehouse full of different cajons from £130 to £350!! I am looking for a really sensitive, full-on “rustlie” snare sound but also a big bass sound that doesn’t rattle. So the Cruz piano sounds good in theory. However, I would need to know just how sensitive the snare sound is. Is the piano wire adjustable? And, if you roll the fingers as you would do to imitate a snare roll for example, does it sound like a snare and is it sensitive enough to get good volume for a life gig with the fingers?
Yours warm heartedly
Cajon Clive
Hey Clive!!1
The piano string is not adjustable, and the snare sound is rather tight. If you want more of a crisp snare sound (especially for the finger rolls to be audible), and a super clean and punchy bass, I would suggest the guitar string. 🙂 hope it helps!
Hi Heidi,
Great website. REALLY good videos bout how to play the Cajon.
I’m a music teacher in germany. It helps me a lot to see it not only to read bout it in some books.
At home I play the Cajonito… that sounds good to.
Go ahead with your work/band/music.
I like it!
Sarah
Greetings form Argentina. The abayomi seems like a versatile instrument for percussionist on-the-go 😀 Since im so far away I would like to know the shipping costs. for this beauty. I also wondered if you offer any sort of case or bag to transport the instrument itself. I already had one udu break down transporting it, and my second udu’s case – made by me- is, well, just not working. I hope i can get a reply from you soon, it’d be amaizing to actually play one of those.
Thanks for your time!
Heidi,
By tuning and tape, I’ve been able to eliminate the buzz from my new Meinl Peruvian Cajone, but I’ve encountered a problem that I haven’t seen in any of my other models; a resonant hum. Any suggestions? Please help, I really enjoy the timbre of this model.
Hey Josef!
Harmonics is a well known issue with cajons, elite pro or beginner. Msot ppl don’t know this, they are aware of buzzing issues, but many are not ecen aware of hramonic. I only realised it was an issue when I first started recording the cajon, only then did I realise oh oh this is not good. truth is that it’s hard to remove this, and thats why we have developed the breakthrough piano string cajon, to avoid not only the buzzing, but also the harmonics. of course some have more harmonic issues than others, and most times it’s barely noticeable, but it does come out more if you tape your strings a lot in certain places, depending on your cajon. I have not found a solution to entirely remove the harmonics from a cajon, you either live with it, find a way to make it as quite as possible or look into another type of cajon, so I can’t help you here but to say you should perhaps think about getting one of our piano string cajons if the harmonics issue is driving you mad.
Heidi
Hello! Good question, you need to figure it out because where you tape would depend on where the buzz is being created. This takes a bit of time to determine and won’t ever be in exactly the same place with every case.
I suggest you try a few different places, try the cajon, and find that spot… its a bit of work but its lots of fun to get to know your cajon better this way!
Hope it helps
This sounds like a good idea.
1. Will this be a one to one Skype session? (free Skype)
2. How is the time zone issue covered?
3. Is a video file of the session available?
4. Can I apply the class towards my PhD? (just a fun question.)
I am waiting for my Cruz piano string cajon to arrive (California) to join the other instruments.
Helloooo Tim!!
Firstly thanks for supporting cajonbox and for purchasing a Cruz cajon, I look forward to when you receivbe it and play it with much delight!
As per your questions, they will all be covered once I have all the details down(Just started up our London can Cambridge cajon school and it has taken most of my time and energy), but it’s almost set up and I will let you know all these answers as soon as I have the whole thing set ok! 🙂
Heidi
heidi hello! I’m from mexico city, I have 14 years playing drums and a year playing cajon thanks to your videos on youtube I learned many things! thanks beautiful and talented woman! and forgive my English is not very good, I hope someday you can come to mexico!!!!
Hey Erick! i am your friend on FB yes!!! i would love to visit Mexico, and jammin with the drumkit would be cool!! I am extremely hapy to hear that you have now been playing the cajon for a year thanks to my videos, thats great great great news! many thanks for your very nice comment!
i recieved a Meinl Headliner Cajon, Rubber Wood Front drum as a gift and whenever i hit it, there’s a buzzing echo-y sound. is there anyway i can fix it? i tried tuning the strings and loosening and tightening the outer nails in the front but i cant get rid of it.
Hello!
Thanks for your question, it is a very important question and one that gets asked frequently. The answer is yes, you can sort that buzz out, it’s not always easy but it can be done. If tuning the cajon doesn’t work and neither loosening the nails, you need to tape the strings down with duck tape (small parts, the not the entire string. You tap the cajon lightly and press the strings down one at a time with 1 finger, covering each point of each string. when you see that the buzz improves when you push the string against the wood at a certain point, tape the point down and continue doing this over different points on the different strings till you have removed the buzz. It isn’t ideal I must say, and sometimes to remove the buzz (especially if it’s a low quality cajon like meinl) means comploetely dampening the string sound, making it souynd more like a peruvian cajon than a flamenco cajon, but it’s worth trying, and it’s good experience. On the long run however, I would say you should plan into investing in a better quality cajon as a nicer sound motivates you to play more, and this could affect how fast you progress!
Alternatively, Why not look into buying one of our Cruz Cajon piano strings, this way you have no issues with buzzing!:-)
Hope I helped a bit….
Heidi,
Had a great time at the HANGOVER , despite the snow. I have posted photos on facebook if you’d like to become friends.
Also, one of the venues at which we run workshops in the Summer, Hawkwood College, near Stroud, is hoping to run a weekend with Layne Redmond in August….. thought that you’d like to know. IF this comes off , Lina and I will definitely be there- unmissable!
Barry
Hey Barry!!1
Thanks for the heads up, please do send me more details about this event I would love to check it out if possible!!! Bless you both and keep grooooooving and moooovin!
Hello my name is Jay, I am 15 years old and I have had my cajon for about 7 months, I am very keen to progress on my cajon playing, I also play the drums(kit). Ive really enjoyed watching your tutorials and I am very interested in your online skype lessons 🙂
Please can you let me know when you are likely to start giving lessons. I would have loved to have come to your group lessons in leytonstone but sadly it is just too far 🙁
Thanks again 🙂
Hey Jay!
Great to hear from you! I will defo let you know about my online cajon school once I got the details. Just out of curiousity, would it be easier for you to attend one of our cajon classes if we held it in central London? I am considering moving our cajon school more cetral for the next cajon course.
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
My son, aged 9, is learning standard drums and has been for 2.5 years. However, it’s rather a solitary occupation and a friend suggested I take him along to a percussion workshop to enjoy another aspect and fire his enthusiasm a bit. First of all, is he too young to attend the Cambridge workshops and if not, would he need to be at the first one and come to all of them? It’s quite a late finish for him on a school night. Are you planning any daytime workshops in Cambridge?
Many thanks!
Hi Louis
Good to hear from you. firstly, no your son is not too young, we have a few other youngsters in our class (it’s oretty mixed), there’s another 11 yr old, a 10 yr old, a 13 yr old, a 14 yr old and a 16 yr old. Seeing that he already plays drums, I am certain that he would definitely be just as good if not better on the cajon than most of the adult students! 🙂 He’d be most welcome, we started up yesterday, but you can enrol him from next week. If you want to do that, please send me an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com and we’ll get him on the course!
P.S about the saytime workshops, initially I wanted to do a seperate kids class at 4:30 pm on wed, but I need more interest, more kids interested to do that. I am working on it and it might just be that we split the class in about 2 weeks time once I have enough interest from the younger one’s. If you can promote it or just spread the news, that could definitely speed up this process! 🙂 I think I will get in touch with some of the musical directors in Cambridge who work with the kids, to see if they might be interested in letting people know about this cajon course)
Many thanks!
Hi Heidi,
I wish you a happy new year.
Your page is great and Skype is a wonderful idea.
I Play your lessions currently on the djembe after.
I am from Germany and my English is not the best.
At present I have just the rumba, but somehow hears the clock to something different if you’re playing fast.
Do you play then the ands just as ghost?
Many greetings from Hannover
Hello so nice to hear from you!!!
I like that you even use my lessons on the djembe, and why not!!! 🙂 Ole! As per your question, I found it a bit difficult to understand what you are asking… but I assume you mean if I plkay my ghost notes very soft? I play exactly the same fingers and patterns when I play the rumba fast as when I play slow, but when I play fast I have a lot more control over adding the ghost notes much soter, I assume this is what makes it sound a bit different. It’s just technique, and you can easily practise to get those little ghost notes very soft!
Please ask me again if I got your question wrong and I will try answer asap!
Heidi
I’m not really sure where to post this question so I’m trying here. I’ve been playing drums for 20+ years and recently got a Cajon. What would you recommend for myfirst cymbal? I love your site, I subscribed to your YouTube channel and newsletter and will be donating here soon, most would (and do) charge for something so comprehensive . I also play guitar and I am on a similar site teaching guitar which I HAVE to pay. Your awesome, thank you so much
Hello Chalres!
Very good question, and at an appropriate time, I have just finished filming a new video where I talk about my cumbals and demonstrate their sounds, and give you some reccommended ideas for your first cymbal, be sure yto be signed up to my newsletter (which I elieve you are) and subscribed to my channel, I am in the editing phase and this video should be posted up within the next few days!! 🙂
Heidi
So many people in the group only just managed to squeeze in the picture! Fortunately looks like you captured my best side 🙂 Great bunch. Great teacher. Looking forward to next lesson. Bring it on!
Hi Heidi.
Almost always listening to Vicente Amigo, Paco de Lucía, Chano Domínguez, etc. and now I have discover my next instrument, el cajón.
Listen
1-2……1-2-3……4-5-6……..7-8-9-10…….
Te suena de algo…
Don’t lost the “duende” that you have.
Miguel from Madrid, pura vida.
Hey Ken!
We are no making all the plans ofr our nline school and it wouldbe great if you could send us an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com so we can get in touch directly with you via email. 🙂
Sweet, can’t wait. Coming from a drumming background not having a cymbal at the moment kinda messes with me while playing Cajon, very new to the cajon but put on some acoustic music I had and was able to keep along but I sounded very repetitive, (Blurry puddle of Mudd acoustic is extremely fun!), and when I hit the snare should always be with two hands?
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for all of the free videos you’ve been posting! How long have you been playing? I’ve played the drums for a while and recently bought a cajon and I’ve learned a lot from your videos and just wanted to say you are amazing! You are a great teacher and I wish you had classes in Holland! Is there any chance that you know anyone in Rotterdam who offers Cajon lessons?
Hey Iked
I have messed around with the cajon for 5 years now, but only in the last 2 yrs have I started practising and becoming more serious…….
Thanks for your wonderful comment! I do not know anyone who teaches in Rotterdam, but I do know that we intend to start up a cajon school in rotterdam, amsterdam and all over the EU, collaborating with other really great teachers that I would personally reccomend! Also I might very possibly do a few workshops in rotterdam in the summer this year later, so subscribe to myt newsletter to stay updated on all this exciting news! 🙂
And in the meanwhile, you can join our online cajon school! 🙂
Hi, recently bought a requena series cajon in red. And i adjusted the guitar strings but now there is a slight buzz once i hit it. It didn’t have the buzz before i touched it. I should have not touched it but i guess i need to learn how to tune the strings myself. This is my first every real cajon. I made one when i was in high school but it was way to big and it was more of a peruvian one with no strings or snares in it. What should i do to get rid of the buzz. And is requena cajons good? Cheers,
Marcus
Hey Marcus
It’s pretty normal that most guitar string and snare cajons develop a buzz, sometimes sooner than later. It’s an important lesson to learn though, if it aint broken, don’t try and fix it, but it makes you feel better to know that it would probably have started buzzing anyway. Now, there is quite a process with the buzzing issues of cajons, its a mixture of tuning the strings AND taping down the strings in certain points. Sounds to me like you should tape down some of the strings. It might take very long or very short, it depends. Also important to know that the buzz might go, or be less at times and this is because, firstly, the wood itself expands and retracts according to the temperature, and this also applies to the strings, so there is a whole lot of factors you need to take into consideration…..
I am not sure of requena cajons as I am simply in love with my cruz cajon and have not had any desire to play another cajon 🙂 They are not so popular in the UK and I have never seen one over here in the stores.
Hi thanxs for the info, i decided to replace it for a new version. And this one is really really really great!!! I haven’t played cajon much but did start playing percussion since i was 6 and now been playing drumkit for 6 or 7 yrs, i play mostly brasilian samba, bossa nova, baio. I like the cajon cause of its portability and its sound. I need to work on my samba’s, bossa’s more. Not confident yet. By the way how long have u been playing cajon for? Cheers 🙂 marcus
Hey Marcus
This is a very difficult question to answer, or rather, should I say easy? Anything can be good for all types of music, it depends on the players personal taste. 🙂
Hello Heidi,
Thank You so much for your cajon videos, especially the beginner series. I have learned a lot. You are a great teacher and take the time to explain how to play the instrument properly. Please continue to add to your beginner videos. One wish would be to see a whole lesson on the Bossa Nova technique with the use of just hands to play the basic rhythm. Its seems like such a simple rhythm, but I just can’t get it right. I will be buying your new CD soon as I love your music. I am a total fan of Fernando’s Kitchen. Any chance you are coming to the US to play, anytime soon? Keep up the great work!!!
Hey Aka, We have not had any duty charged with sending a cajon to India yet. Customs is pretty random for single packages, like most of our international orders, 80- 90% don’t go thru customs, but there is a 10% that just randomly gets held at customs, and there is no way to determine if this will happen or not. Sorry, wish I could control the customs!:-)
Хайди здравствуй!!! Ты и твоё творчество меня просто потрясли! На днях понял, что хочу научиться играть на барабане и случайно узнал о cajon. В интернете случайно нашёл твоё видео и влюбился ! :))) В тебя и как ты играешь. Я живу в Казахстане. Это рядом с Россией. У нас кахон очень редкий инструмент. Я видел его один раз давно. Теперь очень хочу приобрести этот инструмент, чтобы играть. Спасибо за видео!!! Ты можешь на сайте сделать видео уроки, для тех, кто только приобрёл инструмент??? Я бы с удовольствием начал по ним учиться. Видео для начинающих. Удачи!!! Спасибо!!!! Привет от русских! Пока!
Hello!
Thanks for your comment! Unfortunately I do not understand russian, so I translated it online, here’s what I got:
Хайди hello!!! You and your work me have simply shaken! One of these days has understood, that I wish to learn to play a drum and has incidentally learned about cajon. In the Internet has incidentally found your video and has fallen in love!:))) in you and as you play. I live in Kazakhstan. It near to Russia. At us кахон very rare tool. I saw it once for a long time. Now very much I wish to get this tool to play. Thanks for video!!! You can make on a site video lessons, for those who only has got the tool??? The beginnings I’d love to on them to study. Video for beginners. Success!!! Thanks!!!! Hi from Russian! Bye!
Well, I suppose the translator isn’t very good because I can’t really understand everything you are asking, If you want to rewrite to me in english I can answer ok! But thank you very much for the nice compliments and the comment, I hope you learn fast, it’sgreat to know someone in Khazakhstan is learning from my videos!!!
Heidi
Хайди привет ещё раз. Подскажи пожалуйста какой купить кахон??? Какой кахон будет лучше звучать под гитару? В интернете нашёл разные инструменты по размерам и ценам. Не знаю, что выбрать. Заранее спасибо!!! И как ты находишь время отвечать всем, кто тебе пишет? :))))))))
Hey!!! Again I translated it and this is what I got:
Хайди hi still time. Prompt please what to buy кахон??? What кахон will be better to sound under a guitar? In the Internet has found different tools in the sizes and the prices. I do not know what to choose. In advance thanks!!! And how you find time to answer everyone who writes to you?:))))))))
It seems you are asking which cajon to buy? I would recommend the CRUZ CAJON Guitar string, it’s the one I play the most. The colour is up to you what you prefer! 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Heidi –
I am from Toronto, Canada. Thanks for posting your videos – they are very well done. I am also a djembe player that is used to notating rhythms. Could you tell me if there is a common notation system for cajon? I would like to notate some of the rhythms I have been learning and adapting to cajon, and I’d like to start with a system right so I don’t have to rewrite it later. Any information would be useful. Cheers.
Hey!
The cajon is still rather new so there is really no set way of doing anything on the cajon, however, what with it becoming so popular, there are quite a few ways of doing things that are becoming common. I just don’t completely understand what you are refering to.You mean the drum key? Which notes/sounds gets written on which ledger or line?
Thanks for the response. Djembe uses a slap, tone bass notation system. It’s sometimes written on ledger lines and sometimes written as S B T system eg. B T T S T T etc. Seems as the Cajon is so new that there hasn’t been a system written yet. If you find information, I would be interested. Cheers.
Hi heidi
I have been guitar since a year but nw I’m interested in playing cajon
can u please suggest and price limit and nice Cajon brand
(i can spare upto 150 bucks)
Hello John
The only cajon brand I wouldrecommend is my own signature line brand. I know it’s a bit above your price range, but not to worry, for the last month I have been working on adding a a few new models to my Cruz range, being the kids cajons and now also a really great quality, handmade, beginners cajon, which will be sold for a bit less than my current models. If you can hang in abit, I should have them out within the next month! 🙂
One thing I can say is that it will be the best value for money you can get!
Sign up to my newsletter for updates on this!
Hey George
If you send me an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com, then I can send you a little form which you should fill out, ti will help me to determine the best times and days for doing the classes! The sooner the better, as we are hoping to have everything sorted and everyone enrolled to start within the next 2 weeks! 🙂
Rural area in scotland huh! That sounds fab…… 🙂
I’ll be 85 years old in June and have been playing Congas and Bongos for around 10 years. Started playing the Cajon (or trying to) about a month ago and find it a great instrument. I’m having trouble though notating your Bossa Nova heel strokes and wonder if you can tell me whether there are two beats between each pair of heel strokes or one. I assume you start the pattern with one heel stroke and then follow with pairs, with the cycle ending on one heel stroke. Hopefully I’m making myself clear. I’m also interested in your Skype lessons. I live in Nehalem, Oregon in the U.S. and wonder how your will handle the difference in time.
Thank you sincerely for sharing your expertise.
Peace,
Chuck
Hey Chuck
thanks for the comment. Yes you start with 1 beat on the bass, just like you say! 🙂 I will be posting up a video on how to do this rhythms with just the hands, it might be easier to do! As per online lessons, I am in the final planning stages so if you are interested, you should send me an email so I can send you a from that will help me to find the right time and day for doing these classes, hope that makes sense! Email me at londoncajonschool@gmail.com
Blessings!
Hello Heidi, i’ve been in contact with your videos lessons, you are amaizing.
I am a guitar player and fell in love with the cajon the first time, when i saw a friend playing,
so i decide to learned too. Watching your lessons, is like having a teacher at home. I am looking foward to purchasing my cajon from you.
Regards,
André Vertelo
Hey Andre
Thanks it’s great to hear from you! 🙂 I will be posting more videos so keep practising with them! And you will certainly love a cruz cajon if you get one!
H
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for your inspirational website and videos. It confirmed my desire to play cajon!
I bought a cajon at the start of the year and after three weeks of playing I got RSI. I was playing about an hour every day so might have overdone it. (Loved playing a bit too much I think!) Although I didn’t get tough skin (my hands are already tough from trapeze classes!), I think my hands are not shaped right when i hit them against the drum, as my joints (fingers, knuckles, wrists) were hurting after 3 weeks. Is there any way to reduce repetitive strain injury and would you might posting instructions/photos on how to shape your hands when playing, and whether to keep your fingers, wrists and arms tense or relaxed etc. I now have cajon brushes so if you wouldn’t mind posting instructions/photos on how to hold them too, that would be fabulous. I’ve heard that cajon brushes can help reduce hand/arm pain. Many thanks. 🙂
Hello Rex
Thank you for this comment. Your questions are very important, stuff I myself am looking into these days, and I will certainly do some videos and articles about specific playing methods and techniques to prevent pain and injury, as well as playing with brushes etc…
Sign up to the newsletter to stay updated to these ok! For now I would say never tense while you play ok! And take some breaks in your practising and playing time, say every 20 min take 5 min!
Thanks. 🙂 Looking forward to the videos etc.. Might try to come down to London for one of your cajon classes so you can see if my hands are doing what they should be. For now, definitely going to take it easier while the right muscles build. Thanks.
Hi Heidi I am very interested in Cajon lessons on line keep me posted.
I have been playing Cajon very badly for about a year now and was a singer in a Christian worship band and we needed a drummer because ours left and I tried the Cajon which fits I think better acoustically than a drum set, I am just about keeping up need to get more patterns under my belt.
Thanks
I am a Djembe player and purchased the natural Leon Cruz Cajon. After 6 weeks of spending time with Heidi’s online tutorials, playing live with my band and recording it in my studio, I am absolutely thrilled with how much this instrument adds musically, how clean it sounds and how much FUN it is to play! The quality and workmanship is outstanding. I would HIGHLY recommend this instrument to anyone interested in learning Cajon.
— Dianna Burrup, from Broken Arrow, OK, USA
Hi Heidi, I am in Johanneburg, definitely interested. We have been investigating visiting you when funds permit. In the mean time this would be perfect.
Hey Jo from Jo burg!!!
Must be warm down there now! I miss my biltong! alot! but I supose the frustration of not having it here in the uk has made me start bashing boxes, so hey, not a bad thing!! haha!!1
I’llkeep you in the loop, I am still awaiting to get the forms back from everyone and set up details.
hello i’m french, i don’t speak very well english language perhaps i have a suggestion for you : avignon’s stage !! :-), it’s not a possibility ?why not! thanks for video and for you talent ! have a nice day
Hi Heidi,
Started out on the cajon recently; as a bassist I can use the extra rhythmic feel. Your videos are great, they’re of great help. (and a pleasure to watch;-) )
Keep up the great work!
regardz
Pete (the Netherlands)
I’ve just sent you an email !
Hope this will have success ! This is an excellent idea ! As many of us (I guess) aren’t from Cambridge, even not from England to take some courses with you, this is gonna be the solution for us! Thank you ! 🙂
People learned to drum well before they learned to read. Drumming is more a part of our nature than TV, the internet, texting, reading, and writing. Children have a natural attraction to drums and we should all follow their example. Adults are trained over time not to make noise.
Adults start tentatively and build confidence and spontaneity over time. Conservative people become wild musicians. Most people come alive when they try drums. The hair sticks up on the back of their necks and a big smile breaks out on their face.
People gain confidence and start riffing off each other. Don’t lose that child-like ability to make fun out of music regardless of your skill level. The fun is just starting.
Please add Bristol (Bradley Stoke to be more specific) to your “summer tour” I work part time at a secondary school and I am sure a workshop (and maybe a gig) would go down very well.
X
I’ve been drumming for years but have just started playing (learning) the Cajon. This is wonderful advise, great tips! Just goes to show… you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! 🙂
Hahaha John (A Frame)
This is a very true comment, old is simply a state of mind! You can do anything at any given moment of your life if you really want!
Hi Heidi, taking advantage of this tips, I have a concern and I would like you give me an advice about it. What kind of cymbals to play with cajon, do you adviced me? I was searching on internet about it and I saw some recommendations as Sabian El Sabor picante hand crash 16″ or 18″, but I saw a couple of recommendations too about using a Sabian Splash, what would you recommended me?
Hey Diego
You couldn’t have asked this question at a better time, I have filmed an entire video of about 18 min running thru my cymbals I use and the ups and downs and giving some demonstrations of their sounds, it has taken a while to edit also because I have been way too busy with my band (Fernando’s Kitchen) new Album and our albmlaunch, arranging, editing, mising, recording, directing the other musicians…. not to mention my cajon school and cruz cajons, but it’s almost done and I hopeto have it up on youtube next week! It will really give you some great help on the “what cymbal do I get” question!!! 🙂 Sign up to my newsletter to be sure to get it emailed to you as soon as it’s up!
x
Hi Heidi,
it would be SO great, if you would release some play-along tracks from your album, where the Cajon-channel’s muted !
What do you think about this ?
Stefan.
Hi Heidi.
I’m from Sicily and I’m waiting for start Skype lessons! 😉
PS: You’re fantastic! I always watch your videos on youtube while I play my cajon.
First, I must say “unbelievable”. This performance went straight to my soul. The melody, the style, and the playing was very inspirational. Watching you both perform on your instruments was mesmerizing. You both were in that special place. I’ve never seen or heard a hang drum. I’m going to have to get one of those.
Thank you for recording and sharing this performance.
In researching Cajons I came across your website. You totally blew me away with the amount of information and insight on the Cajon. Can you explain the set-up your using in the video. The drums, cymbals and stands. A similar set-up will suit me well being that I was born and raised a rock and pop drummer from the states.
You mentioned a piano string Cajon on your site. What is the difference between that and the guitar string instrument? Do you sell those also?
You should see a purchase for a Toro Cruz coming from me soon. I need to get a Cajon for my bands acoustic sets and feel a connection to purchase it from you.
I like what you do and why you do it.
Ciao
T.
Hello Heidi,
My first Cajudoo arrived safely on Friday, and I’ve had a good opportunity to play it alongside our collection of 20 or so udus, ghatams, hangs, and halos.
WOW! what a great little instrument. Beautifully made, and surprisingly loud for its size. I love the ease with which you can pitch bend the notes from the wooden “skin”. This is a versatile and high quality drum, which I’m sure will be used in our future gigs and workshops etc as the HANGHANGDUO.
My only (small) criticism is that the size of the large hole makes playing traditional udu style (playing both holes, one with either hand) difficult for anyone with smaller hands. (I have even modified my favourite Schlagwerk udu, reducing the hole size using white “Milliput” epoxy putty. This hasn’t affected the sound, but has made it a whole lot more comfortable to play) .
Also , at £55 , including the cost of a courier from Germany, a real bargain….. and we are delighted. Thanks for introducing us to them.
Barry
Hi Heidi! I have fallen in love with the cajon!
I’m going to be in London soon and i hope to able to join your school!
Will have the piano string cajon in your store soon? And is it much deferent than the guitar string cajon?
Hi Heidi,
Just one word about your lessons …awesome !!!!. I am from India/Bangalore and found cajons costly here and I ended up making my own !.I started practicing it with you 🙂 on youtube. Thanks a lot for your time and lessons.
Regards
Ranjith
wow That was amazing…infact I sold my first Cajon and made my next one ready. It was really good with a snare inside and now I have made a string cajon. I am daily visitor on your video lessons and big fan of yours.
Thanks and Regards
Ranjith
Hi Ranjit,
Can you please help me with guidance to make one for myself too?
I have been struggling to find an option that fits my pocket and obviously do not want to compromise on the output as well.
Want to make one with the best possible material available in India that gives a sound output, that rocks.
Thanks for all the help in advance.
God bless!
Thanks and regards,
Tarun
I would really love to learn to play the cajon and I really admire the fact that you take healthy posture into account when crafting the Cruz Cajons. I really want to get myself one, i think it is my soul instrument! When do you think you will have more in stock to be shipped to the United States?
Namaste
Hello Laurent! Thanks for your enquiry. At the moment I am unsure about my stock as we are making major improvement changes to my cruz cajon brand as well as expanding the range, and this coupled with the fact that we have been experiencing such a huge amount of orders and demand, it might yet be a little while… however, I must say that it will be well worth the wait, seeing that the cruz cajon will be better than ever before when we stock up again! :-)) Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated!
I am from US and am interested in buying one of your Cruz Cajons. They say out of stock. What are the primary differences between Cruz and PRK name brand?
Hello Kim! I got your msg on FB, did you get my reply? Thanks for your enquiry. At the moment I am unsure about my stock as we are making major improvement changes to my cruz cajon brand as well as expanding the range, and this coupled with the fact that we have been experiencing such a huge amount of orders and demand, it might yet be a little while… however, I must say that it will be well worth the wait, seeing that the cruz cajon will be better than ever before when we stock up again! :-)) Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated!
Hi Heidi,
I would like the ask more bout your cajon, is there a difference with Cruz and Toro besides the color? Thinking of buy a new cajon and donating my old one to my church.
I have been watching your video on youtube and it’s very helpful. Practicing on it now. Thank you.
Firstly i would like to know what kind of wood you are using on ur Cajon? my present Cajon is made from rubber wood and equiped with Snare string(Snare Cajon). Hope you can help me understand more the differences between String Cajon and Snare Cajon. I don’t know the difference about these 2 Cajon. Saw a gig one night at a local pub usingthe cajon as drum and was super interested and went up to him asking bout it. Without thinking much and bought one for myself.
Hope to hear from you soon and God bless.
Adrian Tan (from Malaysia)
Thanks for your enquiry. At the moment I am unsure about my stock and also about woods as we are making major improvement changes to my cruz cajon brand as well as expanding the range, and this coupled with the fact that we have been experiencing such a huge amount of orders and demand, it might yet be a little while… however, I must say that it will be well worth the wait, seeing that the cruz cajon will be better than ever before made of much better wood when we stock up again! :-)) Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated!
Heidi,
Hi, I’ve been playing cajon for about a year, i live in the u.s and where i’m located their are no cajon players to practice with. Would like to take skype lessons. Need to work on my rolls, my rolls are awlful. Maybe you’ll have some advice on perfecting the heel-toe technique on the cajon. I’m also intrested in buying a cajodoo. Which one do you think is the most useful?
Love your music!!!
Richard Lee
Hello Heidi,
from my point of view it is already a fact that you are the most motivated/ing cajon teacher… please keep on rocking and believing in god!
And… could you please tell me how I can participate in learning from you somehow, even if I live in Munich/Germany. I read something about DVDs, a europe tour or skype lessons. Maybe there is a possibility to come to your school for some sort of a 1 week intensive workshop or something similar?
In each case I would like to get more detailed information.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Jonny Taubitz
I’ve been also watching ypur videos for quite a ling time and brushing up my workshop thanks to your tutorials… I’m absolutely lovin’ them! THANK YOU…can’t wait till LEON is in stock again! My cajon is getting older and I’m looking for a new experience and tune 🙂
Cheers!
Excellent as always Heidi.
Have you tried two cymbals together as a closed hi-hat for short sounds versus the ringing out of the splash/crash? Short and metallic to complement rather than contrast the cajon sound.
Really interested in the online classes. I have never played percussion instruments but had a fasination after I heard a band with a Cajon drum. Bought one and immediatley began playing. I am fortunate to have good friends in bands and they have been inviting me to play with them every Wed and Sun. LOVE IT but really want to learn to be able to play better. Thank you!
Are the Pro Cajudoo Abayomis available for purchase? I don’t see them in the shop on your site. I am from the US. How much are they in US dollars and what is the shipping?
I think it sounds awesome. Is the main difference between it and the Cajudoo Abayomi that the Pro version comes with the built in mic? Thanks!
Hey Jamie!!1
we are restructuring our entire shopping page and updating our cajudoo page, but in the meantime, you can purchase a cajudoo directly from the maker at cajudoo.com!
Hi Heidi!
Now that I’m through your beginner’s lesson I feel also dedicated to leave a comment here. 🙂
I used to play the drums until 6 or 7 years ago and then stopped making music completely (however I never gave up the plan to starting again!).
Looking around on YouTube for good rhythms I found your lesson’s and inspired by this I decided to get me a cajon (unfortunately not a Cruz Cajón which I first recognized after ordering the first one). A few weeks ago I joined a Irish Folk Band. They were looking for a drummer and I suggested to try it with my cajón and me. This weekend we played the first time publically and it was great. I only can say thank you! When you’re playing with your band in Germany I would love to see and hear you playing.
All the best from snowy Berlin, Germany.
René
Hello Rene!!!!
Great great news!!! Thanks for letting me know how my free lessons has helped you to play your cajon, and now playing gigs with a band, wll done!!!! Send me some videos when you get some of you guys playing!!! Maybe I will see you in Germany when I visit your country soon!!
x
There is one from our 2nd gig we had (bad quality though! But I think it’s a long way to go till we have professional recordings 😉 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFUue4g2-WY&feature=youtu.be
It’s not the Bulerías played on the Cajon but it’s Irish Folk, quite simple music which makes it so sympathic.
I recently added Bongos and the Meinl Cajon Bongo to my repertoire of instruments. The last one I find very interesting. It has a special sound and I was really curious to play it. A hybrid of the Cajon snare sound and bongo sound. It’s invented by Meinl themselves, isn’t it?
P.S. I really looking forward seeing some more Bulerías lessons. I think you are right when you’re stating that this is what a Cajon is made for!
All the best for your record release!
René
I’m a new convert Heidi, and ran across your video in my search for ideas. You’re so clear – definitive. It’s also obvious that you love what you do which is completely inspiring. I’m a multi-instrumentalist producer / composer with a studio in the San Francisco bay area, and was looking for something fresh. That would be you, and many thanks to you for sharing your awesome lifeforce with all of us. All the best, David Sovereign – Owner, Studio J by the Bay, Embarcadero Cove
Hello David!
Wowo what nice msg to read!!! 🙂 Great to know that I have somehow inspired you with all this and I do hope to visit your studio in San Francisco!!! it sounds great!
hey
I’m Qmars from Iran, it hard for me to wright in english, but i try
i find your site and your video in searching about cajon, with our internet it’s really hard to watch your video, but i watch some of them, i bought a cajon last day, its not wonderfull but not bad.
i’ll start my class from next wednesday with a great master of cajon in iran, but i’ll folow your video too and learn from you because your music is great, i reallyyyy like your playing.
i wish that some day i can Participation in your music class
excuse me if i have mistake in my message… <3
Very good question!!! I will make a nice video on this, it’s hard to explain and easier to show ok!!! Sign up to my newsletter and you will be the first to know when the vid is up!
Hello,
I live in Niagara Falls Canada. I am curious as to how I might get my hands on one of these fine percussive instruments, and what the damage would be. Please drop me a line when you find the time.
Thank you
Jason Daniel Orescanin
i was hoping to get my new toro cajon for my latest show coming up on april which is close to my birthday and i just realize it’s not ready to sell yet, 🙁 me frustra un poco por que te admiro demasiado. Como doy el amor a la musica que hago, asi no este a tu nivel, pero estoy en la onda que tu me enseñas, y Ole!!
Gracias…
Darwish Iregui
Miami Fl. Planet earth.
Hello there!
Just curious as to how much one of these beautiful instruments costs with applicable shipping and taxes to Niagara Falls, Canada? You peeps rock!
Thank you
Jason Daniel Orescanin
I purchased a bag locally from a limited selection to have something for protection. Most bags don’t have an outside pocket for accessories like brushed, music, and pads. This bag looks like it could be designed to have a large outside pocket for accessories. Please consider adding a large outside pocket to the design.
Hello!!
Thanks for the heds up, this is something very important and I had thught of it before, it is essential to have an extra bag for shakers/papers/scores/sticks etc on the cajon bag….. 🙂
Hi Heidi
I am a drummer from Krugersdorp, South Africa. I currently play for an artist named Gert Koevert (Afrikaans Rock – Originals)(see on youtube). We needed to do some acoustic sets and after “discovering” you on youtube, decided to go the cajon route. I built my own cajon with adjustable snares and started playing after downloading your amazing lessons.(will send some pics and sound clips later)
The whole band loves the “tribal” sound and feel of the cajon and it is now an integral part of our band.
Many thanks for your efforts to teach and inform people about this great “drum kit”
Regards
GAVIN
Hi Heidi
Off to play at KKNK in Oudtshoorn, will post when I get back.
Congrats on the album, hope the launch will be awesome.(viewing some of your band vids I am sure it will be!)
Keep on drumming!!
Signed up for the newsletter – so looking forward to the new models!
Can’t wait to get one to Western Australia for some jamming with my best mate when he visits from Sydney over Cristmas!
Thanks for all the vids and tips
Kev
Hi heidi. I am from nepal far away you….i used to play drums but its been a long time i didnt touch cuz its take big space and i dont have such a big space so i make my own cajon and trying learning by watching your videos so plz keep posting more videos so i can learn fromit
Heidi!!
These are some great instructional videos you have going here. Really diggin it! They are totally a ton of help; so thanks so much for doing this. I would like to ask where you get your loops from in garageband. I really liked the way you had your iPhone playing the kickin bass lines for the Blues Shuffle in Lesson 5. If there is any way that I can grab that bass file from you or you can point me in the right direction so that I can grab some off the internet, it would be really cool. I’ve been trying to get the shuffle groove for awhile now and I think the garageband thing is an awesome idea. Thanks in advance,
~Ben
Hey Ben!! I will be uploading a video showing you exactly who to do it!! It;s hard to explain in words, so subscribe to my Youtube channel to make sure you get it when it comes out!
I have had the Cruz Cajon for a week now and have some observations. I took it to the local music store to purchase a bag and the staff was blown away by the sound and visual quality. I got to play it next to the store offerings and am pleased with my choice. The Cruz had a better sound, was more versatile, and just looks better. The staff thinks that I am a pro and I didn’t tell them that I am a guitar player.
The box has distinct zones for snare and bass at the top of the instrument and is comfortable to play. Your hands can stay at the top to save your back. That is a major selling point for us elderly or anyone that wants to put in serious time playing. The center zones have less snare so it is easy to change the sound by moving to the center of the box. The amount of attack required to practice is ver
Heidi! Superduper! Thank you for this great Video – it’s a pleasure for me to watch it again and again!
me enamoré… y el cajudoo también está hermoso, me encantaría obtener uno, envían a Uruguay?
Hola Federico! Si Envio a Uruguya verdad (see international postage, it applies to Urugauy/Sud America as well) they are really amazing instruments!
I love the Cajon! I find it perfect for accompanying the guitar, and it is fun to play! Jamming, live gigs, and recording – it is great for all situations. Wish I could play the Cajon and guitar at the same time!
The sounds from those are nice!
Are they connected to a microphone? Maybe install wireless pickups for larger live gigs.
Also – straps like one may use with a guitar could be cool.
Hey Walter!!
Yes, they can come with a clip in shure Beta mike, or just the actually slip (which is a screw in) for the mike, this option is availabel for those who wish to make use of it. As per straps, it is well in the pipeline, and so are carry cases! 🙂
The sight is beautiful! Very happy for you, now I have to make up my mind which one I want!
Hello Keith! Thanks for th nice comment! It took a while and most of the pics was taken by myself, it really is fun though, I love it! Personally, my favourite one is the abayomi just because it is really awesome value for it’s price!
Hey Heidi!
I received the cajon that I ordered from you the other day, and it is SUPER!
The sound and build of the cajon is simply amazing 🙂
I want to thank you for your great service and your generosity for providing online tutorials on how to play the cajon.
Just wondered, is there any special method on ‘tuning’ the strings in the cajon, or you just go by ear and what you think sounds nice?
Hallo Heidi. I was recently given a Cajon as a gift and have found your online videos very helpful in learning to play – thank you for your generosity in providing them and for sharing your talent! I hope soon to be busking with a friend who plays guitar, and would like to add a small cymbal like the one you are using on the video in Liverpool station. Does this have a particular name, and is it something that regular music shops stock? Or can you suggest an online supplier? Finally do you have any plans to perform in South Wales where I live (or somewhere near)? I would love to hear Fernandos Kitchen live. Cheers Les.
Hi Heidi
Dont bother with my question about cymbals – I have sourced a splash + stand online.
regards
Les
Hey Les!!!
I have been on the verge of answering your question when I realised my small busking cymbal had been stolen whilst out busking in cambridge with the trio, and I am not completely sure of it’s model and number and size (I am really not so into cymbals yet, but I seemed to have been blessed with a good eye for one), I will soon be getting a new one from the usual shop, I will let you know!! It is a small cymbal, very cheap and hand made, Stagg. For the first one I got I paid £15 and the last one I got was £25, but you have to go and try them and pick your one, because many of them just sound dead…. Hope this helps! Oh and they do break after a year of playing and heavy smacking (like I do) with the hands. Also get yourself a STRONG cymbal stand, you will never regret it!!! I went through loads of crappy cymbal stands that just broke completely… and thats only with hand playing, never minds sticks!! I use a pearl stand, get a good one for about £60 – £80 and you will have a stand for life! 🙂
Hope this helps you buddy!
Hi Heidi,
I just bought my first cajon and found your lessons very helpful and inspiring. Hope you’ll post some more over times! Thanks a lot so far!
Hey Heidi, thanks a lot. What did you mean by putting the towel inside the cajon? How to do it? I have been tweaking it for a week but the thing is that I cant get rid of that buzzing sound. How about placing a piece of cloth between one or two of the strings and the inside of the front panel? and the snare sound is still so much felt. is that because I have got a Cosmic La peru or it is the tuning? Thaaaaanks.
Hey Saman! Issues with the strings and buzzes is unfortunately an inevitable issue as your cajon gets older…. thats why I get a new one every 6 months! 🙂 But thats because I play a lot…. Now how old is your cajon? There is a stage where the strings or snares feed into the wood on the inside of the front panel, creating a slight distance between the strings/snares and the wood, thus it makes a buzzing sound and you can try to tune it to get a better sound but once that has heppened it’s difficult to get rid of the biussing sound. I like your idea of placing a cloth inbetween the strings and the wood, I will be trying this out later today and testing it. Anyways, back to the a few other ways to improve this buzzing issue. You can change your strings because it could be that your strings are old and worn out (especially if you tend to tweak the tuning a lot and tighten it a lot) but It might cost you just as much ads to actually buy a new one! Also even if the strings are old and you get them replaced (or even do it yourself), it’s possible that the front panel has got some slight errosion on certain areas where the strings touch the inside of the front panel we play on, so you might still get a buzz. It’s just one of those things that happens to all string and snare cajons, to some it happens faster than others, depending on the quality of the cajon and the way it’s been constructed. So no way you can avoid it from happening! It’s important to know this because everyone thinks there’s something wrong with their cajon when it starts buzzing… well, it’s normal! Just ensure you buy a good quality cajon to delay the buzzing for as long as possible! 🙂
Sounds like I’m your lazy student. I’m replying so late. My Cajon is not even two month of age but I play more than two hours a day preparing for a few performances, I know that’s nothing in comparison to the amount of time you play. I guess it is just the snare sound that annoys me sometimes and It gives me undesired overtones. I guess it is the nature of this Schlagwerk La Peru Cosmic, it is far better than many other brands though. Anyways I learned a lot from your advises. Now I know many things about how cajon changes over time and all. I appreciate that. I will try to find you if I travel to London one day in future. you are just awesome.
Hi Heidi. You’re truly talented. I´m from Uruguay and been taking cajón peruano lessons since june 2011 with Martin Ibarburu (one of the greatest percussionists of my country). Your teaching technique is cristal clear and really helpful. If ypu are interested let me share this link:http://ameijenda.com/luthier/?page_id=334&lang=en. You can watch a brief Ibarburu solo and check out some specifications of the peruano cajon.
Hey Martin!
Thanks for the msg! I checked out the link, the music is really beautiful on the site… and I like the instruments! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
My pleasure. Happy u liked it
Hi Martin
Thanks for the link – truly great playing and very inspiring for a newcomer like me. Thanks for sharing it.
Les
By the way the cajudoo’s sound is amazing. Hope to get one soon
Greetings Heidi!
I just found your videos on Youtube (and then your site here) and may I say you are an awesome cajon player and percussionist! I am very impressed and inspired by your playing. You clearly have rhythm in your soul!
I played percussion/drums a lot through my school days (including 3 years in drum corps) and it was my passion. Then as an adult I haven’t played for years. About a year ago I am getting back into playing percussion and drums and really loving being back in touch with my musical side. I bought my first cajon a few months ago and love it. What a great, versatile instrument!
I am playing in an acoustic folk/rock style band and I find that it’s nice to mic the cajon to pick up more nuance and greater range of sound from the instrument. I am curious, how do you mic your cajon? What mic do you use? Do you use two mics, from behind and in front, or just a single mic in front?
Would be great if you wrote a post about this. I also want to agree with some comments on your videos that you are an excellent teacher and have a gift for teaching. I wish you all the best in this new venture. Thank you!
Scott in West Chester, PA, USA
Great, I ‘m looking forward.
Will it be possible to ship them to germany?
Hello!!!
I’m looking forward to it myself! Of course I will be shipping them to Germany, and all over the world. 😉
Yea, thank you for reply.
I browsed your page later on and found the shop and all that stuff. 🙂
Heidi, is the cajon available now, and what would be the total us dollar including shipping charges?? Tucson AZ
Thanks,
Juan… 847-624-3491, home 520-797-1029
what are the demenision of your cajon & price goin g to be?
Hello Louie!
The dimensions will be standard, like the prk cajon, 50 x 50 x 30. It has an awesome sound and look. the Price will be around £150 – £170. All details will be confirmed within the next 2 weeks! 🙂
I started classes Cajon here in Montreal Canada, one of the best school of percussion, I discovered the Cajon and decided to make my favorite instrument.
Except that one lesson per two weeks is far too little for me.
I discovered your site and your lessons and I literally fall in love with Fernando kitchen, … every night I spend 30 minutes to one hour or until all the ryhtmes you teach are engraved in my body.
Finally all that to say, thank you for the lessons, I hope to see and hear Fernando’s Kitchen in Canada or on my next trip to London.
Pierre
Hey Pierre!!
Thanks for the comment! Good that you are practising 30min at least each day, you will improve immensely if you stay faithful to daily practise, even if it’s 15 min, just keep it constant!!!
And than you for the very nice msg of thank you!!! 🙂 Preciate it muchisimo!
See you soon in Canada or London!
BONJOUR HEIDI
J’ai découvert le cajon il y 3 mois lors d’une soirée chez des amies. (je suis batteur).
Donc je me suis intéressais au ajon .
Je suis allée à woodbraas pour essayer des cajons.
J’ai choisi un lp elite car le son ressemble à une batterie.
Ensuite j’ai cherché des cours de cajon sur internet.
Et la j’ai découvert le site de fernando’s kitchen puis le site cajon box enfin les cour de cajon. HEIDI JOUBERT
Et bien entendu j’ai été dessus de mon achat car je trouve le cajon prk et exeptionnel.
Mais j’attends que mes finances remonte pour acheter un cajon PRK SIGNATURE HEIDI JOUBERT.
Ca c’est une bonne nouvelle.
J’ai la semaine dernière joué chez des amies et la on à insonorisé mon cajon. Ouahouououou !!!
C’été génial !!!!!
Donc j’ai une question quel matériel me faut il ? (micro+ampli) pour insonoriser mon cajon
Pour terminer merci pour les cours de cajon gratuit et d’avoir crée le site cajonbox.
Je te soutien pour tout ce que tu fais pour le cajon.
Musicalement
ERIC
Heidi, I am new to percussion (and music, for that matter) after playing with a friend’s cajon for a few days. So I got my own and loving it, but just starting to learn. I will probably need to buy a decent one from you!)
I went on youtube and typed in beginner cajon lessons and your radiant face shows up so I want to thank you for the great lessons!!
You are such an impressive percussionist and I look forward to learning from your videos, too bad I don’t live in London otherwise I would have taken lessons from you in person, if you even offer that.
Blessings,
Jack
Which instrument should buy to play on the street and as publicize it?
Hello!! I am not sure what you are asking? If you mean to ask which cajon I would suggest for busking, there’s only 1 I would recommend, the prk cajon I havce been playing on the street for the last 4 years daily! 🙂
Looking at the meters in the video (specifically the one in the lo-fi piguln), it seems like the reason the snare is more easily heard through the mix in end is mostly volume. I wonder if the difference would have been as dramatic at similar gains. Or maybe I’m imagining things
Very very true. Its important to take care of the hands. Keep it up with these great small helpfullll tips!
Thanks , very helpful. I’m a guitarist so I know to keep hot water, lotion, ect. away from my pads. I have noticed a bit of swelling in my hands after playing cajon, its not a problem en less I have to jump back on guitar ( feels like I’m playing with someone else’s fingers!) Any thoughts? It goes back to normal in about an hour so it may be just part of it…Thanks!
Hey Keith! This is a very interesting qsubject, regarding playing guitar after playign cajon, it happens to me too, but nothing to the extent that it happens to a proper flamenco guiatrist, it is impossible to play right after playing cajon, I have no tips on this yet, but I will chew on it. For now all advice I can give is what you already know, don’t play cajon just before you intend to play guitar…. Very annoying I know coz they kinda go hand in hand!
My PRK Castigador cajon just arrived from New York. Do
they usually come with the wires taped inside already ?
It looks like it was made in 2010 and is number 496.
Definitely has a brighter bass sound than the Meinl.
Now time for more practice. Thank you for all your
videos they are very informative and helpful.
Hey Ganga!
Yes all the prk cajons are tried by the makers and then they tape down certain parts to get the bext sound according to them. It is highly likely that your cajon was made in 20120 if you bought it from a store and not from cajonbox.com. Thats what they do, they store them. But old or new, these cajones are wonderful! Have fun!
OH rats, if i would have known this would have
ordered your new one instead of the Castigator.
Looking forward to the reveal of your new line
though. g.
🙂 Hey, no harm in having 2 different cajons, I got 7! 🙂 And I use them all, for different things of course.
Very interested in the new cajon. Is it available yet? How much to ship to USA?
Or can I pick one up when I’m in the UK for a trip in August?
Thanks
Andy
Hello Andy!
It should be available within about 2 weeks or so, we are just in the final stages of the production of some cajones. I think it would be possible for you to get your cajon from me in August depending on how fast it goes and how many gets pre ordered etc, but I will only know this once It is released for pre order (we’re almost there). I would suggect signing up to the newsletter if you have not done so yet, that way you will knoe when it is set to be ready for pre order. Lets hope it’s soon so I can have your cajon here in the uk in August (they need to ship it to the UK). Otherwise there would be no issue to post it you to in the USA. 🙂
I experimented with taking a look at your web site in my ipod touch and the structure doesnt seem to be right. Might wanna check it out on WAP as well as it seems most cellular phone layouts are not really working with your web page.
Thank you very much! I am getting the whole website redone (in terms of design) within the next couple of weeks, and I will make sure it’s automatically mobile compatible, thank you very much for pointing this out! 🙂
About how long does it take before the hands toughen up ? Am 3 weeks in and at least 4 to 5 hours a day of practice. Thank you g.
Hello Ganga!
This is a very very vague question and difficult for me to answer, in fact impossible to give you one answer on that. It would depend on a lot of things, not just the amount of hours you play, and it’s very difficult to make a rule on this one, depends also what you mean by toughen up, to what degree. I can vaguely guess simply to make an effort in answering this question, but it is not certain at all… all I can say is personally for me, with 4 hours daily performing live accoustically like I did busking on the street (really slapping that cajon like MAD haha, beginner style), about 2 months….. But i cannot say for sure, I do recall having many blisters in the beginning, I was a bit too wild…. and so you see It really really depends! 🙂 And when you stop playing for 1 month, depending on how old and hard the layer of skin is, you might even need to start all over again! :-/ I would just say don’t worrry about it and just keep playing! If you are faithful with your playing, it WILL pay off, eventually. 🙂
Ganga,
I can’t comment specifically on the hand injury/blisters for the cajon because I started playing this instrument after already playing congas on a regular basis. So, my hands are already “conditioned” to a certain degree. However, my experience with congas may be helpful.
Like many newbies, when I first started playing the congas, I really smacked them hard — probably too hard. Also, when playing out live, sometimes the heat of the moment calls for some “spirited smacking” which has caused me some painful bruises and, during Winter months especially, some cracking of the skin.
For me, I have found the best remedy for skin issues to be raw shae butter. (I have a good friend who owns a hair salon in my town and carries a lot of skincare products — she raves about shae butter.) At first it feels very greasy, but after 15 or 20 minutes it absorbs into the dry skin and really helps speed up the healing process! I usually apply it after a gig, before I go to bed.
If you need to play with banged up hands, you can use standard, white first-aid tape to pad your bruised areas. When playing congas during the Winter months (while humidity is so dry), I will often tape up my hands before playing, making sure to cover the sensitive areas on my hands that tend to split.
Like I said, I have not yet had the need to take these measures after playing the cajon because it’s still a fairly new instrument for me. Heidi can comment further, but my thought is that if you’re hands are in bad shape, you may be hitting the surface too hard. Check out some of her vids on technique, which I have found to be quite helpful.
Something else to consider is the cajon itself. The first cajon I purchased absolutely sucked — I found that I had to strike it too hard (and it funny places) to get good sound. This resulted in bruises and a sore back because I had to lean too far forward to reach the sweet spot for the bass sound. After watching a few of Heidi’ vids, I noticed that her PRK cajon had incredible sensitivity and a nice low-end sweet spot higher up on the playing surface. She isn’t leaning forward to get the thump! I ditched my old cajon and bought a PRK. This changed everything. I am no longer leaning forward, and I find that I do not have to strike the playing surface hard in order to get a nice, crisp snare sound. I have therefore been able improve my technique, playing more with the fingers.
The PRKs are not cheap. If price in an issue, you should seriously consider one of her Cruz models. They are manufactured by PRK, feature the same craftsmanship, and are quite a bit less expensive.
Anyway, hope I have not wandered too far off the topic here. Sorry for the super long post. Good luck!
Hey Tim!
Nice long comment, I love it, and so informative, even I got some tips! I know that for sure I would be investing in shea butter when I get into congas, thats for sure! 🙂 And yes, I can definitly agree with you on the plasters point, many times I had pain in the beginning (sometimes it’s inevitable, simply because one does lack the proper technique, and tend to have a crappy cajon to start with, and that matched with a lot of playing everyday, like I did, busking accoutically on the street, is a perfect recipe for PAIN and bruises, blood and blisters…. ) None the less this time is very exciting, I remember even feeling very happy and somehow proud when one of my blisters popped as I was busking, splattering some blood accross my then-white-cajon, which made quite an effect on the audience and the whole performance.. it was fun!
Anyway, back to the point, I do agree about the plasters, many times I had pain and Instead of playiung mr tough guy, It would have been wise to simply wrap up the hurt finger parts with plaster and perhaps putting on some healing cream or something at night before going to bed….. I did eventually learn to do this and heck, it really made those painful gigs I had to do 50% less painful! 🙂
Thanks for the great input Tim, many ppl benefit from these kind of comments, I definitely did, it’s wonderful, thanks!
Hello Heidi,
would you please tell me what kind and size of cymbal you play with your Cajon.
I love your work.
Thanks, Gary
I took my cajon to an acoustic guitar gig a few weeks ago, no one there had ever seen one. They would say, whats that, whats it for? After they heard it they all wanted to play it and find out all they could about it. Of course they all now know who Heidi is and who FK is. Big hit!
Yeah cool reminder article and great video. Our city has summer main street marketplace where musicians who sign up are allowed to play out doors (only time you can without a permit & paying taxes – grrrr) and even leave a case open for some spare change. I’ll walk around till I find a guitarist or 2 and hope in with them. Great idea adding in a little splash on a stand, have to look into that! Keep up the inspirational work!
peace.
This instrument is amazing .. really new. I closed my eyes and feel the incredible sensation of the sound of this beautiful instrument. cajudoo
hola heidi, you re write cajon is the oldest rythme i confirm that in my family we are gitanos and in fiesta we make a sound of rumba like cajon in table in box of sugar anywhere we make this sound but whith cajon is better lol
Yes you are right, the table playing is very much the beginning of cajon playing!!! 🙂 I love gitanos!!! And fiestas too!!! Invite me and I will be happy to join one day!
Heidi-
I am an Elementary Music Teacher. I came across your videos on youtube. I teach an Instrumental unit called “World Drums”. Along with my Djembes, Doumbeks, Darbuka, Congas, Bongo and other smaller drums like the Log Drums from Africa I have a regular Bebops Cajon without the snare and a Meinl Snare Cajon. I just added a Meinl Cajon Bongo to the Drum circle this past Christmas. I use the drums to teach tempo, dynamics and rhythm according to their grade level.
I found the comments on this blog very interesting about how to adjust your snare. I have a question about adjustment of the screws across the top of the front plate for your natural/open tone and the slap…do you have any tips on this? Also…have you ever worked with young people in grades 1-6 to teach them Cajon technique?
I really enjoy sharing percussion with my students and some have gone on to be a part of the Band program in our school district and play Brass, Woodwinds, and percussion. One of my students is going to University in our area on a full Music Scholarship and plays Oboe. He asked me what an Ocarina was in Third Grade and that was the beginning of my Woodwind unit from the Stone Age to teach them about playing woodwinds and also songs from Zelda Ocarina of Time video game plus many other songs. I was very glad they have brought Ocarina of Time back again with the 3-D DS game system. They go on to learn the Soprano Recorder which is similar to the clarinet other woodwinds in Fourth Grade. Of course, before the orchestra it was the instrument of the day in time of Mozart and Bach.
If you have any suggestions about teaching the Cajon to my students I would appreciate any ideas. I now have a SmartBoard in my classroom this year and plan on showing videos of you playing the Cajon to help my students understand how to play. I guess you know the Cajon came from Peru around the 16th century and was created by the African slaves…
Look forward to hearing from you and receiving the newsletters!
Musically yours,
Ms. G
Music Teacher-USA
Hello Ms G!!!
Thank you very much for your very nice and long comment, it made me smile way more than just a few times, it’s always good to hear from other teachers! As per teaching your students, the best way to teach them is to make sure they have fun with the cajon, ensemble class is always a good one too, where you get them all to play a simple groove in unison, and one by one each one gets a turn to solo and be creative (one at a time) for say 4 bars, and then once they get comfy with that, move it up to 8 bars etc! Hope this helps, and please do send me some pics/vids of the class, would be great to write a blog about your classes and your students, and also a testimony as to how my cajon lessons are helping ppl to learn all over the world! 🙂
Blessings to you!
Heidi
Hello Heidi: I’m new to the Cajon, and have been watching your video lessons. You are a very good instructor. Thank You for sharing your time and talent. I appreciate it, very much. I hope to trade up to a PRK some day. I also enjoy the video’s of you Folks, busking. So Cool. I live near Nashville, Tennessee USA Music City. Maybe Fernando’s Kitchen, will play Nashville sometime. The Web site is Great! Catching any of the Olympic games? Or busking for the crowds? Thanks Again, Best Regards: Marty
Yes Marty, we have played the Official Mall of the olympics, the weekend before the olympics, to celebrate the torch arrival and the olympics, and yes, loads and loads of busking to the crowds! 🙂 Thanks for the nice comment! Keep practising, I hope you improve super fast!
Wow, they look great!
Congratulations…!
(One more thing, sinsce you’re contact form is not available:
Your website is not navigateable with Safari on a Mac…)
Hi Heidi,
I would like to get a very good cajon ( for France) , could you please tell if there are differences between each model ..rabioso…castigador…invencible…mescalero..veneroor if it is just the design that change on each model ?
Do you have a list of the prices that you could send me ?
I heard about your new cruz cajon, I suppose they will sound better ?
Best regards
Olivier
Hello Oliver
There is no difference in the PRK cajon selection, it’s simply cosmetic. They are really wonderful drums.
See prices and more info on these link:
http://cajonbox.com/shop/cajon-shop/
http://cajonbox.com/prk-cajon/
A demo vid of my cruz cajon will be done within the next week do keep an eye out. They are handmade by Prk percussions, with fine quality wood. Pre orders will be taken from laer this week.
More info on that soon!!! Keep cajon rocking!
Hey Heidi.
I saw your Youtube video with the ensemble and it was really impressive, I enjoyed it a lot. I’ve been a hand percussionist for the past 25 years and that type of ensemble is what I would like to perform in. Nice stuff.
Thank you. Very nice comment.
Heidi your are that beauteful!!
Um,I sent you an E-Mail/Request via youtube
Much Love
Been playing snare drum since 5th grade in the 50’s. Have Cajon Snare. Snares tuned to be prominent. Recently, played at Old Time Instruments Jam Session with 30+ people. Cajon compliments these acoustic instruments well. I tend to revert to playing my Cajon like a snare drum using right hand and fingers to play rolls. Bass with left hand hitting lower. Sounds great with the banjo, guitars etc. Is this totally wrong?
No there is no wrong way of playing any instrument, in fact, the more creatibve you can go, the more unique and original you will be!!! But there are some basic guidelines as many ppl prefer a set method to start with and once they get the hang of it, slowly let creativity come in to play. with the cajon, being a fairly new instrument, there is really no set school for playing the box, so fire away by all means!!! Got a vid so I can see how you play? 🙂 Would love that!
Ah, did you plan this Website update ahead 😉 ?
Now, everythings browsable again, thanks!
Stefan.
Hey Stefan!
I have been planning to update my site for months now (you couldn’t view the site from mobiles either, it was so annoying) and I finally got this up. Actually this is a temporary template I am using, I have yet to install my new template (a bit more fancy etc) but I am just so so happy that ppl can now browse properly!! Thanks for the reminder!
Ah, ok!
Fancy is nice – but content is king 😉
Keep the good work up!
Entonces: hasta pronto!
Stefan.
Damn right you are, content is King!! My new moto for my web motivation! 🙂
Heidi i’ve been a drummer for 11 years, and now im playing the cajon, and i find this website really helpfully.
Congrats and Thanks from Nicaragua.
Hello!!!! Thank you for the very very nice feedback, it makes me super happy!! Great to hear it’s not a waste of a site and that it is indeed helping cajoneros y neras! 🙂
Heidi!
I stumbled upon your Youtube videos while searching for rythym instrument tutorials and I was so blown away by the both the instrument and the musician that I decided I HAD to learn how to play!
I debuted my cajon with a group of musicians this past weekend and everyone was so curious and impressed with the range of sounds and grooves that this little box can produce. I had an absolute blast!
I would love to pre-order one of your cajons. I am patiently waiting to upgrade my entry-level instrument to something I know will have both a robust sound and a robust build! Can’t wait!
K.
Awesome Karen!
You’re right, this box is super amazing, I have the same reaction everywhere I go play, life is great with one of these!!! I am presently listing my Cruz Cajon for pre order and it will be ready to pre order by end the weekend, i will inform you via the newsletter ok!!! 🙂
Thanks for subscribing and for your encouragement!
Hi Heidi, I’d like to order the cajudoo abayomi…how do I do so? Let me know, thanks, Taylor
Hello Taylor
you can order a cajudoo through our cajudoo shop. It wasn’t showing up in the menu for somre reason but I have just made it visible again, simply look under the shop drop down menu. They are great little drums! 🙂
Ok that sounds great, in your demo videos you have them directly in with a 1/4 inch jack. Do they come installed or is that a modification you made personally?
Hey Taylor!
All the new cajudoos comes with the Microphone screw in hole (it screws in), these will be listed on our webshop shortly, but as for the cajudoo abayomi for sale on the cajonbox webshop, it is possible but you have to request it before purchase as not everyone wants that extra, and it costs a little bit more.
Comment faire pour commander un cruz cajon ?
Musicalement
Eric.Berçot
Where can we purchase these? Are they not yet available?
Hey Dusten! The Cruz Cajon has just been listed on the cajonbox webshop, and can now be pre-ordered from this webshop only at the moment (the pre ordered cajones will be shipped out early September, you can pre-order now and get your Cruz Cajon by 15 – 20 September in the EU).
Hope this helps! Videos and demos are well on the way, Sign up to my newsletter to stay updated. 🙂
Heidi, this looks like WordPress site. Yes? There is a cool add-on (will find the name) that can post all or certain blog posts (and threaded comments) on a Facebook page that you designate. Pretty cool. I use it on both of my sites – works great. If you choose to integrate your Website with a FB page, there’s another add-on (something like “Facebook Social Slider”) that puts an expandable tab at the edge of your website pages that show a current, real-time snapshot of your Facebook page. You can see it in action at http://www.thehiredhandsband.com. And by the way, YES Stefan, content is king! Most people don’t have time to navigate thru fluffy fluff.
Excellent info (as usual). Will try this out today as a matter of fact. I have three decent mics for live performances: an very sensitive Shure condenser mic that I typically use for overhead, and two Shure SM-57’s instrument mics. If I am ONLY going to mic the sound hole in the back, which type of mic would you recommend? It’s interesting that you mentioned taking out the mids … something I was thinking about. Thanks again Heidi.
You are Amazing and Brilliant Cajon Player as well as trainor I have ever seen in my life. All your uploaded videos are very good. Keep uploading some more videos for beginners. Thank you very much for providing this wonderful training.
Regards,
Naveen G
Hello Naveen!
Thank you very much for your generous comment, it is always wondeful to hear how my work affects ppl’s lives, it is so encouraging! Thank you! It means a lot…
Hello Heidi,
Just missed your evening class in London. I would be interested if you will be doing it again.
Regards,
Bob
Hey Bob!
I might just start up a new group class in London around September/October! Sign up to my newsletter to stay updated, or check back here again in a month or so!
Hi Heidi,
Just wanted to check whether you were still planning on doing Cajon classes this Autumn in London? Am buying my first Cajon and would be really keen on coming!
Thanks
Robin
Can you make a video showing us the differences between the piano and guitar string variants of your new cajon? They look beautiful and I can’t wait to get one!
Hey Dusten! videos of the cruz cajon and different ranges, as well as compasrison vids, are well on their way, within the next week or so there will be a few up….thanks for the nice comment on the beautiful design, they really are beautiful, in looks and sound, I have had some guests over from Germany (a musical family) and we have all had loads of fun trying these out, jamming together and comparing them to my other 5 cajones (at the moment I own 7, haha, I am super blessed) and we have all been delightfully surprised at the ease of playing and getting a wonderful sound out of the cruz cajon, both the piano and the guitar string cajon….I can honestly say I am in love with my own brand, and that is an even better blessing than having 7 cajones! 🙂
Sign up to my newsletter and you won’t miss the vids when they are posted up!
What is the current conversion rate for the USA dollar and what is the S&H fee to the US?
Thanks,
Ron
P.S. You are a fantastic player and teacher of the cajon, I really appreciate your talent and enthusiasm.
Hello Ron!
You can find the current conversion rate and the Shipping and handling fee listed on the cajon shop page. But thanks for asking, I have now added the US price and the EU price on this page to make it easier for eberyone to see it instantly without looking for it! 🙂 Remember that this does not include your customs fee (if applicable).
Hello, I recently picked up a cajon I love the damn thing! I play a regular set. Your band rips! you rip!! thank you for taking time to make these videos i am for sure a student they help out soo much keep riping hope to see your live show one day.
Aloha
Gracias Miguel!! :-)))
Does these Cajons ship to Sultanate of Oman – Muscat ?
and is there any other payment options?
Yes we ship worldwide, but it’s possible that we might not be able to track to certain countries. We can also arrange a different payment method, just let us know how you would like to go about it and we’d organise it! 🙂
Heidi, you’re my new favorite person! I play djembe and was considering adding a set of bongos to the mix but, uh-uh….not anymore! I’m waiting for the demo vids…all I need to decide now is, piano or guitar. Hahaha, life is awesome. 🙂
Hi Heidi,
Im brazilian but I live in Barcelona. Your video lessons are amanzing!!!! I didnt have any idea of how to play the cajon, and now only 3 weeks after I started practicing, I can follow all your lessons. Please keep uploading more videos, they are great and help a lot!!! I always thought that my right hand would be the “smart” hand, but sudenly I found out that the smart hand is the left one 😀
Actualy, when I´m playing I disconect from all my problems, its an hour of my day that I relax. I love it!!
Can ask you a couple of things? First of all, when are you planning to come to Barcelona? And the second thing is, can you teach the TURN (I dont know if thats the word I have to use… between the compasses)?
thanks a lot
xxxx
Hello Hello!!1
what a wonderful testimony on my lessons, I am so so glad I could help you leanr in just 3 weeks!!! :-))) As per your questions, I will be visiting Barcelona very woon (wiuthin the next 3 months), we might play a bit too, but I am actually going to the Prk workshop where they hand make my cruz cajones, so I am very exctied!! and as per turning the compass, I am a bit unsure of what you mean? Sorry….
Cajon love
Heidi
Hahaha what i wanted to tell you before is actually called brake!
I can do your excercises but i cant put them into a whole, Please help me Heidi!!
So when you coming you gonna do a workshop, because i would love to be a part of it and when and where are you playing???
Thank you so much!!
Hello Fernanda!
Where are you based, in London? If so I might be starting up a workshop on cajon sometime in September or October! 🙂 Sign up to the newsletter to stay updated! Mwha!
Hi Heidi,
I own a small djembe which I’ve been playing around with for about a year. I was shopping around for a Bongo drum until I came across these. What would be the main difference between one and the other, playing wise and how they sound in your opinion?
many thanks,
Afshin
Hi. I found your videos on youtube and since then found and now use your web page. Its great to have a page structured like this in order of which to follow the videos. Having learnt guitar by youtube its hard as all the videos are mixed together with no order, but its nice to be able to follow a method such as you have laid out, of which meant I went and bought my first Cajon today, a DG Chanela of which you are teaching me well.
Thank you kindly for the help and inspiration,
Michael
Hey Michael!
Thanks for the great feedback! It’s wonderful to hear I have somehow inspired you to get a cajon! Remember to check out my cruz cajons when you feel like a new cajon huh! 🙂 Keep practising bro, I will be posting up more vids, as much as I can, to help you keep learning!
Cajon love
Heidi
Hi bella Heidi, your work is fantastic, i m from Argentina and i like the Cajon (Cajon Peruano).Those cruz cajon, and prk cajon are Flamenco?? with bordona??. Sorry my english is orin.
I m a bass guitar player, but the percusssion is so close to me. Cajon peruano, cuerdas de candombe, bongo, timbal….Well, you´re an amazing mixture (beautiful and esplendid payer). i ´m a new fan. good life, peace, kisses.
Good videos, post more videos with the band.
Saludos desde latinoamérica.
Hey Guillermo!
Si they are both flamenco cajons, but I can get a Peruvian Cruz cajon made specially for you if you want it, it will sound wonderful as well without the strings. Thanks for the very kind words chico, me gusta, muchisimo! 🙂 I will for sure be posting more vids of the band!
Un abrazo desde londres!
No so improvised….. all patterns are “robed” by Entre dos aguas, with one note every 10.000 changed….
remember that rumba flamenca , rumba catalana and carebbean rumba are trhee pattern very different each with other.
Regard
hola todos soy de francia estoy vucando el famoso cajon prk yo quisiera pagar el cajon en 3x 4x en carta bleu si ce puedes gracia espero una respuerta
Hola Manuel
Puedes hablar con tu banco si necesitas financiacion. Otra solucion es comprar un cruz cajon tambien hecho por prk pero mucho mas barrato.
Saludos desde londres!
mucha gracia de ta respuertas yo es qui quiero el cajon prk pagar en tarjeta 3x 4x a una pagina de internet heidi y si se puedes en londre en tarjeta 3x 4x veces gracia y si conoses en barcelona saludo
could you please quote me the total for a Cruz Cajon – Guitar string system (tunable) inclusive of postage to Malaysia?
Hello Nicholas!
The entire quote for a cruz cajon would be £175 (guitar strings) plus your postage of £55 to malaysia (it seems pricey but they use seriously the best courriers to make sure your cajon gets there without any damage or loss) so the final figure is £230 all inclusive. Did you find it difficult to figure out the final price on the shop page? this info will help me as I would then redo the shop page to make it easier for ppl to see the final figure.
🙂 Heidi
hi,
i’m thinking of replacing the strings in my current cajon with piano strings (until i read this i had no idea that was even an option!) can you tell me a little more about them? how expensive are they, where can i get them and how different is the sound to guitar strings.. i’m currently using A strings tuned up quite high so i get nice clean bass and snappy snare… i’m using a duende duo, would piano strings be an option?
Hello I interest to purchase Cajudoo. I would like to know the size for each Cajudoo(Abayomi/Sekayi/Kaira). Please let me know. Thank you
Thank you for your question. The Abayomi is 6 inches, the Sekayi is 7 inches and the Kaira is 10 inches big.
Hope this helps!
Thanks
Thank you for keeping this updated with even more lessons! This is starting to become my new favorite site, it’s my one stop place for all things cajon. Thanks again Heidi for keeping me excited and motivated to learn more and push myself as a beginner cajon player.
Keep up the good work,
Dusten
:-))) Great to hear man!!! Will be posting up more vids as we go along.
I’m from Madrid, Spain, so I do not speak or understand English very well, but I am learning a lot from your video lessons.
It’s a shame not to live in the same city and country to attend your classes.
Thank you.
Yo Antonio!
Gracias por el mensaje! 🙂 I am happy to hear you are learning, perhaps you learn some english from my lessons too while you’re at it, jaja! I might be visiting Spain for group classes and workshops in the coming year, sign up to my newsletter to stay updated on whats happening! And thank you for the nice comment, I appreciate it!
Saludos desde Londres
Wow! Such an amazing talent! Thank you for sharing, Heidi.
Do you sel accessories as I am a singer song writer and would like to know if I could play this and a guitar using some kind of a pedal?
Hello Luke!
Cajonbox shop do unfortunately not yet stock accersories, but I know of a pedal that you can find in some online store, for cajon, like a bass drum pedal but backwards, I think it’s called cajon pedal, here’s a link I just found on it, it looks pretty cool! http://www.schlagwerk.com/products/cajon-add-ons/cajon-pedal/
Now I never tried it so I cannot vouch for it, but I have used a normal bass drum pedal on one of my cajones, positioning the cajon in front of me like a bass drum in a drum kit, and sitting on a chair or another cajon, that worked well, but this add on looks great, let u know how it goes if you do get it!! 🙂
Hope this helps!
Very useful, Would like like to see more blues patterns and how to apply them to the cajon. Keep up the good work,,,(I knew you had a little blues in you!:)
Mucha gracia heidi el cajon es igual que prk? El palo es el mismo
Hola Manuel
It definitely resembles the sound and quality of a prk with perhaps a fraction less volume and resonance, bear in mind it is made with the same love and care (and even front board) as the prk cajones and they really pride themselves in their work, so it’s very good I can assure you….for half the price it is certainly more value for money in my opinion! 🙂
Hello Heidi
just wondering what Cajon you are talking about and the manafacturer involved
Many thanks
Wayne
Hello Wayne
I am not sure I understand your question, can you rephrase please?
Heidi
Sorry Heidi my fault! I was refering to the note you left this guy about a certain cajon:
Hola Manuel
It definitely resembles the sound and quality of a prk with perhaps a fraction less volume and resonance, bear in mind it is made with the same love and care (and even front board) as the prk cajones and they really pride themselves in their work, so it’s very good I can assure you….for half the price it is certainly more value for money in my opinion!
I was wondering who the manafacturer was of this particular cajon you are talking about.
Hope it makes a bit more sense now
Cheers
Wayne
Hey Wayne
The current manufacturer for this is PRK. Hope this answers the Q? 🙂
Heidi
Hi. Are you using the piano guitar string version in this video? Thanks, Oliver
Hey Oliver! this video features the guitar string cajon…..
Thank you very much for the quick response. I like the sound very much. Thanks for this and the other videos.
This lesson and your performance is fantastic, Heidi! Because of your inspiring talent and the wonderful lessons you offer on this site, I’ve purchased and started playing the Cajon. Thank you for giving so much of yourself. I look forward to all your future lessons and the upcoming Fernando’s Kitchen CD. You’re awesome!
Just acquired a cajon and am finding your lessons fantastic. Look forward to continued growth with this new instrument.
Excellent stuff David! Hope you leanr fast and well! Good luck with your training!!! And thanks for the nice comment!
Heidi,
I am just trying to make sure I understand the pricing to America/USA, Is it $175.00 plus $55,00 shipping? is there another customs charge and if so do you know how much? And it is available in black with the natural color front plate isn’t it?
Hey Michael!
The prices are £175 for the cajon plus £55 for shipping to the USA, I will put the converted amount in dollars up right away (still under construction the shop, sorry). It could be subject to a customs fee, but not always, and I am unsure what that fee would be. I will try and find out from someone who had to recently pay for the customs fee. I do know that many of our buyers in the USA have not had to pay a customs fee, but that would depend on the customs of your area, I am not too sure how it all works. Yes it is available in Black body with a natural front plate.
Hello Heidi,
I love this! Congratulations on your resourcefulness!
Xxx Bill
Hello Bill!!
Wonderful to meet you last night at the London Eye!! Good luck with your group, and when you want to, get one of my cruz cajons for the band!! 🙂
xx
Hola,
Te escribo en español que veo que te defiendes bastante bien en la lengua de Cervantes.. 😛
Me encanta esta página, he visto un par de video tuyos y me han encantado, las caras que pones cuando tocas el cajón son típicas caras de un apasionado y que verdaderamente lo sientes.
También soy percusionista y desde hace un año y medio tengo un cajón peruano. Me ha servido mucho tu video de “Bulerias” ya que el “Tempo” es muy diferente del que estoy acostumbrado.
Yo por herencia de mi padre, he aprendido desde niño a tocar Congas, bongos y timbaletas… vamos, lo relacionado con salsa, merenque, bachata… y toda la música caribeña relacionada.
Desde que vine a España me he enamorado de la música española y era inevitable comprarme un cajón y tocar la música con maestros de la guitarra.
Así que muchas gracias y si algún día te pasas por España os esperamos en “L’Espineta” (Calafell – Tarragona)
Been playing at Old time music Jam sessions. Everybody loves the cajon sound.
Hello Heidi could you provide a few titles of SlowRocks on which this applies just for more training and getting to find the breaks and fillings. Thank you ever so much for this lesson, it is really excellent!
Thanks for these lessons. They are easy to follow, long enough to share alot of information and are fun too. I’m enjoying practicing these rhythms and patterns. You’ve got me sounding better already.
I love your videos!
What are your thoughts on adding a high hat with the Cajon?
I haven’t seen you use one yet…must be a reason…
Thanks
Hello Manny!
Very interesting that you ask, I have not yet formally added Hi hat to my cajon kit, but I have been working on this for the past 3 months (on my cowbell pedal) and am about to invest in one, it just takes a lot of co ordination to play with a hi hat, and up till now I have just been developing mainly my cajon technique… but yes, Hi hat is great and it’s the next development for me as a percussionist! 🙂 I will probably be adding some vids with the hi hat and some ex within the next 2 months.
Hello Manny and Heidi
I’m using a hi hat with my set when I fx. play swing music. Either I play 2 and 4 with my foot or I use broomsticks (or sticks) to play the swingbeat on the hi hat. I also play the claves rhythm together with my congas. I think it’s great and it gives this metallic sound to the wooden/skin sound.
I play a Yambú Peruano (conga cajon from Schlagwerk). It fits great into my set of congas and it’s better for my back 😉
Thanks for your great videolessons.
Hi Heidi,
I caught up with you outside the Guildhall (Cambridge) last month and you mentioned the possiblity of another course in Cambridge later this year or next year. Just really registering my interest so you know that people are keen.
Loved the CD, it’s given me a totally unrealistic goal !!!
Keep up the good work, hope the rain stays away while busking and looking forward to the next newsletter.
Darren
Hello Darren
I might quite possibly starting up a group course in Cambridge from October, I will let you know once this is confirmed ok!
Otherwise next year for sure…. I think! See you sooon!
Great news! Cambridge beginners cajon course, starting up on Wed 16th Jan 2013. Enrolment for the course has now begun and you can now secure your space in the class.
Cajon beginners course:
A basic beginners course to get you playing the cajon.
The course cover a complete foundation to get you started on the cajon. We will cover basic technique and exercises, various grooves, time signatures and styles such as funk, pop, rock, blues, as well as some flamenco and latin patterns. Throughout the course we will also look at performance, improvisation, playing with other players and instruments, and ensemble.
Dates: Wed’s 16 Jan – 27 Feb 2013
Duration: 7 weeks, 7 classes
Cambridge
Get in touch for more details!
Heidi Joubert
http://cajonbox.com
Hi Heidi,
Do you still have places left for this Wednesday evening in Cambridge ?
I’d like to attend, and possibly my teenage daughter – we have 1 cajon between us so would need to hire 1 from you for the lesson.
Hope to see you on Wednesday,
Darren
Hello Darren
Yes there is still space for you and your daughter to join in our cajon classes, send me an email so I can send you the enrolment details etc!
Heidi
Finding your lessons a perfect warmup before meeting at a community drum circle in Casper, Wyoming. Many thanks!
Hi David!
All the way from Wyoming, USA!!! Thanks for the nice comment, a community Drum circle Sounds groovy! 🙂
Oye gitana, si no fueras tan bonita yo aprenderia mas!
Hi Heidi,
Please could you contact me WRT looking at distribution options for your range in South Africa, if you don’t have an official agent in the region as yet? Please email me direct if possible, and maybe remove this post straight after?
Thanks
Jason
Hi bella Heidi, your work is fantastic, i m from Argentina and i like the Cajon (Cajon Peruano).Those cruz cajon, and prk cajon are Flamenco?? with bodorna??. Sorry my english is orin.I m a bass guitar player, but the percusssion is so close to me. Cajon peruano, cuerdas de candombe, bongo, timbal .Well, youb4re an amazing mixture (beautiful and esplendid payer). i b4m a new fan. good life, peace, kisses.Good videos, post more videos with the band.Saludos desde latinoame9rica.
Hello, I recently pikced up a cajon I love the damn thing! I play a regular set. Your band rips! you rip!! thank you for taking time to make these videos i am for sure a student they help out soo much keep riping hope to see your live show one day.Aloha
Hey Heidi!
I really love to watch your videos. In all of them, there is to see how much you enoy playing that really cool instrument! It would be that nice – if you’ll come to Southern Germany one day and we’ld meet! But I don’t this ever will happpen…
Much Love
Georg
Hi Heidi,
Thanks for providing these superb video lessons. For me as a beginners it is sometimes hard to follow – event though I play drums for a while now. One thing that is particularly weird is having to “mirror” you in my brain – your right hand is on the left on the screen. Probably it would make sense to mirror your videos, or introduce a different camera angle filming in “birds eye view”. Or simply to have the tabs/scores published under each video. Your RLRL notation with the bold letters is a very good idea, but putting it below the video as text or picture would be helpful for practicing, without having to rewind the video.
Keep up the excellent work!
Oliver
Dear Oliver!
Thank you for the fabulous tips!!! I honestly did not think about mirroring my vids yet, that is simply genius!!! When I get a better vid editing software, I will definitely do that!!1 Thanks buddy, for sharing your very nice ideas here! 😉 Preciate it a lot!
Heidi!
Canto desde que tengo memoria…Me lleva el Soul, Funk, GOSPEL! Hip-Hop, R&B…soy de Argentina, acá no tenemos la cultura negra arraigada y cuesta conseguir información o gente BUENA en estos estilos. Toco un poco batería, huevos, pandereta, cajón y cualquier instrumento de percusión que esté a mi alcance!!. Encuentro tus videos sencillos, y contagiosos. Quiero más data! Más lecciones! Más instrumentos!
Hermosa voz, hermoso Groove!
Go with d’flow girl!
Saludos!
Nato
Hello Heidi.
I’ve only just been introduced to the magical percussion instrument The Cajon Drum. I love them, as I’m not so great at playing the drums, but have very good rhythm. I’ve been hitting table tops for 45 years (to the annoyance of my family and friends) cajons seem so suitable for what I want to do.
Do you have a monthly payment system? I want a Cruz Cajon with piano strings, as it sounds genius.
I love your lessons they seem really relaxed and will help me improve my playing.
Thank you.
Ricky
Hey Heidi
I impromptu went into a music shop last week to buy a guitar and ended up coming out with a Cajun as well as the guitar. I stumbled on your website as want to learn to play it well. Your videos and band are amazing and they encourage me to practice, practice, practice. Well done and thank you for encouraging me.
Deirdre x
Hola amigos:
Me gustaría saber cuanto cuesta un cajón piano color negro con todo y envío a Guadalajara, México.
Hola Fernando!
El precio para un Piano Cruz es £165 + postage to Mexico (£55) all in all £230 (just convert it or look on our shop page for USD or other currencies! 🙂
Gracias!
Do you do private lessons at all ? Am in Spain at the moment
but wanted to contact you to find out. Or will you be doing
any busking within the next couple of weeks and if so where.
Would really like the chance to see your group or take some
private lessons before i have to return to the states. Am in
Europe until the 2nd of October then have to fly back. Am
loving the cajon and thank you for your channel it gave me a
good running start. Of course there is much more to learn and
keep banging away all day every day. Something has to sink in.
Hello Ganga!
At the moment I do not do any private lessons, I unfrotunately have no time for that, but I might be starting up my cajon group class in October, however, it seems you are resturning to the states on the 2nd October! We will be busking around London and bath this month, but we have no set concerts (there will be none untill we finish our album, which is well on the way). I would suggest you stay in spain and just learn as much about the cajon there as possible! And next time you come over, we will have some very exciting stuff up and running! everything is crazy here after the olympics and we are also not so busy with things as we are focussing on the recording for the next 2 months. Would have been lovely to meet you though!!! Keep practising! 🙂
Is it possible to send a cajudoo to New Zealand how much would postage be What are they made of by the way Love what you do
cheers Jimi
Hi Heidi,
I’ve been playing the Cajon in an acoustic band for 10 months now.
I stumbled across your website & I must say it has hugely inspired me 🙂
Im now looking to incorporate a splash/crash and was wondering what setup you gig with?
Cheers,
Dan
Heidi
Is there a stockist of the Cruz Cajons in London? I work in Gower St in the West end, so would love to have a go on one before ordering a Toro off of you. Cheers!
Peace!
Ricky
Hello Ricky!
Currently there are no stockists in London, but myself 🙂 I will be having these available for sale at all my cajon workshop classes and at any shows that I might be doing with my band. If you want to, we could arrange for you to try one in London for sure! Soon I will have these stocked in various percussions stores around London but it might yet be a while..
Anyway, they are great and you really should try it if you intend to buy a cajon! let me know and we could arrange a convenient time.
Heidi
Hi – just wondering whether you will be running any Cajon classes this Autumn?
Thanks
Jo
Hey Jo!
It looks like we will be having a cajon course running in October in London, sign up to the newsletter to stay updated on this!
Hiya! I would be very interested to come along if you are running another London Cajon School Series – let me know, thanks!
Regards,
Marylis
Hello! Our Cajon school is planning a Autumn Cajon course of 10 weeks in London, sign up to our newsletter to stay updated on this! It will be in October.
I think I just fell in love. Your lessons are great! Thank you.
This is really helpful especially for beginner cajon player like me. Id like to order prk or cruz cajon can you help me how
Hola Josep!
Great to hear from you man! You can order a cruz or prk from our cajon shop:
http://cajonbox.com/shop/cajon-shop/
Follow the link and scroll down the page till you find the paypal buttons. Then find the cajon and the model you want, select it, and click… you will then be redirected to paypal that will give you the options of how you would like to pay….. It’s that simple! And you don’t need to have a paypal account, you can pay by credit card. Hope this helps! Let me know if you don’t get right.
Hi. This is Thomas from Frankfurt/Germany. I’d like to get information about your cajons and prices. Are they available in Germany? Any shops where I could eventually check them out?
Thanks for your videos. Great playing, but also great teaching!!!
All the best
Hey Thomas!
something must be a bit wrong with this page as there’s no content, I will fix it and when you visit again it will be up again so you can check out prices! i am uncertaind of distribution in germany at the moment but it is possible that it will be very soon!
I didnt know these drums at all. Just got an impression via YouTube.
This guy plays a melodic theme and improvisational variations on 2 HDs. Its great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17ojj7tgrqw
Thanks for the awesome tutorials! After a few weeks of watching your videos and practicing I actually had the courage to join a local Flamenco group, you’re an amazing teacher.
Hi Heidi, i’m looking to purchase the Cruz Cajon. Is the 10% discount applicable to this model as i can’t see it as one of the options on this page. thanks!
fang
Hey Fang
The 10% discount in our shop is now no longer applicable, however, keep an eye out for the newsletter as we are going to give away a Cruz cajon, and give away some discounts on them very soon! If you want to get one ASAP, then please contact me personally so I can arrange to give you a discount specially for you (you have been a very loyal subscriber Fang!) 🙂
Heidi
Like Peter above I just discovered” (sort of like Columbus “discovered the New World. It was, in fact, always there) the cajon. I’m a very untrained rock drummer who is getting into some lower keyed situations and the cajon seems a good way to go. Except the back thing. I am an old geezer with an already marginal back. Anyway, I’m listening to your tutorial, will check out your web site and thanks for making my morning. (Dixon, New Mexico USA – It is probably night where you are) Einar
Great to hear from you! 🙂 Get a good cajon and it will clear up any issues with your back, as you don’t need to reach down/stoop down to get the bass sound out with a good cajon!
Where can I purchase your music cd’s ?
Hello Louie!
I am not sure where you can buy all the CD’s listed here, I have yet to list the details and where you can buy them, but you can buy my band’s CD on the Band website called fernandoskitchen.com 🙂
Cheers!
Great vid! Researching various Cajons. Do you have a recommendation?
-Steve
Hi Steve!
Of course I do, the Cruz cajon is simply unbeatable for value for money! The best cajon at the best price! And it’s my own signature line brand, I definitely recommend that one! Get them from the cajonbox shop store!
Hello – still waiting for the newsletter on this one.
Can you also supply a good quality bag for the cajon? I saw you busking in Cambridge in Aug 2011 and was very impressed. Bought your CD. I’m an ex drummer living in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and my options here are limited to hand drums. Want to treat myself to one of your fabulous looking drums for my birthday in October. Keep music live and here’s wishing you every success. Phil.
Hey Phill!!
There are loads of cool cajon bags online, I am currently getting some bags to my store, but it might take a while yet. Check out this bag I use myself:
The meinl deluxe cajon bag… it’s got a HUGE zip (the zip is what breaks on the bags so get one with a BIG and strong zip)
I had bought the cajon recently and I didn’t know how play this instrument. Since the cajon in Poland is still few popular instrument, I have no place to learn on it. I was looking for something on the internet for a long time, but no lessons didn’t fit me, and I didn’t understand a lot of words because I don’t know English so well 😛 And today, something wonderful happend – I found your lessons and immediately I liked how you play and how you explain. Your videos are very helpful !
As you can see, your lessons help people from all over the world, it is amazing, thank you for this very, very much! You are great! And I hope you will continue this videos, that why I wish you so much strength and an even greater love for what you do!
Greetings from Poland 🙂
Hei
So wich Cruz Cajon is the one you are using in the youtube video ? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mT2FVgTVmQ)
For a powerfull bass .. should I order the one with Piano Strings ?
Thanks !
Hey!!1
That one I use in the video is the guitar string TORO model of the cruz cajon. They are both good but I would suggest the guitar string if you liked the sound of this one in the video! 🙂 They both have a really powerful bass
I’m going to be in London on Oct 8 for a day or 2 and would love to see the Cruz Cajon with a view to buying one and toting it back to the US myself to save the shipping. Do you have gigs that week where I could see them?
Thanks
Plan changed and I’m now going to be there from Oct 4 – 8.
Any gigs then?
Hello Heidi, nice playing. I’ve played a doumbek/darbuka the last 7 years and occasionally see it in Flamenco music. The rhumba rhythm is also called malfuf in Arabic and is usually a 2/4. I’ve also heard it called a broken clave. My wife has decided to learn flamenco dancing so I’m looking to add a canon to my percussion repertoire. Excellent site. By the way! Be well.
Hi Heidi,
I saw you playing in Cambridge two weeks ago – that was fantastic! My husband has always wanted to learn to play cajon (he plays djembe) and I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know when you are planning to start your classes. I would also like to buy cajon for his birthday – your advice would be appreciated on where I should get one for him. Thank you in advance! Good luck with your album! Olga
Hello Olga!
Great to hear from you! If you want to know about the lessons, I suggest you sign up to the cajonbox newsletter, we are finalising all the details. As per cajon, I would recommend that you buy one of my Cruz cajons, which is available directly from me, here on this website, on our webshop.
Hello Olga!
Happy new year, welcome to 2013
Thanks for letting us know of your interest for a space in in our Cambridge beginners cajon course, starting up on Wed 16th Jan 2013. Enrolment for the course has now begun and you can now secure your space in the class.
Cajon beginners course:
A basic beginners course to get you playing the cajon.
The course cover a complete foundation to get you started on the cajon. We will cover basic technique and exercises, various grooves, time signatures and styles such as funk, pop, rock, blues, as well as some flamenco and latin patterns. Throughout the course we will also look at performance, improvisation, playing with other players and instruments, and ensemble.
Dates: Wed’s 16 Jan – 27 Feb 2013
Duration: 7 weeks, 7 classes
Cambridge
Get in touch for more details!
Heidi Joubert
http://www.cajonbox.com
I recommend lion. I got mine from there
Hi all, most of the music Heidi mentioned above can be found/listened to at Spotify….. Enjoy!!! Oh and… Brilliant site Heidi….!! Very entertaining and a great spot for every Cajon aficionado…. Chapeau!
Great instrument to learn and good lectures. Thanks!
Hola Heidi, queria agradecer a la vida por permitirme conocer por este medio el encanto de tu ser,si bien no soy musico y lo mio es la pintura artistica creo que despues de mirar tus videos,verte tocar el cajon y de escuchar tu voz creo que me animare a aprender ,seguro que hay en la divinidad de tu alma alimento para mi inspiracion ,una vez mas gracias por compartir tanta belleza con tu musica.
Excellent info (as usual). Will try this out today as a matter of fact. I have three deenct mics for live performances: an very sensitive Shure condenser mic that I typically use for overhead, and two Shure SM-57 s instrument mics. If I am ONLY going to mic the sound hole in the back, which type of mic would you recommend? It’s interesting that you mentioned taking out the mids something I was thinking about. Thanks again Heidi.
Hello Hassan!
i would suggest a Shure beta condensor mike for the back only, but they can be pricey, so I would say to be safe, go for an sm 57 shure mike! 🙂 just push up the bass frequencies as it has good mids and high range but a bit lacking on the bass!
Let me know how it goes!
H: Thanks for the list. All those wonderful artists and albums, except for my new favorite, Fernando’s Kitchen, are also available on iTunes. FK could sell on iTunes simply by going through an Official Europe Apple Aggregator. 🙂
For a current listing of aggregators, create and/or log into your iTunes account and go to:
https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wo/7.0.0.11.9.3.1.11.1.0.5
…and my FK cd just came in the mail today. Thanks for the speedy delivery!
Hello Heidi,
The cajon is brand new to me. Saw your videos and went out the next day and got myself a cajon. Today I will follow your first lesson with my new cajon. I play the guitar and I am hoping I can add the cajon to my music. I started with guitar a year ago. Looking forwards to learn more about this beautiful instrument the cajon. Thank you for sharing your knoledge with us. Can´t wait to be able to introduce some sounds to my own music. I loved your lessons!!! Love hearing you play!!!
Thank you for introducing the cajon to the world!!!
Hi
Thanks for the vids they are a great help. I am in the market for a new cajon and am looking at the Cruz. Once again thanks for the vids they and you are inpirational.
Many thanks
Dave
Really enjoyed it! What a great sound. The hang drum, has a hypnotic sound that just grabs you. The two of you jamming sounded so wonderful. And the three of you laying down that fantastic driving beat, was very cool. That Prk sounds amazing! Thank you so much for your time you put into your web page. I know your very busy, yet you take time to teach and share with us. It is greatly appreciated from across the pond, in Tennessee, USA
Hey Marty! Glad you enjoyed it so much! The hang and cajon is a great combo. The cajon featured in this video is not a prk cajon, it’s a cruz cajon, yes they sound fab!! 🙂 Hope to catch you on that side of the world soooon! 🙂
I love the song Gitano moro. It is a great song! I have watched this video several times. I have viewed you and Sebastian, playing this song in different cities, and I love it. Sebastian is fantastic on the guitar, Tom is great on the bass, and you rock on percussion, and the vocals, WOW. Keep up the great labor of love you guys have for the music. I have only had my cajon for 3 months. Hope to move up to a Prk some day. But your lessons are helping me so so much! Thank You for your time. Best wishes from Tennessee. Oh, and I wanted to also say, The cow bell, was so cool!
Thanks Buddy!!! Thats very nice of you, I also Love Gitano Moro, It seriously is our fav!!! :-)))) Thank you thank you thank you for the very nice msg Marty, and I do hope you get yourself a prk someday 🙂
Peace and love
Heidi
Wow….that is just amazing!!! Heidi, you’re always just an outstanding foundation for whichever group of people you play with. The sound of this is so new age…hope that doesn’t sound too cliche-ish, but it’s so very soothing to listen to. When you make it to the states, I’m going to be hard-pressed to not bug you for a jam session!!! This is top-shelf!!!
i hope i am not too late to enrol , please let me know about the starting date thank you
Hello Mohamed!
You are not too late, the classes is starting mid October, enrolling starts this week! 🙂 But make sure you enrol this week to ensure you get a space, it’s seems to be very popular! More details will be up by tomorrow about when and where!
Have I missed it? I just checked for the newsletter and I haven’t received it…
Hello!!1
Nooo you haven’t missed it, it hasn’t started yet, I have been organising the venue (it has beena bit of a mix up) so hopefully by next week I will have all the details of the course, looks like it is set to start mid to end October and only run for 7 weeks. I will DEFITELY keep you informed as soon as I have the details via the newsletter ok! 🙂
Great! Thanks Heidi! =)
Hello Heidi,
Odene calle compass el sabado pasado. Crees que lo envien hasta Florida?
Hola,
I personally saw to it that your CD was posted to you this week (all the way to Florida:-) So you will receive it soon ok! Enjoy!
And thanks for buying one of our CD’s, let me know if you have any other questions!
Un saludo desde Londres
Awesome tips! Thanks!
🙂 Thanks Josh!!!
Awesome and helpful as always, Thanks!
Gracias por existir.Quiero aprender a tocar el cajon¿me puedes ayudar?.No puedo pagarte , pero si vienes por España -Valencia- a las cervezas invito yo.Saludos y abrazos.
PD;¿Hablas expañol?
Hi everybody. Just received my new Cruz Cajon “Leon” all the way from Barcelona to Plovdiv, Bulgaria with no problems whatsoever. It is number 5 and fresh from the workshop. Looks great, now starting to annoy the neighbours (joke) by practising everyday. Heidi I love your lessons as they are easy to follow but saying that I think the flamenco rhythm will take me some time to master (got to learn to count in spanish – right!) keep music live! Phil, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Hello Phil
Wow nice one thanks man, super DUPER happy to see that you enoy our CD and your new Cruz cajon! Happy neighbour disturbing haha! Un dos, un dos tres….. 🙂
Heidi
Ordered my cajon at the end of September, it was shipped out from Spain on the 5th October and arrived in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on the 9th. Fantastic! and no taxes to pay! I’m an ex-drummer of 30 years in the UK now living in Bulgaria, I have a djembe and a Turkish hand drum – I’m limited to hand drums as I don’t have transport here and getting a little too old now for gigging with a large drum kit. Saw Heidi busking in Cambridge in August 2011 and loved the sound of her cajon and the music of her band Fernando’s kitchen so I bought their CD. My brother plays flamenco and jazz guitar. So here we are a year later, came across her website with the lessons etc… and decided to buy a cajon for my birthday which is some day soon and to add to my collection. Have already started her lessons. The cajon is great quality and was fresh from the factory – number 5. Here’s wishing heidi great success.
Aaaw Phil thats very very sweet of you to leave such nice feedback, I am sincerely pleased that you like your number 5 Cruz Cajon!!1 So you have number 5 of the Cruz Cajon of the model and string system you bought!!! 🙂 One of the first huh!!! Well enjoy it, and try not to annoy the neighbours too much! Oh, and much success with the flamenco rhythms man, give me a shout if you need any help with it! 🙂
Cajon love
Heidi
Hello Heidi: I’m new to the Cajon, and have been watching your video lensoss. You are a very good instructor. Thank You for sharing your time and talent. I appreciate it, very much. I hope to trade up to a PRK some day. I also enjoy the video’s of you Folks, busking. So Cool. I live near Nashville, Tennessee USA Music City. Maybe Fernando’s Kitchen, will play Nashville sometime. The Web site is Great! Catching any of the Olympic games? Or busking for the crowds? Thanks Again, Best Regards: Marty
Hello Marty!
Thanks for this wonderful comment! It’s always great to hear how people find my videos useful! We might possibly be around the USA for a tour within the next 2 years, so keep an eye out!!! Yes, been busking a lot with Fernando’s Kitchen to the olympic crowd, but now that Chirstmas time is almost here, it is even bussier! 🙂
Heidi
Hey Heidi,
many thanks for your great website. I admire your groovy and inspired way of playing the cajon and I actually learned a lot from your lessons. I was really impressed by the video you did with the hangdrum player. The first part with cajon and darbuka I enjoyed most.
Greetings from Hamburg
Ernst
I like the small one that you played the best. I am assuming that this is the one that is for sale right now. I am correct in assuming that to Oregon, USA, the cost plus shipping would be $129.68? You mention that I might need to pay some customs too?
I have enjoyed watching your cajon lessons. It has helped my drumming in general. I like how you help develop the internal sense of timing. Blessings in whatever your creative passion leads you to do….
Hello William
Yes the abayomi (the smallest one) is the one I have on sale here, I am listing the larger sizes today as well, but they are all improved, with a better drumhead and improved roundness to give a louder sound for acoustic playing. Also added to this collection will be the cajudoo pro, intended for playing miked up (the cajudoo pro comes with a shure beta clip in/screw in mike hole, perfect to fit a Shure beta 98 S into for the optimum sound out of your cajudoo)
And yes, the final price for USA would be $129.68, that includes the postage. We use the best courriers as these istruments are fragile, so they need to be taken good care of when in transit.
As per paying customs, it is possible, like with any item you buy internationally. But most of our customers don’t have to pay customs, it’s only if customs decide to charge you for it. Standard procedure for any international mail.
Hope this helps!
Hi Heidi,
I just wanted to ask if the Cajon school in London in October is for Beginners? Also, I hope I have not missed the enrolment – how can this be done, as I’d hate to miss out? Really excited about the possibility of coming on your course and getting started on such a great instrument. Many thanks
Oli
Heidi is the best
hola heidi.. I have started playing cajon and you have inspired me a lot. Your tips and vidoes are of great help, I have been playing the cajon for 2 months, and my band and I played at one of the resorts in the Maldives yesterday, and was well received. If I saw the combination of those instruments I would have definitely tried them. Good choice and the new instruments I am seeing for the first time, is amazing. Would like to try them sometime. Keep it up. cheers
In one word or maybe a little more….it is just great , both sound go so well together, i do want more of that combination.
Any chance I can still enrol in the workshop???
Hello Anton!!!
Yes this is possible, we are a bit delayed with our course due to other commitments I had, but we are now looking to start up next week or the week after till just before Christmas (about 6 weeks or 7 weeks), once a week. sign up to the newsletter for the final details coming very soon!
Heidi
I love your vids and have proven to be very usefull. I have decided to invest in a new Cajon and would like to know what the difference between Cruz and Prk. As far as I can see there are less screws on the front of the Cruz. Is there a massive difference in sound? Also I am torn between guitar or piano strings. Is it easy to tune the guitar stings and in the event of needing to replace them is this straight forward.
I live in Norwich and would love to see FK in our city(Sounds great) once again thanks for the vids they are so helpful
Peace
Dave
Hi Heidi,
Is it OK to come on the course if you are a complete beginner ? Hope so. Cheers. Oli
Hello Oliver
Of course it is, the course is for complete beginners! 🙂
That’s great. I’ve signed up for the newsletter, so will enrol when the details are out. Can’t wait. Thanks.
Oli
Hi Heidi ! I’m from Brazil !
When you come to visit us ? To personally appreciate your musicality!
Kisses,
Gudu
Thank you for you excellent videos on cajon basics.
Hi Heidi,
I’m Mexican and i love the percussion, really get to work and learn a new instrument to forget everything, is beautiful!!!, thank your lessons are great!!!
Saludos y buena vibra!!
I thought it was just awesome. I love the rich sound you guys produce. Is there a cd of you 2 together?
Hey!!! I am working with a hangdrummer on some original compositions, hopefully soon we will have a CD! 🙂
hello Heidi;
i hope you are doing well, i am still waiting for the commencing date of your lessons of course i am looking forward to it, i also want to know if it’s only on thursdays or can it be on other days, thanks for taking the time to read my comment and best of luck for you and yours for the rest
regards
Hey!
Date we start is next week thursday the 25th, if you can’t make the first class it’s ok, it is a bit short notice… London is crazy! Unfortunately I cannot make any other days at the present so Thursday is it. If you cannot attend the whole course, don’t worry, you are more than welcome to drop in whenever you can, it will be really relaxed as it is beginners.. 🙂
Hi Heidi,
I’m looking on the Cajon School page and I can’t seem to find the info about enrolment for the new October course. Is there another link or way I can enrol? Hope I haven’t missed aything.
Thanks
Oli
Hello Oliver!
Eh! 🙂 I have been meaning to list the details, I will send out a newsletter on monday with all the details, and list it here on the site too, It’s been one mad weekend of busking and performing and recording (yip thats my excuse:-)…..
But can’t WAIT!! I am excited….
Thanks Heidi.
I can’t wait either! See you real soon.
Oli
Hey Heidi,
I love what you are doing with these instruments. I own a simple Pearl cajon at home and I am so happy that I have found a new way to play with it. I also play marimba and congas. Thank you so much for posting these wonderful and concise videos!
Hola Carmen!!
Gracias por el mensaje muy bueno! 🙂 Glad to hear you are learning with my vids! I’ll keep posting them as often as I can ok!
Un saludo desde Londres
In a drumstore I’ve seen the “hangdrum” named “happydrum” and your jamsession seemed like a happy time. I like the sound the instruments together. Great 🙂
Love the combos of your fusion kit and the addition of the hang and frame drummers. I want to play all of them. 🙂
the only thing i can say, when i watch the stuff you are doing:
YOU ROCK LADY !!!
Hey Heidi, just curious as to where you find your skin is the toughest now – certain points on your fingers? Curious to see if it’s the same as mine! 🙂
Hey Matt
Your technique and which fingers you use most will affect this, I find the toughest skin on my right hand, middle finer, on both folds of the joints, but especially on the first joint from the top, the other side too, but because I probably use more strength in my right hand and lead with the right hand it’s harder on the right than the left. Then the tips of the finger in the middle there’s some “kitten pads”, especially the ring and middle fingers… really mostly those 2. Hope this makes any sense to you haha.
There will be enough Cajudoos, Heidi! 😎 And yes, so many interesting ppl. will come, can’t wait for this weekend! Thx!
Aloha! Thank you soo much! Your lessons are soo helpful! thanks for sharing those grooves in the intermediate lessons. And your band full on rocks!! Keep it up 🙂
Hi Heidi – yep, makes perfect sense!! That’s really interesting – perhaps we have similar techniques – I have similar ‘kitten pads’ on middle and ring fingers, and mainly middle fingers on the second joint from finger tips but also index fingers on first joint which is more pronounced towards the middle fingers. And right more than left for the same reasons. I am starting to practise left hand leads and generally exercising my left hand more to strengthen it and keep it more independant (same as I do on a full drum kit).
Hey Heidi!
Your videos are great and you have really helped me a lot!!! Any chance of any workshops or FC performances in the US any time soon? Particularly in the Baltimore/washington dc area?
Thanks for inspiring this girl drummer!
You rock!
Chana
Hey, greetings from your neighbours here in Ireland :p
As a djembe player I was always humming and hawwing about getting a cajon but after watching this video, I was sold. I figured that if I could play the djembe, the cajon would be no problem. Any problems I’ve had though, I just came straight to this site, you’ve been an amazing help with your videos.
Hello Heidi! I’m always a big fan of your work and style so it’s a bit overwhelming for me to ask you a question haha!
I ordered an LP cajon and it just came in today; I’m pretty new to playing the cajon but I believe I got the basics/sounds down. The thing is, there is this one pitch that buzzes every time I hit it and it’s quite annoying. I turned it around and saw in the inside that there’s a really thick masking-tape looking thing that was taped onto the left two strings (the side where most the buzzing happens).
I was wondering if it’s supposed to be there or is this a defected item they tried to cover up with tape?
If it’s supposed to be there, is there a way to get rid of the slight buzzing sound?
Thanks for your time! =)
Hello Rae!
Thanks for writing, please do not be overwhelmed to ask me anything, thats why I made this website! 🙂
As per your buzzing issue, it is known that many times tape is used to tape down the cajon strings to control the buzzing issue, and it is not unheard of that the makers of the cajon tape down the strings even when it’s brand new, but I have never known them to use thick tape, it was always 1 or 2 thin strips of tape per string, almost randomly placed, just to hold the strings against the wood.
Having said that, this can actually cause a lot more buzzing than help it if it is not applied in the right place, etc. It’s a bit of an art to get this down, but each cajon will buzz 9if it buzzes) in different places and so you need to get used the fact that you might very well need to adjust where you put tape on every cajon you will own! However, might I add, that LP is a complete beginner brand, which means of course the sound will not be as good as a pro or student cajon, and also it will be much more prone to having buzzing issues.
There is a way to solve this issue, you will need to take the tape off and replace it (get a new tape, make thinner strips) and figure out where you should put the tape. You can hunch behind your cajon, put your finger against the string/s that is causing the buzzing, and gently tap the cajon with the other hand on the TAPA or frontboard, to hear where you must tape the string against the Tapa to get rid of the buzz, then tape the string down in that point.
Also if you cajon has the ability to be tuned, this can also help this a lot, as you can simply tighten the string or loosen it to get rid of the buzz….. But it could be that your cajon doesn’t have that option, which is yet another reason to get a invest in a good cajon even from the start if you can. But I am sure you will be able to get rid of the buzz, with patience and perseverence.
If you are not happy though, and it was buzzing from the start when you got it, you can of course also write to the guys you bought it from and have it returned if they have a returns policy. I once had a very expensive cajon delivered to me which had a terrible buzz…. I simply told them and they refunded me! I had to post it back though…….
For future, if you want a cajon without any buzzing issues, you should take a look at my cruz cajon piano string cajons, the firstcajojn with a piano string system, strung a bit less than half way of the TAPA, they are absolutely superb and have NO issues with buzzing, tuning or taping down, and what volume and bass!! 🙂
Well I hope this answer is thourough enough haha!
Cajon love
Heidi Joubert
Hi heidi,
What kind and size of a cymbals can you recommend that will match with the cajon?
And how many days is the shipping to australia?
Hello Randy!
I use quite a few cymballs, especially when I perfomr onstage with my band Fernando’s Kitchen (i use 5 onstage) but my favourite one (and the one I use these days for busking) is an AAX XPlosion Sabian Cymbals, 11 Inch (also featured in the video). There are also 10 inch ones that are great! It has some sustain but is super thin so does create a great crash. They go for about £120 but it’s well worth it, there are not many cymbals you can play with your hands!
I am unsure if you mean how long the shipping will be for the cymbals or for the cajons on our webshop. For all our cajons, the estimate delivery time is between 2 – 4 weeks for Australia (we have sent quite a few down under already, it can take a while but we send all our cajons fully insured with excellent couriers:-). If it’s for cymbals, that would differ depending where you purchase them from.
🙂 Happy cymbal hunting!
Hallo Heidi. I was recently given a Cajon as a gift and have found your onnlie videos very helpful in learning to play thank you for your generosity in providing them and for sharing your talent! I hope soon to be busking with a friend who plays guitar, and would like to add a small cymbal like the one you are using on the video in Liverpool station. Does this have a particular name, and is it something that regular music shops stock? Or can you suggest an onnlie supplier? Finally do you have any plans to perform in South Wales where I live (or somewhere near)? I would love to hear Fernandos Kitchen live. Cheers Les.
Hello!
i use many different cymbals, and have just today talked with a distribution company to sell cymbals in our online store! I would say a good one to start with is the Stagg 8 inch splash, it’s cheap too!!!
Good luck with the busking, please send me some vids whne you do have some up, I would love to see it!
Heidi
Hi,
I’m writing from Palermo (Italy). I’m interested in buying the “Prk cajon rabosio” http://cajonbox.com/cart/. I would like to know if it is available and the price with the cost of the spedition to Palermo (Sicily, Italy).
How long do I need to wait for it, and how to pay?
Waiting for your answer.
Thank you. Bye
Ciao Silvia!
The price for the Prck Rabioso is £310 plus the postage to anywhere inside the EU which is £35, so all in all you are looking at £345, this inculdes postage & packaging. We post out the cajones fully insured, with a tracking number. Also at the moment there is a 1 week waiting period for any of our cajones because we are extremely busy with orders, especially with Chirstmas, but once we post it (approx 1 week after you ordered and paid for the cajon), it will take 1 – 2 weeks to reach you in Italy. So you are looking at about 2 weeks, max 3 weeks all in all.
Hope this helps!
Yes I would love to try Heidi’s Skype lessons. How would I go about doing that?
How would timing work? I live in America so there is a big time gap
Hello!!!
Thanks for letting us know, we will be starting private lessons on skype in December, so sign up to our cajonbox newsletter to stay updated on this! With skype, i can be very flexible as to times, so don’t worry about the time gap! 🙂
Heidi
Yes, I would love to join Heidi’s skype lessons. How would I go about signing up? Also, since I live in North America, there is a large time gap. Would it be a problem to have sypke lessons in this case?
Hello Heidi,
I have never owned a Cajon before however, I am looking at purchasing the Cajon Cruz with piano strings but wanted to know if you have had issues with strings breaking and how you go about replacing them if they do.
Also, I noted in one of your posts that a full wood version was about to be available. Is it available and how do I purchase via the website?
Regards
Peter
Hello Peter
I personally never had a broken string, with one silly exception. I was tuning the cajon strings so tight that the string literally snapped. I was trying to get rid of a buzz but even though tuning the cajon can really imporve this, taping the problematic string/s down with tape is also a commonly used factor to stop a buzz…. so no, the breaking of strings is not really a thing that happens, unless you really do tighten the strings way too much than is needed. However, you can easily replace a broken string, but have to unscrew the frontboard in order to do so, it’s simple woodwork, however, like I said, broken strings is not really an issue to be worried about as long as you don’t overtune your cajon! If you are however concerned about this, then might I suggest you go for the non tunable Piano string system? There is no way the strings will break as firstly there is no tension tuning system, and also there is no need to adjust the strings.
All our cruz` cajons are wood, however, our completely birchwood cruz cajon will probably be listed on our webshop within the next week or 2, we are currently taking it through a testing phase, once we are certain of the quality and tested the endurance, we’re ready to add it to our cajon shop. They sound really really great so if you can wait a bit, it will be well worth it! 🙂
Purchasing a cruz cajon from cajonbox.com is easy! You simply find the product in the store, click on it, and then simply add it to your virtual shopping cart, and then you can choose to pay by paypal (even if you have not got a paypal account you can pay via paypal with your credit card) or you can choose to do a direct bank transfer into our cajonbox account. Really easy and safe!
I sincerely hope this helps you, please let me know if you have other questions!
Heidi
Thanks Heidi,
The piano string option is currently my preferred based on your comments however do you have video on the website or anywhere that shows the difference in sound between the piano string and guitar string Cajons?
Regards
Peter
Hello Peter!
there is no video yet, however, I am working on it, so hold on just a bit more!!! In my opinion, they are both equally as good sounding, with the piano strings being perhaps a bit louder in volume, but it’s all down to personal taste! 🙂
Heidi
Thanks Again Heidi,
You have really helped me make up my mind on my 1st Cajon and I will order directly and look forward to getting my skills up to scratch via your online lessons.
Cheers
Peter.
Sorry Heidi,
One more thing. I am going with the Toro Cruz Piano String Cajon but notice it does not come with a bag and I could not see a bag for sale on the website. Could you please point me in the right direction to purchase a decent carry case.
Thanks
Peter
Hello Peter!
I am actually in the process of ordering some great cajon bags to sell on cajonbox.com, as I get many people wanting to obviously buy a bag with the cajon, however, that might still be a month or 2 before it materialises, so I would suggest you go for the Meinl Deluxe cajon bag for now, it is pricey but great quality!
Check it out here:
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=meinl+deluxe&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=kqv&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&prmd=ivns&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=3192397740242615229
Hope it helps!
Are the Cajudoo Kaira available at this time? What would the total cost be?
Hello Jerry!
Thanks for writing to me! The new and improved Kaira cajudoos almost ready to be listed and sold on our site, give it another week and we’d have them available, just doing all the final testing of the new Cajudoo range. The new kaira is not as big as the older version, but it sounds better! and super bass! Pictures, vids and listings to follow soon! sign up to our cajonbox newsletter to stay updated on this!
Heidi
Hi,
I own a cajon but it does not have strings, is basically a metal thing that simulates the strings. I want to put strings to the cajon to get a very sound. Can you share with me how can I put the strings? How many strings? Any specific position?
If you can share pictures I would appreciate.
Hello julio
Thanks for your questions. It sopunds like you have a snare cajon, the snare being the metal thing you refer to in your statement. To put strings on your cajon is more than just a matter of sticking strings to the frontboard, even though you can of course try this. It has to be built into the cajon with a tuning system etc. I would suggest you take a look at some how to make a cajon videos on youtube to get a better idea on how to do this, but it might mean you will have to take your cajon apart and rebuild it from scratch….. Or you could just buy a new cajon with strings, and you can have one with snare and one with strings? Snare cajons do not specifically sound bad, unless it is simply a bad cajon, in which case it will probabaly not sound much better with strings.
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the CRUZ CAJON that I received well and quickly in FRANCE!The range of sounds is Amazing!I can t stop playing since I have got it,and as you say the bass sound is very high and it is easy to play,even for a beginner like me 🙂
I will learn step by step the lot of rythms possible with this kind of wonderful instrument (It is Nice in my Living room).
Many thanks.Let s the music play!
Tony
Very cool! It’s a lovely sounding combination you got there.
If you got time take a moment to check out this girl on two hangs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpemOvSI0QM
Los conocí una noche en Londres, bajo el London Eyes!! Y me encantaron, el sonido del cajón con tus manos fue impresionante. Nos llevamos “Calle Compas” y lo escuchamos y disfrutamos muchísimo acá en Buenos Aires.
Me encantaría comprar el box rabioso o el arrabalero 🙂 Hacen o hicieron envíos a Argentina? Es posible?
gracias Heidi
Hi Heidi!
My girlfriend Nazia got me a cruz cajon for my birthday, and I absolutely LOVE it! Thanks so much for making sucha fantastic piece of equipment that I can add to my instrument arsenal!
Do check out my music (www.soundcloud.com/hanimalikfm) if you’re bored and looking for something new, I only recently released my album ‘No Remorse’ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hanimalik !
Cheers,
Hani
Hey Hani!
Wow thanks for this nice feedback, great to hear you are pleased and I am so so happy you are Lovin the Cruz man!!! Your Girlfriend is an extremely nice lady for getting you one for your birthday, haha! 🙂 Marry Her!
He man, I checked out your music, it’s really super, I like the stuff a lot, great music bro! And I absolutely LOVE the cover, with the chess pieces, I do like chess you see…. 🙂 Also read the interview in the rolling stone faceless man! cool!
Hope you use some of the cruz for your next album, I’d be well stoked if you did! Ever need a cajon player in London.. give us a shout! 🙂
Cheerio and enjoy el cruz…
Heidi
looking for cruz cajon, where can i buy?
Hello Nathan!
You can buy the cruz cajon from our online shop here
http://cajonbox.com/shop/
We post out worlwide, your cajon is fully insured as well! Check out postage guidelines here:
Next year we will have cruz cajones stocked in all major countries, but not yet, now it’s only available here at cajonbox.com
Hope it helps!
Heidi
Really good information here thanks. I will use this in the future. Currently I use an aloe vera based cream that helps heal my hands as I drum very hard and fast to dubstep/dnb and because its so syncopated every one of my finger tips have calluses on them as well as the middle of my fingers where my snare hit comes from and I do notice a big difference when I lose them however I play 4 hours a day or more so my main difficulty has been endurance, breathing, posture and maintain balance. I now no longer hit with my full hand for bass notes but use my fingers to produce the same sound and save energy
We’ve had the cruz piano string, black style cajon in the house for about a week now. I wanted to have a clear definition between the kick and the snare sound, and although I wanted the snare to be less ‘rattle’, i did want a rock sizzle sound. Some cajons seem to be all thud and tom without any sound of snare. I particularly wanted something I could use for rock style drumming. heidi was really helpful with her advice! I was looking at the Schlagwerk 2 in 1 cajon (£120) which a friend of mine leant me, in fact it was borrowing his that got me hooked. The price of Heidi’s Cruz is substantially more, but I wanted to support her, and get a quality instrument. The big question is, does it deliver on the sound, and is it worth the extra? The answer is a massive YES!!!
The first thing we (that is my 6 year old, 11 year old…and me.) found was that the Cruz was harder to play. Yes, harder. Read on though, McDuff. The problem was there are many more variations of sound tone in the tones available than the Schlag. in such a small area. You can have different tones of snare, from tight, to rim shot, to a fuller-almost-bass snare and retain the sizzle. The nicest sound I have discovered is to have a fast strike with the middle joint of my middle finger. Equally, the bass kick is variable. A full flat hand in the middle will give some of the snare still, but a strike with the front of my hand creates a beautiful rich thud, which can be a dry sound, or have a boomy resonance depending on how I attack/release it. Heidi is right, you don’t have to lean over the box at all, the kick is near the top centre, and it’s more relaxing to play than the Schlag.
The technique of rubbing your foot up and down the front to change the bass tone works wonderfully, and again there are many variations that you can produce, and still retain some of the resonance. Personally again i found it easier than the Schlag to achieve this.
And there’s more.
I don’t know if it’s the same on the lighter colour cajon, but the playing of the Cruz is like playing a silk skin! The schlag still felt like striking a bit of wood, but Heidi’s offering has more of a soft drum skin feel to it.
The other thing is volume. Again, on the Schlag it seemed as though you had to give it a fair old whack to get the individual sounds. I have really enjoyed the Cruz being able to play it really quietly for practice, as well as being able to get some massive volume out of it. Truly, you can play it with your finger tips and it sounds just as good, which is excellent if playing completely acoustic with just a classical guitarist who is un-mic’d and you don’t want to drown them out. Then again, i think it will hold it’s own sitting in the right place in the mix with a louder set up, and of course mic-ing it up is easy.
If there is one downside, I would say it was the feet, which are felt. Now I don’t know much about cajon building (scrap that, i know zilch, nadda, nothing!). I guess that it is to isolate the sound. I wonder if outside they might get a bit soggy? Will that soak up the water to damage the wood? Also, i play in our kitchen which has a slippery tiled floor, and when I have been practicing side hits with my heel, the cajon has moved a bit each time. I will look into getting a rubber mat. That said, of course, it’s not damaging the wood floors in other parts of the house! And if you are wondering, Heidi said that the Cajon’s she recomends (incidentally the expensive versions of hers, from the same manufacturer) have angled feet so you don’t have to tilt the box backwards. The Cruz has this feature too, even though she doesn’t mention it on her own descriptions. And the result? The schlag needed to be tipped, and the Cruz doesn’t! Cruz sounds just as good tipped or not (so why bother getting cramp…just don’t do bother tipping) and sounds as good as a tipped Schlag.
The rest of the construction is so solid, and whilst i wouldn’t want to throw the thing around, it looks like it could take it. Must get a cajon bag though…Perhaps that’s something else that Heidi could provide? That and giving some access to things like heck sticks and low hats…
I think it took about 3 weeks to arrive, because Heidi didn’t have any in stock when I ordered. So she arranged to have it made up and delivered straight from Spain from the manufacturers. Worth the weight. it was really well packaged, arriving in a well fitting corrugated box, and enough soft-clad padding to protect it for it’s journey, and FRAGILE stickers all over it. Sufficient to say it arrived recorded and in perfect condition. It smelt wonderfully lacquered and new too!
Apart from the feet issue (any ideas Heidi?) this is one perfect and professional musical instrument. Don’t get it for a school, it’s too good! Unless of course you want to inspire them with a truly professional instrument. Yes, even the kids can play it. Particularly my 11 year old who I have been trying to find an instrument that will work for him for ages! If you are asking if it’s worth the extra money I would say 100% yes. Score it 9.75 out of 10!
(just in case anyone wonders about my qualifications to comment, I’ve been in bands for the last 20 years as guitarist, vocalist and occasional drummer in everything from folk style to rock set ups).
Peace
Dear Reverend Andy
Wow, thank you so so much for your wonderuful and very detailed feedback on my cajons, it is not often that people take the time to give such a detailed response to a product they bought, and the fact that the Cruz Cajon is still fairly new, means that this is one of the first (and most detailed) reviews of my cajons I got yet, a very important factor for any start up product! 🙂
I am extremely honoured that such a very nice and thoughtful person bought my cruz cajon, and also the fact that you wanted to support me is awfully kind, it means so so much! 🙂 THANK YOU!
So so so SOOOO happy you are so mad about your Cruz cajon, it pleases me, my aim is not to make a business that takes as much as it can, but to offer a really great product at a fair price, something which is quite rare these days, and judging from your rating, I can be a bit more at peace realising that somehow I did achieve this with my cruz cajon range! 🙂
I might be making kid cruz cajons, in case you wanted to get some for the kids, haha, but might still be a while, anyway, I will let you know, and give you a nice discount on them as a thank you for this really descriptive feedback! 🙂
Thanks once again, I really do appreciate it!
So much blessings and love to you and the family!
Heidi Joubert
Im up for the class! just let me know
Hello Khai!
If you are signed up to our newsletter we will let you know as soon as we have all the details!
Thanks
Heidi, your lessons are great , I will be interested in skype ones Gracias desde Argentina. Nano
We’ve had the cruz piano string, black style cajon in the house for about a week now. I wanted to have a clear definition between the kick and the snare sound, and although I wanted the snare to be less ‘rattle’, i did want a rock sizzle sound. Some cajons seem to be all thud and tom without any sound of snare. I particularly wanted something I could use for rock style drumming. heidi was really helpful with her advice! I was looking at the Schlagwerk 2 in 1 cajon (£120) which a friend of mine leant me, in fact it was borrowing his that got me hooked. The price of Heidi’s Cruz is substantially more, but I wanted to support her, and get a quality instrument. The big question is, does it deliver on the sound, and is it worth the extra? The answer is a massive YES!!!
The first thing we (that is my 6 year old, 11 year old…and me.) found was that the Cruz was harder to play. Yes, harder. Read on though, McDuff. The problem was there are many more variations of sound tone in the tones available than the Schlag. in such a small area. You can have different tones of snare, from tight, to rim shot, to a fuller-almost-bass snare and retain the sizzle. The nicest sound I have discovered is to have a fast strike with the middle joint of my middle finger. Equally, the bass kick is variable. A full flat hand in the middle will give some of the snare still, but a strike with the front of my hand creates a beautiful rich thud, which can be a dry sound, or have a boomy resonance depending on how I attack/release it. Heidi is right, you don’t have to lean over the box at all, the kick is near the top centre, and it’s more relaxing to play than the Schlag.
The technique of rubbing your foot up and down the front to change the bass tone works wonderfully, and again there are many variations that you can produce, and still retain some of the resonance. Personally again i found it easier than the Schlag to achieve this.
And there’s more.
I don’t know if it’s the same on the lighter colour cajon, but the playing of the Cruz is like playing a silk skin! The schlag still felt like striking a bit of wood, but Heidi’s offering has more of a soft drum skin feel to it.
The other thing is volume. Again, on the Schlag it seemed as though you had to give it a fair old whack to get the individual sounds. I have really enjoyed the Cruz being able to play it really quietly for practice, as well as being able to get some massive volume out of it. Truly, you can play it with your finger tips and it sounds just as good, which is excellent if playing completely acoustic with just a classical guitarist who is un-mic’d and you don’t want to drown them out. Then again, i think it will hold it’s own sitting in the right place in the mix with a louder set up, and of course mic-ing it up is easy.
If there is one downside, I would say it was the feet, which are felt. Now I don’t know much about cajon building (scrap that, i know zilch, nadda, nothing!). I guess that it is to isolate the sound. I wonder if outside they might get a bit soggy? Will that soak up the water to damage the wood? Also, i play in our kitchen which has a slippery tiled floor, and when I have been practicing side hits with my heel, the cajon has moved a bit each time. I will look into getting a rubber mat. That said, of course, it’s not damaging the wood floors in other parts of the house! And if you are wondering, Heidi said that the Cajon’s she recomends (incidentally the expensive versions of hers, from the same manufacturer) have angled feet so you don’t have to tilt the box backwards. The Cruz has this feature too, even though she doesn’t mention it on her own descriptions. And the result? The schlag needed to be tipped, and the Cruz doesn’t! Cruz sounds just as good tipped or not (so why bother getting cramp…just don’t do bother tipping) and sounds as good as a tipped Schlag.
The rest of the construction is so solid, and whilst i wouldn’t want to throw the thing around, it looks like it could take it. Must get a cajon bag though…Perhaps that’s something else that Heidi could provide? That and giving some access to things like heck sticks and low hats…
I think it took about 3 weeks to arrive, because Heidi didn’t have any in stock when I ordered. So she arranged to have it made up and delivered straight from Spain from the manufacturers. Worth the weight. it was really well packaged, arriving in a well fitting corrugated box, and enough soft-clad padding to protect it for it’s journey, and FRAGILE stickers all over it. Sufficient to say it arrived recorded and in perfect condition. It smelt wonderfully lacquered and new too!
Apart from the feet issue (any ideas Heidi?) this is one perfect and professional musical instrument. Don’t get it for a school, it’s too good! Unless of course you want to inspire them with a truly professional instrument. Yes, even the kids can play it. Particularly my 11 year old who I have been trying to find an instrument that will work for him for ages! If you are asking if it’s worth the extra money I would say 100% yes. Score it 9.75 out of 10!
(just in case anyone wonders about my qualifications to comment, I’ve been in bands for the last 20 years as guitarist, vocalist and occasional drummer in everything from folk style to rock set ups).
Peace
Hi Heidi,
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the CRUZ CAJON that I received well and quickly in FRANCE! The range of sounds is Amazing!I can’t stop playing since I have got it, and as you say the bass sound is very high and it is easy to play,even for a beginner like me 🙂
I will learn step by step the lot of rythms possible with this kind of wonderful instrument (It is Nice in my Living room).
Many thanks. Let the music play!
Tony
Heidi thank you and keep posting, i love your videos.
Greetings from Argentina. Please visit us!!!!!!
Hi Heidi,
I am part of an acoustic duo called THEORY of FORM and after seeing one of your video’s approximate a year ago though wow, the cajon is definitely for me. We’ve added it on a couple of songs from our upcoming debut album and it really gives a great sound along with guitar.
I got a reasonably cheap cajon to start with and now that I am definitely a cajon convert I wanted to get something a lot better, a more professional instrument. The Cruz range seems to fit that bill perfectly so if you have any more info regarding the availability of the Cruz that would be great as I would be looking to get an order in within the next couple of weeks.
I would really appreciate any comments or pointers of how I can improve my playing.
Best of luck with your new album with FK, looking forward to hearing it.
Many Thanks
Gareth
fantastic rumba lessons Heidi. Keep up the good work.
Ciao!!!!grazie tante per le tue utilissime lezioni!!!!Quando vieni in Italia a suonare????Che Dio ti benedica!!!
Wonderful idea! Absolutely 🙂
Hello Heidi!
Your work here is inspiring me to get a cajon for myself. I’m essentially a singer, but love tapping my fingers on tables and surfaces, so perhaps a cajon will be a much better surface to tap on! 🙂
Although I was wondering how to figure out if playing the cajon is my thing – ergonomically speaking. Is there some way of trying out a cajon (ideally somewhere in Cambridge) before I make up my mind? (I sound like a pessimist, but I just don’t want to get something that may not be fit for me and ends up lying around in the house collecting dust)
Heidi,
Thank you so much for your passion and commitment to playing this beautiful instrument and sharing that with us. I look forward to hearing from you again.
Happy Holidays
Gary
Hello heidi,
Why is it that the PRK Cajon are more expensive than the Cruz Cajon? Is it because of the quality of the sound, durability or the materials use?
Hello!
firslty, the prk has a name that has come a way, so that pushes up the price, players like pirana has played their cajon, and with a name so comes a price. Also yes, there is slight difference in the wood used for the body of the cajon, but not the tapa (frontboard), the main differences are that the prk is more refined cosmetically, for instance, it has 4 fancy tuning pegs where the cruz has the usual screw tuning system, used for tuning many of the modern day cajon strings. Also due to the body of the Prk being made of a slightly better wood, The prk has a bit more resonance and volume, but both of them have simillar sounds and tones, and they are both built to have a super powerful, clean, neat bass… So really up to what you want to spend. They are really good, both of them.
Hope this helps!
I would love to here the side by side comparison on both before I commit to buy, also can you please give us the price in US dollars, you can send it to me on the mailer, or however is best. If I here the two and get a US price on them, I can choose what to buy, I currently own A Kotz cajon, excellent, but the response from Mike Kotzen on making me a new Tapa, or front board , has been disappointing . Love your pictures, and I’m happy for your new CD, please send me a price on that also…
Blessings….. Juan….
Juan
very nice videoo… i get better play cajon since i see cajonbox.com thank you
Hey!!! Nice to hear man, It’s always good to hear that cajonbox.com helps cajon players to play even better, faster! :-))
hi Heidi, love your web site cajonbox and monthly news letter,keep up the good work.Funky grooves are what im in too, so more of them is great for me,getting the Rumba polished now, best wishes david stone
Hey!
Thanks for the great feedback, we’ll make sure there ismore funky grooves coming your way!!! And so good to hear you love my website! 🙂 Keep learning bro!
Heidi
Hello Heidi
My Calle Compas CD was waiting for me on the door mat when I got home last night. I’d only ordered it the previous evening! How did you get it in the post so quickly? Were you reading my mind? 🙂
Really loving the CD and the video lessons. Thanks. Oh and bring your band to Sheffield sometime – we’ve some great little venues you could play at.
Hey Tony!!
Great to hear you are enjoying our CD, Fernando’s Kitchen would definitely love to play in Sheffield, and might possibly do so next summer!!! Keep an eye out! 🙂
Heidi
Definitiely – next best thing to being there in person for a lesson! I am just learning to play this instrument and I also want to teach my 3 boys.
I appreciate the videos Heidi, and I am a big fan of world music and look forward to hearing more Fernandos’ Kitchen music.
Happy Holidays to you and all!!
hello heidi!
your videos are great pls post more
maybe you make an europe tour?
thx
greetz from austria 😉
Hey Mike!
Thanks for the nice comment. We will be touring thu Europe next summer hopefully, keep an eye out!! 🙂
Hallo Heidi,
thank you very much for those very useful lessons. Really fantastic grooves, easy to learn, but it takes a lot of practise to get a floating style. Keep on, I´m always waiting for new lessons.
Greetings
Ernst
I am interested in the Skype lessons! I can’t begin until February, however. Please keep me posted. Thank you!
Dear Heidi
First of all, Thank you very much for your assistance in sending me my very own Cajon. It has been a painstaking wait (Spain to Maldives- which you had no control over 😛 totally understand :)) , however, it has ended with much happiness and triumph. till the last minute, till i received the package, i have been super excited.
Here is my feedback to you, well i am not that good a writer, but here goes.
Packing:
It was very well packed, extremely padded and “fragile” stickers all over the box. And from the box, i can say it went thru a bit of a toss here and there, but the Cruz has withstood the long journey all the way from Spain to the Maldives.
Unboxing:
Most of the time i enjoyed unboxing my phones, however, this is the first time I have really enjoyed unboxing anything. It was very well padded and packed for a long trip within unknown territories heheh.
The Cruz:
To be very honest, this is class, a work of real craftsman and all i can say is, it has been as lovely as you. It reflects you and goes hand and glove as your signature. My first words to my band members, ” Oh My GOD, she is beautiful”. Black is my fav color, and so fine details on ur signature, the edges and the finishing. Looks like a lot of love has been put whilst making the cajon. It is super super neat, clean and well polished. Polished for high quality export. My hats off to the artisans.
The Cruz Cajon:
I just luv the sound of the Cruz cajon. Thank you very much for the detailed elaboration on explaining the piano strings and guitar strings; guitar string is for me and the kind of music we play. The tight snare sound and the clean and clear base tones, is just the right touch of tones that i needed.
These are just few things to say about the Cajon i have more, but words fail me. I have not really been able to play today as i am too bz bz bz…
Last but not the least, sweet Heidi Joubert, your signature Cruz Cajon has crossed continents and the very first CRUZ Cajon is in the Maldives. I am very pleased to play the Cruz and I am looking forward to find a Market for your Cajon’s here as well. I will share my playing experience and upload some videos from one of our gigs. I am now a proud owner of your Cruz Cajon.
May god bless you and hope we meet online or maybe here in the Maldives… hey who knows. heheh
So much love your way, and my very best wishes to your artisans and every one at Fernandos Kitchen. Your website, http://www.cajonbox.com is super awesome and it has got all the information anybody seeking advice on the Cajon is available.
Girls n Guys, I am not pro at playing the cajon yet, but this website is for beginners, intermediates and those who are in doubt of finding the right Cajon and has helped me in improving my playing experience. As a satisfied customer, a perusing musician (percussionist) Heidi’s signature is top class.
About Heidi, she is a super bz girl, teaching the cajon to others, playing the cajon and many more. Despite her bz schedules, she has been very helpful, really understands what a customer needs and advices in a way that even someone with not much experience would understand. Customer Service from Cajonbox and Fernandos Kitchen, i’d give it a 8.5/10.
Hello!
It would be great if you decided to cross the Channel and come to Paris to give us a course one day.
Thank you for your great website!!
Thibault
Indeed I think I shall do this, perhaps next summer!!! In the meantime, spread the word so we can have a big class when I get there haha!
Thanks for the nice words, glad the website is awesome!
Dear Heidi,
Finding your website, and watching you play is like a breath of fresh air……..
Thanks for the tutorials – fantastic.
Tony
Aaah Tony, thanks man!
Hi Hendi,
Hope that you’re fine and doing great. Just wondering when you’re able to publish all Cajudoo models at your web site shop available for sale?
Thanks,
Hi, I’m interested in the Skype Lessons, please send me information about it to my email. I’m ready to start. Please let me know when is going to started. Thanks
hi Heidi,
So I would like to get a cajon, the CASTIGADOR black front, please!
bless bless
Tama Dundun
Hey Tama!!
You need to send me an e-mail ok! 🙂 londoncajonschool@gmail.com
Heidi
When do we start? I hope the skype connection is of good quality! I dont even have a Cajon. Please give me good advice!
Hey Peter!
I start with Skype lessons in January ok!!! It gives you some time to get a cajon, why not get one of my Cruz cajons, they are great! 🙂
I’ll let you know as soon as lessons on skype start!
I will be starting to follow your lessons soon when I have my Cajon. Will you come to Holland some day and perhaps perform at our little region radiostation?
I wouldn’t mind to perform at your radio station haha, it should be fun, Ek kan nie wag om Holland toe te gaan nie! :-)))
Hola! Un gusto haber encontrado esta pagina, sos una genia! Siempre quise tocar percusion y me dijeron que empiece con un cajón peruano, que me encanta. Ahora estoy re feliz con tus clases pero practico con el borde de la silla jajaja… que cajon me recomendas que me mande a hacer? Que es el cajón cruz? Ojala vinieras a Argentina!!… Besos!
Hola Natalia! Gracias por las palabras, me alegro que te gustasen mis videos! 🙂 No entiendo muy bien lo que me preguntas acerca de que cajon te recomiendo mandar a hacer. Si te refieres al estilo de construccion, hay unos cuantos y es cuestion de gustos y necesidades. Antes habia basicamente cajones peruanos o flamencos, pero ahora hay muchas maneras de hacerlos. Hay alguien que los haga alla donde estas? El Cajon Cruz es mi marca. Me los hacen a mano en Espanya, y tengo dos tipos principales, uno con cuerdas de guitarra y el otro con cuerdas de piano. El de guitarra es mas flamenco y el de piano mas para musica moderna, pop, rock, funk, etc. No hago peruano de momento, porque pienso que el flamenco es mas versatil y tambien tiene mas tonos, el peruano es mas mate. El Cruz Cajon piano es un poco como el peruano, pero con un sonido mas agudo en la parte de arriba, sin el sonido mas como de snare drum que tiene el de cuerdas de guitarra, y tipicamente el cajon flamenco en general. Nada es mejor o peor, es cuestion de lo que te guste y de que musica vas a tocar con el! Si estas interesada en un Cruz, hago envios internacionales. Tengo varios clientes en la Argentina! Un beso
Ey! gracias por responderme. Si, es verdad, la traducción no es muy buena! jaja. Efectivamente te preguntaba con que cajón me convenía empezar… yo quiero hacer ritmos mas clásicos, salsa, ese tipo. Me conviene el flamenco entonces?. Cuanto esta el cajón cruz flamenco para comprarlo desde acá?. Saludos! y GRACIAS GRACIAS !!!
Hey Natalia!
Si, el Cajon flamenco es perefcto para ti! 🙂 At the moment we are adding new models to our Cruz cajon range, but the current Flamenco cruz cajon models cost £175 plus international postage and tracking at £55 to Argentina. All details are listed on the products page in our webshop!
Let me know if you need any more help!
Un salud
Heidi
No se si sera muy tonto lo que te cuento, pero me cuesta mucho no hacer espejo con las manos, y lo hago al reves! jajaja..
Hi Heidi…
you are doing great wonderful work in the field of music..
I m a vocalist and music composer from Mumbai, India. From last 2 years I m desperately searching for Cajon. But getting it in India, is really a tough task. Can u pls help me to get that. I would be greatful to you always…
Musically yours..
Rajendra
Mumbai
India.
Hello Rajendra
Thank you for the wonderful message, it is always great to hear from a composer 🙂
As per where you can find a cajon, I am unsure about India and I was unaware it is so difficult to find one there, and thats why cajonbox is great, we post out cajones worldwide, so we can send one directly to your house in India! This is a great solution, and one of the reasons why we have started up our online shop, to give people the opportunity to get an excellent handmade cajon anywhere in the world! I hope this helps!
I look forward to visitng India someday soon….
Blessings
Heidi
hi there
i would like same one to help me if its possibly
Im from same where in SULTANT OF OMAN (MUSCAT) it is a place in GULF COUNTRY near of UAE and i would like to buy PRK CAJONS but i don’t know if there is any shipping to my country ?????
Hello!
One of our main policies of our shop is to ship out worldwide, we want to give everyone the opportunity to get one of our outstanding handmade cajons, no matter where they are in the world. So no problem, we ship anywhere in the world, but some destinations may take much longer than others. As long as you are willing to be patient for your cajon to be delivered, there is absolutely no problem for us to send you a prk cajon! 🙂
hope this helps!
Is shipping to the US less, the same, or more if I were to buy two of the cajudoos? I think I have a friend who needs one also.
And thanks for the videos — you are both clear and inspiring.
Ole!!!!!
Heidi, muchas gracias por tus clases y tomarte el tiempo….. Señorita a mi me gusta su style….
Very good Job, ur class its awesome, and been learning a lot….. Can u do one more class with the guitar,,, how to follow the guitar… Altos y bajos? Pls pls pls..:)..
Muchas Gracias…
Yamil from PR….
Rasta Nurse….
Hey Yamil
Great idea, I will definitely be looking into doing this for sure!!! Especially for the Flamenco eh! :-))
Keep updated with my lessons via my cajonbox newsletter ok!
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
I also would appreciate Skype hours. I worked through all the beginner lessons 🙂
But the intermediate lessons are a lot of work for me.
I am from Germany and my English is not the best 🙂
I play a Valter blackbox and would love to learn more from you.
best regards
Tarek
Hey!!
Well done, you worked through all the lessons??? Thats great! I am proud of you, many do not go all the way, and I must congratulate you on this! Your english is great too, don’t worry!
I will let you know as soon as I start up the Skype lessons!
Heidi Joubert
Hello Heidi and happy new year!
Yes…all the beginner lessons and know i am working on the intermediate ones. This is not soooo easy 🙂
Lovin it! But it is hard 🙂
Looking forward…
Tarek
I made a cajon a couple of weeks ago and as I’m a drummer thought it would be easy to play the cajon. After looking at you lessons I’m now ‘feeling it’ and transferring my drum skills over. Impressed with you lovely, relaxed style. Keep it up girl:)
Thanks Dave!!! Hope your cajon sounds good! 🙂 Keep practising, it’s real easy!
Heidi
I have just invested in a drum box and am looking to book a course of lessons. I came across your site when doing my research. Have you firmed up on the dates/prices for the January courses? if so would you be able to give me some details
thank you
lorraine
Hello Lorraine
As soon as I have all the details they will be up here and also on my newsletter, so sign up to my newsletter to stay updated to the details. They should be out within the next week! I hope you join our classes, they are a lot of fun!
Heidi
hola!! heidi espero la respuerta
me tengo que subir en barcelona para el cajon?
Hello!
I am unsure of what you mean, can you please rephrase so I can answer you accordingly? Thanks!
Heidi I’m loving your work and lesson on Cajon. You ave a great way of breaking down the beats and patterns and going through them with the beginner in mind. Keep it going!
Hi There Heidi,
I’m a professional musician, i do play lots of instruments, and recently bought another (better) cajon to replace the old one i used.
Did some “googeling” for info and online lessons..
Found you on youtube, and hey, i’m impressed, by a few things.. your skills and the nice, usable and clear video lessons you give, and yes .. to be honoust.. your natural beauty 😉 .. (WoW!)
Really enjoy studying now, so i’ll be lookin in on regular basis.
Very best wishes, keep up the good work, good luck and succes with all the thing you’d like to achieve being a inspiring musician !
Hello!
I am a drummer and guitarist. A worship team needed me to carol outdoor with them recently, but there’s no drums outdoor! So my music teacher gave me a Cajon, and I started to find the tutorials on the internet. After that I found that Cajon is absolutely amazing and the world of percussions is bigger than I’ve ever thought! I think I should leave my drum throne and learn more about percussions. Now I have replaced the chair in front of my computer with a Cajon. I’ve learnt lots of things here, Thank you very very much!
Hi Heidi,
I’m really trying to learn more about these Bulerias.
Any idea of what to listen to?
Even my untrained Buleria-ears can hear the results of search-engines
are most often the Ricky Martins of Bulerias (kind of pop/house-grooves), not exactly what I’m looking for.
Greetings Sven
Hi Heidi,
I’m really trying to learn more about these Bulerias.
Any idea of what to listen to?
Even my untrained Buleria-ears can hear the results of search-engines
are most often the Ricky Martins of Bulerias (kind of pop/house-grooves), not exactly what I’m looking for.
Greetings Sven (www.svenbakker.net)
I would like to learn cajon. It is possible with video lessons?
mauri
I am from Malaysia. Cajon is being popularised here in this country. Thank you so much for your wonderful lessons. I can’t find any teacher that teaches cajon, except watching and learning from youtube. Just a question, I am learning lesson 4 (rhumba), how can I speed up the rhythm? I can do it slowly, but once I speed it up, the whole groove collapse. Can give some tips how to speed things up? Thank you so much.
I have just bought a cajon (Ritmo Flamenco one) and I´m sure I´m going to learn all that I need thanks to your lessons. I don´t have any idea.
I really appreciate your videos!!!
🙂
Hey Heidi, this is awesome news. Likewise, i am having so much difficulty in getting a cajon case here hehee. I am sure my Cruz Cajon will go with ur Bag. Give us the good news soon, and I would like to pre-order one immediately. Keep me informed.
I would love to learn from you personally. Can’t find a good cajon teacher in this part of the world. Let me know when the program is up.
Hi Heidi
I would like to buy a Cajon from youfor
Christmas I live in Marylebone and can come and collect it if that is pissible. Cheers Roisin.
Mob 07587105452
eu estou apenas tentando ter certeza de que eu entendo o preço para o brasil, É 175,00 dólares, mais 55,00 dólares de envio? E está disponível na cor preta com a placa de cor natural da frente não é? quanto tempo demora?
Responder ↓
Hello Heidi,
My name is Tapas , i am from India.
I play guitar. I recently saw a cover by “Boyce Avenue” on the song ‘Here without you’ – (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxWEvV9zYj4 )
And i loved this percussion.
Since then i saw many videoz in which cajon is used .
Can you please tell me which cajon is used by ‘Boyce Avenue’ in that song.??
Hey man, thanks for the nice words about my vids! I had a look at the video and it isn’t clear which cajon brand he’s playing…
hey thnx for giving it a look…. 🙂
can you tell me which cajon will be good for a starter?
i really want to learn … 🙂
i have seen many of your videos , they are great ,i hv even subscribed you… 🙂
but the problem is i dnt have a cajon :P…
i want to play it in unplugged performances….so which one you think i should pick….?
Hello Tapas!!! Good to hear you wanna learn to play! It is a lot of fun, and really exciting! And without a doubt I would suggest you get one of my cruz cajons. As a beginner, you can go for either the guitar string or the piano string, but you cut out tuning and buzzing hasles with the piano string cajon… so go for that one!!! They both are super duper easy to play because the sound just comes out almosty effortlessly, and they endure for years! 🙂 If you want a good volume cajon with a super booming bass and sharp attack on the high’s, go for the cruz cajon! 🙂 Great name you have man BTW
You Are So FIT xxxxx
hola Heidi! hace rato que estoy practicando con tus videos, son excelentes!!! te felicito! tenia una consulta para hacerte, cuando empece a practicar note que se me habia hinchado una falange de la mano izquierda (con la que hago el sonido agudo en el cajon) del cuarto dedo contando desde el pulgar, y me dolia bastante, por lo que tuve que estar varios dias sin tocar…ese dolor se fue, pero ahora siento la misma hinchazon y dolor en la misma falange del dedo medio de esa misma mano, sera que estoy teniendo una mala tecnica al tocar o simplemente que mi cajon no es de buena calidad? tendre problemas futuros por los que deba ir al traumatologo?
mil gracias y un gran saludo desde Argentina!
I´m wainting for your reply! I really want to know what you think, if it´s missunderstood please tell me and I´ll write my question again 🙂 happy new year!!
Hello Paula, perhaps I did misunderstand your question, can you ask me again?? 🙂 Sorry!
ok! thanks for your reply! when I play the cajon it hurts me in the two middle fingers of the left hand… I mean, it hurts in the bones of that fingers, the phalanx. I wonder if I´m playing the wrong way or if simply it´s a bad cajon.. I tried to made my question easier haha excuse me for my poor english, cheers!!! and thanks you so much!
Hello Paula
It’s difficult to determine what is the problem if I cannot see you play, if you have a video or even a short vlip that shows how you hit the cajon and play, I would be better able to assist you in advising you as to whats the main issue, but you can be sure it is probably due to a mix of 2 things, 1, your technique (especially if you are a beginner, this is normal, it will take time for your technique to shape properly, just like learning to walk took time) and 2, if you haven’t got a good cajon, it is definitely partly due to that too!
But if you send me a little clip of you playing I can really give you specific advise ok!
Heidi
Hi there,
I’ve just been given a cajon for christmas because I saw you playing on the Southbank one day and wanted to learn to play ever since! Thanks for introducing me to the instrument. I was drawn to it first for the fact that it looks absolutely cool and sassy especially female players… And it sounds amazing…like a full drum kit without the hassle of carting it around.
I have absolutely no percussion experience…in fact I’m a classical pianist so embarking on this journey would be totally opposite to anything I’ve done before.
Trying to find a decent book ( and compared to the amount of tuition books available for other instruments there are not that many) is quite difficult. Hopefully I’ll be able to learn a lot here . Thanks for doing this…really!
Aaah what a nice nice comment, I am extremely happy that my website and lessons could be of service!!! Thumbs up for getting into it!! Keep going and always have fun grooving! X
I cannot make to your classes on Mondays and east london is a bit far for me too so Skype lessons sound great. Please let me know details. Dankie
Hello Heidi,
First, Happy Holidays and an extraordinary year 2013 !!! Thank you so much for uploading your videos. They are very helpful. I am a trombonist and bongocero, now learning to play the cajon and other small hand percussions. I would like to know if you play Latin pop and how do you apply the cajon to this style of music. Any particular patterns you use for this style?
Hey Curtis! I do indeed play Latin pop and I have 3 nice videos covering a few basic rumba patterns which fits perfectly with Latin styles, go to my cajon channel on YouTube and find the 3 rumba lessons, these vids will get you started on this style, and there’s more visa to come in this specific rumba Latin style! Hope it helps let me know how it goes
Hy Heidi,
I am from Germany (35j)and would like to learn play the Cajon. I see your Videos on Youtube, is there any DVD of you with leassons.
Thanks
Ralf
Sorry for my bad english!!! 😉
Hello! Great to hear from you. I am currently planning to make an instructional DVD to cover all the basics and a wide range if styles, I am aiming to have it released by march/ April so sign up to my newsletter to keep updated! 🙂
hola! heidi.
Muchas gracias por las lecciones, hace poco
compre mi primer cajon, un 2 en 1 ( un lado peruano, y el otro flamenco )
y ahora gracias a vos, estoy aprendiendo poco a poco como tocarlo.
muchas gracias de nuevo!
saludos desde argentina!
oh~
i just checked my e-mail 🙂
The new bag better have a cool logo.
Hey Heidi. I’m a keyboard player for a church but I’m buying a cajon in 3 weeks. This is due to fact that we don’t have a drummer so I figured I’d buy a cajon to help out my worship team when I’m not playing keys. However, I’ve never played a cajon in my life. So I’m going to have to trust in God that he will teach me and having some Skype lessons from u wouldn’t hurt 😀 Please keep me posted, thanks.
Muchas muchas gracias por estos videos, estoy empezando y ya aprendí un ritmo gracias a sus videos, estoy muy emocionada por aprender más son muy buenos. 😀 Felicidades por la web esta genial!!
I would like to buy the arrabalero box. Do you ship to Argentina? Is that possible?
Thanks
Pablo
Argentina
Hola Pablo
Gracias por el mensaje. To ship to Argentina…Si es muy possible, of course, we post worlwide with tracked shipping, the cajon fully insurance to your house.
let me know if you have any more questions
Heidi
I would like to get in on this too if time will allow! I will be watching for it! God Bless!
Curious on what you use for your cymbal? I have been trying to find an ultra thin crash but ended up getting just a thin crash (Wuhan) and waiting on it to arrive. Hopefully I will be able to play it by hand without hurting too much! 🙂
Great videos and thanks so much for the instruction!
Hey!
I use many different one’s, my Fav one being the AAX XPLOSION Sabian crash, 10 or 11 inch, really nice and thin with a nice tone and good sustain, but I suggest getting a small splash too for that fast response crash
let me know how you get on with your new cymbal!
Hi Heidi,
I wish you a happy new year, health, success and that all your wishes and dreams may come true. Thanks for sharing your helpful and motivating videos. You are really doing a great job and it is always a pleasure to see the fun and joy you seem to have.
Cheers, regards and blessings,
André
I am an absolute beginner and Skype-lessons would be great. I am absolutely interested. So I am looking forward to hearing from you once the details are clear.
Thanks in advance,
cheers
André
P. S. Hope you understand my poor english 🙁
Heidi, when would the Cajon cases be available?
Hello Ansi!!
So good to hear from you again! Cajon bags should be available from end Feb/early March, perhaps sooner if we’re lucky! they are gonna be super!
Hi Heidi. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
No doubt like many other folk today, I am stting looking out at the rain and contemplating goals for the new year in a slight daze after the festive season. Advancing my cajon playing was one of many things on my list and your website has distracted me (pleasantly) from some of the more mundane isues on my to-do list (like moving house, keeping my job etc, he he). so THANk YOU!
I am after a new cajon. Do you advise on cajons beyond those by for example PRK?
I began playing a (very basic) snare cajon in Sept last year at an acoustic night at my local pub. I have a chronic back injury that has prrevented me playing guitar or drums for sometime. The cajon allowed me to participate, pain free, AND have an automatic seat (with no back pain amazingly!!). On the basis of this, I got asked to support a jazz combo where it became clear I need something of better quality. I have been looking at the Leiva Mezquita and the LP Americana snare – both for the good snare sound and distinct bass. Do you have any experience of these?
Further questions and postings to come as I digest this website further. This is a great website and just the inspiration I needed on this dreary, hungover day. It is rare to find someone as passionate about something who is not …..arrogant (careful choice of words as this is a public forum!).
All the best for now
C
Hey!!!
Thanks for the nice long comment :-))
As per the LP or the Leiva, I have not tried either of these cajons yet….. and of course I would recommend one of very own Cruz Cajons, but if you really have to get a non Cruz cajon, I would say that you are always safe with Slagchwerk, they have great sound overall…. good bass, nice snare. I should seriously go and try the LP and leiva cajons though so next time I can give you more details on those!! 🙂
Enjoy my website, and let me know if there’s anything you want to see here!
Much love
Heidi Joubert
Hi Heide. After looking at your site in more detail, I feel I should be calling you Lady H or “ma’am” , or something reflecting the utility of the content here! hee hee
Stuff I would like to see on here would be discussion from yourself and other players on their experience with playing live or recording, reviews of different cajons and interpreting drum set rudiments (mainly based on sanre such as paradiddles etc) to the cajon. I’m not sure there is a facility for anyone to start a discussion topic with other fellow readers and players – but that would be good too.
Great set up though H. Rockadoodle-doo!
Just a quick comment on back pain and cajon playing which may be relevant. I suffer from chronic back pain that prevents me playing drums and guitar, and is why I started on the cajon. When it’s really bad, I use a support belt to play which has helped, but the biggest discovery is to play with “Monster Brushes”. These are like the brushes one uses for soft drum and snare work but BIG! It’s a departure from classic cajon playing but works for me.
Is there a vid where the cruz cajon with piano strings is demonstrated? The Rev Andy Gray has given a great review, and the product description sounds good but I’d love to hear one at least online. I realise I could also try and visit a workshop in Cambridge but getting there could be an issue. If you are playing the Cruz with piano strings, let me know.
(I seem to be adding alot of comments on this website so I may save a few and add under testimonials – it’s so comprehensive – amazing).
Hello Clive!
Video of a comparison between Gthe Cruz piano and guitar strings will be up soon, sign up to our newsletter to stay updated on this. And thanks for all the wonderful comments on my website, it’s great to get your feedback on the brushes and also on what you would like to see more of, if only more ppl where like you haha 🙂
It’s a great pleasure to have you visit my site clive, thanks again and be blessed!
Heidi
I want to be involved in the Skype lessons. What must I do to get started?
Hello!
Skype lessons will only commence end Jan, let us know about youyr interest in the class by sending us an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com
More details will be up a bit later!
Heidi
hello Heidi,
Brazilian’m more alive in Portugal, when you pass by?
I fell in love to hear you play, and it was good to feel how much you enjoy what you do, I hope to one day have the pleasure of knowing your work personally.
I will reflect on you and I hope one day to get there.
Rayane
Portugal
Have the classes already started? I’m from Brazil, and loved the idea!
what about the fee for the classes?
Hello Renen, classes are set to start end Jan, prices and details will be up in a bit, I suggest you sign up to cajonbox newsletter to stay updated with all the details! 🙂
Heidi
One trick i has seen and used to help with unwanted tones or buzz is to dampen the strings slightly by placing Velcro (hook and loop) inside the cajon over the back of the strings.
Put a small strip of hook cloth tape (about 2.5cm) on each side of the strings in the middle and then use a piece of loop (the soft cloth side) over the strings. You can tighten or loose the amount of dampening by how tightly you stretch the cloth when you press it over the strings.
Hello Bill,
This is a useful bit of info, thank you very much for sharing with us!!! 🙂
Heidi
Hello, could you tell me the total cost in U.S. dollars please? with shipping, for a guitar string Cruz model, shipped to the United States. Thank you
Hello Rush
You can convert the amount from GBP to USD Here: http://www.xe.com/ucc/
The price in USD will vary depending on the exchange rate so it is difficult for me to give you an exact figure, but it would be around $280 for the cruz cajon guitar string and $88 for the shipping and tracking to USA… hope this helps!
Heidi, Thanks for the info. I live in Santa Fe , New Mexico , and Katumba is coming from Cadiz next week to give classes on Cajon y palmas. I needed to buy a Cajon before he gets here so I had to order one from a store here in the states for quick delivery. It will really be great if you can get your Cajon into the stores here! Thank you for your videos , they are very helpful and lovely. I used to live in Barcelona , back in the mid ’80’s (pesetas!) and I pass thru every few years , next time I’m there I will come by the Cruz shop! Ole guapa –
Rush
Hello Heidi , great videos and great energy teaching 🙂 It would be lovely to have you here in Canada , Ottawa Ontario for a work shop. I’m a percussionist I play mainly Samba music and I just start adding the Cajon to my Samba . Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need to setup a workshop in our area.
Cheers to you
Hello Mehdi
Thank you for the comment, I will definitely be in touch if I want to visit Canada for a bit of a workshop!
Blessings
Heidi
Hi,
I play bongos with sticks and guitar,need to get a grip on cajon in a month for a gig. Please advise on skype lessons. Great site!
Hey James!!! Will do! Good luck with the cajon! Hope my lessons will prove useful!
Heidi
These bags look awesome – getting one fosho! How bout adding a stiched down strap on one of the panels so that you can carry it by hand as well? Just s thougt. Well done Heidi
this is excellent!!!!!!!!!
Hi Heidi I saw you playing in Cambridge in December and I would like to join your classes in Cambridge . Regard kostas
Hey Kostas!
Send me an e-mail at londoncajonschool@gmail.com so I can send you all the details and instructions on how to enrol. 🙂
Heidi
Hello,
just saw your video. Nice composition, nice duo cajon with Hang. I understand this video is also a promotional clip for cajonbox.com
You should be aware about the title of the video. Giovanni is using a Free Integral Hang which is obviously a wonderful instrument. I think their creators would not like to see it called “Hang drum” again.
I’m myself Hang owner and player and understand we should to be careful about the terms we use.
Thank you!
Hello Emmanuel
Thank you for your comment. Firstly I need to state that my videos are not made for promotional purposes, if it was so I would have made much shorter clips, as I am sure you can appreciate these videos take A LOT of time to edit and of course all of them will show my cajonbox logo. Cajonbox is also a free website with loads of very useful info on, and I believe anyone who enjoys my free videos would also enjoy and benefit from this free website. I do these videos and website because I enjoy it, I am not getting paid by someone for putting up the cajonbox logo… As per your comment about the title I give the video, you are absolutely right, and no offense is given by it, it’s just a fact that most ppl know it and refers to it as hang drum rather than just hang, I seriously do not see whats the big deal about what one calls it but then again I know the makers are very adamant about what it is called and so I will respect that, and seeing that it is a bit of a sensitive subject, I will change the title. Thanks for reminding me, Giovanni mentioned something like this but it slipped my mind, I suppose because I have not gotten myself a hang yet….. 🙂
Thanks for visiting my site and enjoying my cajonbox videos!
Hey Heidi and Giovanni, nice combination and awesomely played. I like the groove, your rolls and fills. And Giovanni you’ve got good talent on the Hang or Hang drum (btw hang or hang drum is no biggy) LOL
Keep em coming. Keep it real and give us more of your gigs.
cheers
Ansi from the Sunny Side of Life. 🙂
Hahaha Ansi I agree, no biggy about Drum or no drum lol! anyways, best to not offend ppl when one can help it… even though it itches me to be a bit cheeky hehe 🙂
Hope you havin fun with the cruz buddy!! Catch u in Maldives when I visit!
Hi Heidi,
I went to a live gig last week and saw a guy playing a cajon. I’m a vocalist who has just got together with two guitarists to form an acoustic trio. I loved the sound of the cajon and felt it added an extra special something. I decided to check out the ‘net to find out more…..I found you! Truly inspirational, I shall be purchasing a Toro very soon (I hope you ship to Greece) and will be following your videos. Many thanks for uploading these, I’m so glad I found them.
I see you’re intending a European tour….any chance of Athens being included?
Regards
Hazel
Hello Hazel!!!
Would LOVE tovisit athens, and hopefully we’ll do a concert there sometime!!! I’ll keep you informed! And I also got your order for a toro Cruz Cajon, we’ll be posting it out to you shortly! Sure you will LOVE it! 🙂
Heidi
Heidi, Great videos – I’m still getting stuff from them ! Love the new funky one ! Keep up the good work.
Built my own Cajon after hearing about the instrument for the first time this past summer. Bunch of us get together and play music on a river island nearby all summer on the weekends. Great time for a Cajon, was always just a bunch of guitars. Now i need some lessons. Pressure is on now. 🙂
Surprisingly the Cajon came out real nice. I like the sound. I think i will really love playing it. Childhood dream of being a drummer, partially fulfilled.
Jeff
Excellent news Jeff!!! Yes now those bonfire nights can have some beats, there sued to only be space for guitarists, aaah the wonderful days of the future! 🙂 Let me know how you fare with your playing!
Hi Heidi,
Thought you might want to know, the dimensions above are 50x50x30 but elsewhere its 30x30x50. (Sorry, my day job is proofreading/editing) I look forward to receiving mine, can’t wait to start playing 🙂
Hahaha hazel, thanks, I appreciate it! 🙂
Hi Heidi,
Thought you might want to know, you forgot the apostrophe in “elsewhere it’s”. Sorry, my day job is retirement. Love this instrument though! 🙂
I meant Hazel. That last reply was to Hazel. You can see why I’m no proofreader, with a mistaek like that, haha!
Hello Heidi,
Thanks for doing a great job with the instructional videos. I would like to buy your DVD when it is ready.
Thanks,
Gary
Hi Lady H,
Thanks for posting this video. I think it’s good to promote applications of the use of the cajon, as well as marterial that simply shows how to have fun with them.
I like the overall sound and like the fact that you illustrate a cajon “set-up”, not just the cajon. Those cymbals sound great – I’m guessing the one nearest the camera is the Xplosion you have mentioned in a previous entry, but please let me know. Also, the cajon itself: I didn’t get much of the crispy snare sound, did you have the strings falrly loose, or was this just the recording (or my speakers)?
Keep on rocking girl. If you ever venture further north than Cambridge, let me know.
Hey Clive
Thanks for the nice compliments on my videos and web! The cymbal closest to the camera is indeed not the AAX but a turkish 10 inch splash…. turkish rockbeat. As per the snares on my cajon, you are right, the videos sound is not really good, I unfortunately did not record the audio seperate so the mike used to pick up the sound is solely the video camera mike which isn’t very good at picking up the snary souynd of my cajon for some reason. I am working on recording the audio for all my videos properly in the future so you can have a moer realistic sound of the cajon.
Catch you North Of Cambridge! 😉
Hi Heidi! I’ve been wanting to learn to play the cajon for a while now but I am confused on what brand or style to buy. Does the style of the drum affect the sound that comes out, like if you were going for a hip hop feel? I know i’d be a very beginner but i’m hoping with alot of practice that I’ll get the hang of it. Hopefully you can help me in choosing my first cajon drum!
Hey Olivia!!1
Did you get my e-mail?
So nice to hear from you! And great to hear you getting started on the cajon! :-))
As per which cajon to buy, I would highly reccomend my cruz Cajon (piano strings) for you as a beginner who intends to be serious and practise, it is really good for your posture, the bass is really deep and the volume and sound is just awesome, not to mention it looks really cool! It might be a bit pricey for you though, and therefor I want to let you know that I am adding a cheaper cajon to my cruz cajon range, especially for beginners who are unsure if they will play a lot and are looking for a really great, but cheaper cajon to start with.
These will only be available in about 1 months time though……..
I would say that I won’t recommend you buy anything below £80 – £100 if you do intend to be serious and practise, before you know it you will have to buy a new one, meaning you have wated that money, as very cheap cajons have their bass situated very low, resulting in a terrible posture, and practising like that might make your bad posture a permanent habit, which can cause serious back issues not too far into the future… Also really cheap cajons don’t last. If you looks at cajons in the £150 – £200 you can be sure it
will be acajon that will last for a loooong time (even a lifetime if you don’t bash it like a wild beast)
My advice, don’t go for the cheapest for starting out (unless you are really very unsure if you’d even play it). If you intend to start practising, train right from the start with a cajon that is good. I seriously hope I helped you!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you so much for the website and videos! I have a ameteur musical background in woodwind instruments from my school years. I recently became aware of the Cajon and fell in love! I have never played any type of percussion instrument but with the help of your excellent tutorials I am picking it up and am already jamming with a local band after only a week.. I know I have alot still to learn- It is great to be able to just jump right in and actually play. I am having a blast!This is truly a remarkable instrument and you are an excellent teacher. Thank you for sharing your passion, expertise and talent with the world!
Hello Dragon Lady!
Wow nice msg thanks very much, made me smile! Appreciate your thanks and so happy to hear you are finding my videos and lessons useful!
Keep kickin!
Heidi
Learn more funk grooves? Yes, please! The more the better!
Hey,
I’m really interested in learning the cajon, I think that it sounds so therapeutic. Problem is I’m only free every other week because I work on a two week Rota of earlys and lates. I wondered if you did private lessons? Or a fortnightly lesson?? I live on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Thankyou
Hey Sarah!
Thanks for the msg! Why not drop in every 2 weeks to our Cambridge cajon class? I do not currently live in Cambridge so it makes it rather difficult to teach private classes, however, I could do it on Wed if you wanted to as I will be in Cambridge for the group class. Send me an e-mail and we can see if we can make it work somehow!
Thanks!
Heidi
What a versatile instrument! I received a cajudoo abayomi as a Christmas gift (held up by U.S. customs for a couple of weeks, but finally delivered in Nashville). Having now had a couple of weeks with it I am loving it. It is adaptable to just about any kind of music from funk to bluegrass. We even worked up some arrangements for bamboo flute/autoharp/cajudoo that sound great!
Hey P.M.
Wonderful to hear that you are having loads of fun with your cajudoo! They are truly amazing right? 🙂 I’ve been enjoying to record with them over the last week, and wow, what a sound they can create!!1 Keep me updated on what you’re doing musically, if you want, send me a short clip of you performing with the cajudoo and I might like to feature it on our website!
Heidi
Hi, I built a snare cajon a few years back and it sounds really nice. I’ve played drums for years and am always learning new things. You have really excellent meter and nice technique and I’m thankful for what you’ve been sharing here. I’ve learned some new cajon techniques already. Thank you.
Hey!
great to hear, thanks for your nice feedback! It’s always a blessing to hear our web and my vids are helping others learn!
Keep at it!
muy hippie !!! pero suenen medio bien si no fuera por los harmonicos ! que estorban bastante ! el udu de fibra es mejor ! lo interesante es la base de madera buena idea hay que mejorar la cuestion de la presion en los agudos !!
Hola Camilo!
Gracias por el mensaje! You are right, and thats why Hands on drums has improved their entire Cajudoo range, which is now available from our webshop. More videos with the new and improved cajudoo coming soon!
Appreciate your comment and review! 🙂
Heidi
te agradezco por los vídeos que subes a la pagina yo no soy profesional ni nada de eso tampoco tengo un cajón ya que no cuento con los recursos para adquirirlo pero para cuando lo tenga sera muy bueno por que sin el practico.
I love your lesson. I whish you have a lesson cd soon. Best whishes from Munich Germany
I was given a cajon at Christmas. I have never played percussion before and am an absolute novice (struggling with coordination!). I have been really impressed by your videos and think that lessons via skype would be useful – I can’t find any lessons in and around Edinburgh.
Dave
Awesome!! I love the smaller ones too… the sound.. is awesome! Keep me updated… i am anxious of any news on it! miss you!
Hello Rebecca!
How are you? It was wonderful meeting you and I sincerely hope you are thouroughly enjoying your new Cruz Cajon as well as the cajon bag (you bought our first bag ever!!)! You are one of the first people to have tried the new kids Cruz cajons, I will defo keep you updated!!! Much love from London to Singapore!
Heidi Joubert
Hey Heidi – me again…
I wanted to ask a few more questions about the piano wire cajon – having just spent an hour in a warehouse full of different cajons from £130 to £350!! I am looking for a really sensitive, full-on “rustlie” snare sound but also a big bass sound that doesn’t rattle. So the Cruz piano sounds good in theory. However, I would need to know just how sensitive the snare sound is. Is the piano wire adjustable? And, if you roll the fingers as you would do to imitate a snare roll for example, does it sound like a snare and is it sensitive enough to get good volume for a life gig with the fingers?
Yours warm heartedly
Cajon Clive
Hey Clive!!1
The piano string is not adjustable, and the snare sound is rather tight. If you want more of a crisp snare sound (especially for the finger rolls to be audible), and a super clean and punchy bass, I would suggest the guitar string. 🙂 hope it helps!
Thx 🙂
Hi Heidi,
Great website. REALLY good videos bout how to play the Cajon.
I’m a music teacher in germany. It helps me a lot to see it not only to read bout it in some books.
At home I play the Cajonito… that sounds good to.
Go ahead with your work/band/music.
I like it!
Sarah
Hey Sarah!
Nice msg thanks!! Great to hear yuou are diggin the web and video!
Bless you and maybe I will catch you in Germany!
Heidi
Greetings form Argentina. The abayomi seems like a versatile instrument for percussionist on-the-go 😀 Since im so far away I would like to know the shipping costs. for this beauty. I also wondered if you offer any sort of case or bag to transport the instrument itself. I already had one udu break down transporting it, and my second udu’s case – made by me- is, well, just not working. I hope i can get a reply from you soon, it’d be amaizing to actually play one of those.
Thanks for your time!
Hey!!
Yes I believe they have bags for these, I will find out and also find out the prices!
Heidi
check your e-mail plz~ 🙂
Hey Boram!
I am awaiting the reply of our artesan who will have the answers to your request! Be in touch soon!
Heidi,
Heidi,
By tuning and tape, I’ve been able to eliminate the buzz from my new Meinl Peruvian Cajone, but I’ve encountered a problem that I haven’t seen in any of my other models; a resonant hum. Any suggestions? Please help, I really enjoy the timbre of this model.
Pardon, I meant Flemenco Meinl Cajone, with two sets of two wires in the “v” formation
Hey Josef!
Harmonics is a well known issue with cajons, elite pro or beginner. Msot ppl don’t know this, they are aware of buzzing issues, but many are not ecen aware of hramonic. I only realised it was an issue when I first started recording the cajon, only then did I realise oh oh this is not good. truth is that it’s hard to remove this, and thats why we have developed the breakthrough piano string cajon, to avoid not only the buzzing, but also the harmonics. of course some have more harmonic issues than others, and most times it’s barely noticeable, but it does come out more if you tape your strings a lot in certain places, depending on your cajon. I have not found a solution to entirely remove the harmonics from a cajon, you either live with it, find a way to make it as quite as possible or look into another type of cajon, so I can’t help you here but to say you should perhaps think about getting one of our piano string cajons if the harmonics issue is driving you mad.
Heidi
Beginner her so excuse the stupidity of the question but can anyone tell me exactly how and where to tape and what exactly to tape it to?
Hello! Good question, you need to figure it out because where you tape would depend on where the buzz is being created. This takes a bit of time to determine and won’t ever be in exactly the same place with every case.
I suggest you try a few different places, try the cajon, and find that spot… its a bit of work but its lots of fun to get to know your cajon better this way!
Hope it helps
Pardon, i meant Flamenco Cajone, with dual “v” wires
This sounds like a good idea.
1. Will this be a one to one Skype session? (free Skype)
2. How is the time zone issue covered?
3. Is a video file of the session available?
4. Can I apply the class towards my PhD? (just a fun question.)
I am waiting for my Cruz piano string cajon to arrive (California) to join the other instruments.
Helloooo Tim!!
Firstly thanks for supporting cajonbox and for purchasing a Cruz cajon, I look forward to when you receivbe it and play it with much delight!
As per your questions, they will all be covered once I have all the details down(Just started up our London can Cambridge cajon school and it has taken most of my time and energy), but it’s almost set up and I will let you know all these answers as soon as I have the whole thing set ok! 🙂
Heidi
heidi hello! I’m from mexico city, I have 14 years playing drums and a year playing cajon thanks to your videos on youtube I learned many things! thanks beautiful and talented woman! and forgive my English is not very good, I hope someday you can come to mexico!!!!
Hey Erick! i am your friend on FB yes!!! i would love to visit Mexico, and jammin with the drumkit would be cool!! I am extremely hapy to hear that you have now been playing the cajon for a year thanks to my videos, thats great great great news! many thanks for your very nice comment!
i recieved a Meinl Headliner Cajon, Rubber Wood Front drum as a gift and whenever i hit it, there’s a buzzing echo-y sound. is there anyway i can fix it? i tried tuning the strings and loosening and tightening the outer nails in the front but i cant get rid of it.
Hello!
Thanks for your question, it is a very important question and one that gets asked frequently. The answer is yes, you can sort that buzz out, it’s not always easy but it can be done. If tuning the cajon doesn’t work and neither loosening the nails, you need to tape the strings down with duck tape (small parts, the not the entire string. You tap the cajon lightly and press the strings down one at a time with 1 finger, covering each point of each string. when you see that the buzz improves when you push the string against the wood at a certain point, tape the point down and continue doing this over different points on the different strings till you have removed the buzz. It isn’t ideal I must say, and sometimes to remove the buzz (especially if it’s a low quality cajon like meinl) means comploetely dampening the string sound, making it souynd more like a peruvian cajon than a flamenco cajon, but it’s worth trying, and it’s good experience. On the long run however, I would say you should plan into investing in a better quality cajon as a nicer sound motivates you to play more, and this could affect how fast you progress!
Alternatively, Why not look into buying one of our Cruz Cajon piano strings, this way you have no issues with buzzing!:-)
Hope I helped a bit….
Heidi,
Had a great time at the HANGOVER , despite the snow. I have posted photos on facebook if you’d like to become friends.
Also, one of the venues at which we run workshops in the Summer, Hawkwood College, near Stroud, is hoping to run a weekend with Layne Redmond in August….. thought that you’d like to know. IF this comes off , Lina and I will definitely be there- unmissable!
Barry
Hey Barry!!1
Thanks for the heads up, please do send me more details about this event I would love to check it out if possible!!! Bless you both and keep grooooooving and moooovin!
Hello my name is Jay, I am 15 years old and I have had my cajon for about 7 months, I am very keen to progress on my cajon playing, I also play the drums(kit). Ive really enjoyed watching your tutorials and I am very interested in your online skype lessons 🙂
Please can you let me know when you are likely to start giving lessons. I would have loved to have come to your group lessons in leytonstone but sadly it is just too far 🙁
Thanks again 🙂
Hey Jay!
Great to hear from you! I will defo let you know about my online cajon school once I got the details. Just out of curiousity, would it be easier for you to attend one of our cajon classes if we held it in central London? I am considering moving our cajon school more cetral for the next cajon course.
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
My son, aged 9, is learning standard drums and has been for 2.5 years. However, it’s rather a solitary occupation and a friend suggested I take him along to a percussion workshop to enjoy another aspect and fire his enthusiasm a bit. First of all, is he too young to attend the Cambridge workshops and if not, would he need to be at the first one and come to all of them? It’s quite a late finish for him on a school night. Are you planning any daytime workshops in Cambridge?
Many thanks!
Hi Louis
Good to hear from you. firstly, no your son is not too young, we have a few other youngsters in our class (it’s oretty mixed), there’s another 11 yr old, a 10 yr old, a 13 yr old, a 14 yr old and a 16 yr old. Seeing that he already plays drums, I am certain that he would definitely be just as good if not better on the cajon than most of the adult students! 🙂 He’d be most welcome, we started up yesterday, but you can enrol him from next week. If you want to do that, please send me an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com and we’ll get him on the course!
P.S about the saytime workshops, initially I wanted to do a seperate kids class at 4:30 pm on wed, but I need more interest, more kids interested to do that. I am working on it and it might just be that we split the class in about 2 weeks time once I have enough interest from the younger one’s. If you can promote it or just spread the news, that could definitely speed up this process! 🙂 I think I will get in touch with some of the musical directors in Cambridge who work with the kids, to see if they might be interested in letting people know about this cajon course)
Many thanks!
Hi Heidi,
I wish you a happy new year.
Your page is great and Skype is a wonderful idea.
I Play your lessions currently on the djembe after.
I am from Germany and my English is not the best.
At present I have just the rumba, but somehow hears the clock to something different if you’re playing fast.
Do you play then the ands just as ghost?
Many greetings from Hannover
Hello so nice to hear from you!!!
I like that you even use my lessons on the djembe, and why not!!! 🙂 Ole! As per your question, I found it a bit difficult to understand what you are asking… but I assume you mean if I plkay my ghost notes very soft? I play exactly the same fingers and patterns when I play the rumba fast as when I play slow, but when I play fast I have a lot more control over adding the ghost notes much soter, I assume this is what makes it sound a bit different. It’s just technique, and you can easily practise to get those little ghost notes very soft!
Please ask me again if I got your question wrong and I will try answer asap!
Heidi
I’m not really sure where to post this question so I’m trying here. I’ve been playing drums for 20+ years and recently got a Cajon. What would you recommend for myfirst cymbal? I love your site, I subscribed to your YouTube channel and newsletter and will be donating here soon, most would (and do) charge for something so comprehensive . I also play guitar and I am on a similar site teaching guitar which I HAVE to pay. Your awesome, thank you so much
Hello Chalres!
Very good question, and at an appropriate time, I have just finished filming a new video where I talk about my cumbals and demonstrate their sounds, and give you some reccommended ideas for your first cymbal, be sure yto be signed up to my newsletter (which I elieve you are) and subscribed to my channel, I am in the editing phase and this video should be posted up within the next few days!! 🙂
Heidi
I can’t wait! It’s so wonderful that you’re offering this. Thank you for all your great work and inspiring music.
So many people in the group only just managed to squeeze in the picture! Fortunately looks like you captured my best side 🙂 Great bunch. Great teacher. Looking forward to next lesson. Bring it on!
Hi Heidi.
Almost always listening to Vicente Amigo, Paco de Lucía, Chano Domínguez, etc. and now I have discover my next instrument, el cajón.
Listen
1-2……1-2-3……4-5-6……..7-8-9-10…….
Te suena de algo…
Don’t lost the “duende” that you have.
Miguel from Madrid, pura vida.
I am very interested in the online course. Please send all info required to take part.
Ken
Hey Ken!
We are no making all the plans ofr our nline school and it wouldbe great if you could send us an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com so we can get in touch directly with you via email. 🙂
Please sign me up
Ken
Sweet, can’t wait. Coming from a drumming background not having a cymbal at the moment kinda messes with me while playing Cajon, very new to the cajon but put on some acoustic music I had and was able to keep along but I sounded very repetitive, (Blurry puddle of Mudd acoustic is extremely fun!), and when I hit the snare should always be with two hands?
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for all of the free videos you’ve been posting! How long have you been playing? I’ve played the drums for a while and recently bought a cajon and I’ve learned a lot from your videos and just wanted to say you are amazing! You are a great teacher and I wish you had classes in Holland! Is there any chance that you know anyone in Rotterdam who offers Cajon lessons?
Hey Iked
I have messed around with the cajon for 5 years now, but only in the last 2 yrs have I started practising and becoming more serious…….
Thanks for your wonderful comment! I do not know anyone who teaches in Rotterdam, but I do know that we intend to start up a cajon school in rotterdam, amsterdam and all over the EU, collaborating with other really great teachers that I would personally reccomend! Also I might very possibly do a few workshops in rotterdam in the summer this year later, so subscribe to myt newsletter to stay updated on all this exciting news! 🙂
And in the meanwhile, you can join our online cajon school! 🙂
Thank you so much! I most certainly will!
Hi,
I would like to know the tune of each piece if possible…Thank you!
Xavier
Hi, recently bought a requena series cajon in red. And i adjusted the guitar strings but now there is a slight buzz once i hit it. It didn’t have the buzz before i touched it. I should have not touched it but i guess i need to learn how to tune the strings myself. This is my first every real cajon. I made one when i was in high school but it was way to big and it was more of a peruvian one with no strings or snares in it. What should i do to get rid of the buzz. And is requena cajons good? Cheers,
Marcus
Hey Marcus
It’s pretty normal that most guitar string and snare cajons develop a buzz, sometimes sooner than later. It’s an important lesson to learn though, if it aint broken, don’t try and fix it, but it makes you feel better to know that it would probably have started buzzing anyway. Now, there is quite a process with the buzzing issues of cajons, its a mixture of tuning the strings AND taping down the strings in certain points. Sounds to me like you should tape down some of the strings. It might take very long or very short, it depends. Also important to know that the buzz might go, or be less at times and this is because, firstly, the wood itself expands and retracts according to the temperature, and this also applies to the strings, so there is a whole lot of factors you need to take into consideration…..
I am not sure of requena cajons as I am simply in love with my cruz cajon and have not had any desire to play another cajon 🙂 They are not so popular in the UK and I have never seen one over here in the stores.
Hi thanxs for the info, i decided to replace it for a new version. And this one is really really really great!!! I haven’t played cajon much but did start playing percussion since i was 6 and now been playing drumkit for 6 or 7 yrs, i play mostly brasilian samba, bossa nova, baio. I like the cajon cause of its portability and its sound. I need to work on my samba’s, bossa’s more. Not confident yet. By the way how long have u been playing cajon for? Cheers 🙂 marcus
Hey Marcus
This is a very difficult question to answer, or rather, should I say easy? Anything can be good for all types of music, it depends on the players personal taste. 🙂
Hello Heidi,
Thank You so much for your cajon videos, especially the beginner series. I have learned a lot. You are a great teacher and take the time to explain how to play the instrument properly. Please continue to add to your beginner videos. One wish would be to see a whole lesson on the Bossa Nova technique with the use of just hands to play the basic rhythm. Its seems like such a simple rhythm, but I just can’t get it right. I will be buying your new CD soon as I love your music. I am a total fan of Fernando’s Kitchen. Any chance you are coming to the US to play, anytime soon? Keep up the great work!!!
Wonderful site. Have you had any experiences with shipping one to India? Was there a duty charged? Thanks.
Hey Aka, We have not had any duty charged with sending a cajon to India yet. Customs is pretty random for single packages, like most of our international orders, 80- 90% don’t go thru customs, but there is a 10% that just randomly gets held at customs, and there is no way to determine if this will happen or not. Sorry, wish I could control the customs!:-)
Хайди здравствуй!!! Ты и твоё творчество меня просто потрясли! На днях понял, что хочу научиться играть на барабане и случайно узнал о cajon. В интернете случайно нашёл твоё видео и влюбился ! :))) В тебя и как ты играешь. Я живу в Казахстане. Это рядом с Россией. У нас кахон очень редкий инструмент. Я видел его один раз давно. Теперь очень хочу приобрести этот инструмент, чтобы играть. Спасибо за видео!!! Ты можешь на сайте сделать видео уроки, для тех, кто только приобрёл инструмент??? Я бы с удовольствием начал по ним учиться. Видео для начинающих. Удачи!!! Спасибо!!!! Привет от русских! Пока!
Hello!
Thanks for your comment! Unfortunately I do not understand russian, so I translated it online, here’s what I got:
Хайди hello!!! You and your work me have simply shaken! One of these days has understood, that I wish to learn to play a drum and has incidentally learned about cajon. In the Internet has incidentally found your video and has fallen in love!:))) in you and as you play. I live in Kazakhstan. It near to Russia. At us кахон very rare tool. I saw it once for a long time. Now very much I wish to get this tool to play. Thanks for video!!! You can make on a site video lessons, for those who only has got the tool??? The beginnings I’d love to on them to study. Video for beginners. Success!!! Thanks!!!! Hi from Russian! Bye!
Well, I suppose the translator isn’t very good because I can’t really understand everything you are asking, If you want to rewrite to me in english I can answer ok! But thank you very much for the nice compliments and the comment, I hope you learn fast, it’sgreat to know someone in Khazakhstan is learning from my videos!!!
Heidi
Хайди привет ещё раз. Подскажи пожалуйста какой купить кахон??? Какой кахон будет лучше звучать под гитару? В интернете нашёл разные инструменты по размерам и ценам. Не знаю, что выбрать. Заранее спасибо!!! И как ты находишь время отвечать всем, кто тебе пишет? :))))))))
Hey!!! Again I translated it and this is what I got:
Хайди hi still time. Prompt please what to buy кахон??? What кахон will be better to sound under a guitar? In the Internet has found different tools in the sizes and the prices. I do not know what to choose. In advance thanks!!! And how you find time to answer everyone who writes to you?:))))))))
It seems you are asking which cajon to buy? I would recommend the CRUZ CAJON Guitar string, it’s the one I play the most. The colour is up to you what you prefer! 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Heidi, I was sending you emails before about skype cajon lessons, please let me know when this lessons start it.
Regards,
Hey Diego
Did you get my email? We are about to start up!:-)
Hi Heidi –
I am from Toronto, Canada. Thanks for posting your videos – they are very well done. I am also a djembe player that is used to notating rhythms. Could you tell me if there is a common notation system for cajon? I would like to notate some of the rhythms I have been learning and adapting to cajon, and I’d like to start with a system right so I don’t have to rewrite it later. Any information would be useful. Cheers.
Hey!
The cajon is still rather new so there is really no set way of doing anything on the cajon, however, what with it becoming so popular, there are quite a few ways of doing things that are becoming common. I just don’t completely understand what you are refering to.You mean the drum key? Which notes/sounds gets written on which ledger or line?
Thanks for the response. Djembe uses a slap, tone bass notation system. It’s sometimes written on ledger lines and sometimes written as S B T system eg. B T T S T T etc. Seems as the Cajon is so new that there hasn’t been a system written yet. If you find information, I would be interested. Cheers.
Hi heidi
I have been guitar since a year but nw I’m interested in playing cajon
can u please suggest and price limit and nice Cajon brand
(i can spare upto 150 bucks)
Hello John
The only cajon brand I wouldrecommend is my own signature line brand. I know it’s a bit above your price range, but not to worry, for the last month I have been working on adding a a few new models to my Cruz range, being the kids cajons and now also a really great quality, handmade, beginners cajon, which will be sold for a bit less than my current models. If you can hang in abit, I should have them out within the next month! 🙂
One thing I can say is that it will be the best value for money you can get!
Sign up to my newsletter for updates on this!
Bingo, I do appreciate you
Hi Heidi,
as I’m located in rural Scotland I would be very interested in your Skype lessons, please send me the details.
🙂
Hey George
If you send me an email at londoncajonschool@gmail.com, then I can send you a little form which you should fill out, ti will help me to determine the best times and days for doing the classes! The sooner the better, as we are hoping to have everything sorted and everyone enrolled to start within the next 2 weeks! 🙂
Rural area in scotland huh! That sounds fab…… 🙂
I’ll be 85 years old in June and have been playing Congas and Bongos for around 10 years. Started playing the Cajon (or trying to) about a month ago and find it a great instrument. I’m having trouble though notating your Bossa Nova heel strokes and wonder if you can tell me whether there are two beats between each pair of heel strokes or one. I assume you start the pattern with one heel stroke and then follow with pairs, with the cycle ending on one heel stroke. Hopefully I’m making myself clear. I’m also interested in your Skype lessons. I live in Nehalem, Oregon in the U.S. and wonder how your will handle the difference in time.
Thank you sincerely for sharing your expertise.
Peace,
Chuck
Hey Chuck
thanks for the comment. Yes you start with 1 beat on the bass, just like you say! 🙂 I will be posting up a video on how to do this rhythms with just the hands, it might be easier to do! As per online lessons, I am in the final planning stages so if you are interested, you should send me an email so I can send you a from that will help me to find the right time and day for doing these classes, hope that makes sense! Email me at londoncajonschool@gmail.com
Blessings!
Hello Heidi, i’ve been in contact with your videos lessons, you are amaizing.
I am a guitar player and fell in love with the cajon the first time, when i saw a friend playing,
so i decide to learned too. Watching your lessons, is like having a teacher at home. I am looking foward to purchasing my cajon from you.
Regards,
André Vertelo
Hey Andre
Thanks it’s great to hear from you! 🙂 I will be posting more videos so keep practising with them! And you will certainly love a cruz cajon if you get one!
H
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for your inspirational website and videos. It confirmed my desire to play cajon!
I bought a cajon at the start of the year and after three weeks of playing I got RSI. I was playing about an hour every day so might have overdone it. (Loved playing a bit too much I think!) Although I didn’t get tough skin (my hands are already tough from trapeze classes!), I think my hands are not shaped right when i hit them against the drum, as my joints (fingers, knuckles, wrists) were hurting after 3 weeks. Is there any way to reduce repetitive strain injury and would you might posting instructions/photos on how to shape your hands when playing, and whether to keep your fingers, wrists and arms tense or relaxed etc. I now have cajon brushes so if you wouldn’t mind posting instructions/photos on how to hold them too, that would be fabulous. I’ve heard that cajon brushes can help reduce hand/arm pain. Many thanks. 🙂
Hello Rex
Thank you for this comment. Your questions are very important, stuff I myself am looking into these days, and I will certainly do some videos and articles about specific playing methods and techniques to prevent pain and injury, as well as playing with brushes etc…
Sign up to the newsletter to stay updated to these ok! For now I would say never tense while you play ok! And take some breaks in your practising and playing time, say every 20 min take 5 min!
Thanks. 🙂 Looking forward to the videos etc.. Might try to come down to London for one of your cajon classes so you can see if my hands are doing what they should be. For now, definitely going to take it easier while the right muscles build. Thanks.
Hi Heidi I am very interested in Cajon lessons on line keep me posted.
I have been playing Cajon very badly for about a year now and was a singer in a Christian worship band and we needed a drummer because ours left and I tried the Cajon which fits I think better acoustically than a drum set, I am just about keeping up need to get more patterns under my belt.
Thanks
Exciting! Will be watching for this.
I am a Djembe player and purchased the natural Leon Cruz Cajon. After 6 weeks of spending time with Heidi’s online tutorials, playing live with my band and recording it in my studio, I am absolutely thrilled with how much this instrument adds musically, how clean it sounds and how much FUN it is to play! The quality and workmanship is outstanding. I would HIGHLY recommend this instrument to anyone interested in learning Cajon.
— Dianna Burrup, from Broken Arrow, OK, USA
I can hardly wait and am excited!
Hey Tarek!
Me neither man!!! 🙂 It’sa bit delayed due to fernando’s Kicthen (my band) album launch so just a bit more and we’re on it!! x
Hi Heidi, I am in Johanneburg, definitely interested. We have been investigating visiting you when funds permit. In the mean time this would be perfect.
Hey Jo from Jo burg!!!
Must be warm down there now! I miss my biltong! alot! but I supose the frustration of not having it here in the uk has made me start bashing boxes, so hey, not a bad thing!! haha!!1
I’llkeep you in the loop, I am still awaiting to get the forms back from everyone and set up details.
hello i’m french, i don’t speak very well english language perhaps i have a suggestion for you : avignon’s stage !! :-), it’s not a possibility ?why not! thanks for video and for you talent ! have a nice day
Hey!!! I’d love that!!! Can you arrange it for me?:-)
Much love
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
Started out on the cajon recently; as a bassist I can use the extra rhythmic feel. Your videos are great, they’re of great help. (and a pleasure to watch;-) )
Keep up the great work!
regardz
Pete (the Netherlands)
Hey Pete!
Thanks buddy! 🙂 Pleasure’s all mine!
I’ve just sent you an email !
Hope this will have success ! This is an excellent idea ! As many of us (I guess) aren’t from Cambridge, even not from England to take some courses with you, this is gonna be the solution for us! Thank you ! 🙂
People learned to drum well before they learned to read. Drumming is more a part of our nature than TV, the internet, texting, reading, and writing. Children have a natural attraction to drums and we should all follow their example. Adults are trained over time not to make noise.
Adults start tentatively and build confidence and spontaneity over time. Conservative people become wild musicians. Most people come alive when they try drums. The hair sticks up on the back of their necks and a big smile breaks out on their face.
People gain confidence and start riffing off each other. Don’t lose that child-like ability to make fun out of music regardless of your skill level. The fun is just starting.
Hey Tim!!!
This is an excellent comment, you should write a blog entry for me about this!! 🙂 Sure made me excited just readin it!
Please add Bristol (Bradley Stoke to be more specific) to your “summer tour” I work part time at a secondary school and I am sure a workshop (and maybe a gig) would go down very well.
X
Hey Bruce
Sounds great!!! Feel free to mention my cajon workshops to the person in charge of these things at the school, I would enjoy it!
I’ve been drumming for years but have just started playing (learning) the Cajon. This is wonderful advise, great tips! Just goes to show… you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! 🙂
Hahaha John (A Frame)
This is a very true comment, old is simply a state of mind! You can do anything at any given moment of your life if you really want!
Hi Heidi, taking advantage of this tips, I have a concern and I would like you give me an advice about it. What kind of cymbals to play with cajon, do you adviced me? I was searching on internet about it and I saw some recommendations as Sabian El Sabor picante hand crash 16″ or 18″, but I saw a couple of recommendations too about using a Sabian Splash, what would you recommended me?
Hey Diego
You couldn’t have asked this question at a better time, I have filmed an entire video of about 18 min running thru my cymbals I use and the ups and downs and giving some demonstrations of their sounds, it has taken a while to edit also because I have been way too busy with my band (Fernando’s Kitchen) new Album and our albmlaunch, arranging, editing, mising, recording, directing the other musicians…. not to mention my cajon school and cruz cajons, but it’s almost done and I hopeto have it up on youtube next week! It will really give you some great help on the “what cymbal do I get” question!!! 🙂 Sign up to my newsletter to be sure to get it emailed to you as soon as it’s up!
x
Hi Heidi, actually I’m signed up, I will wait for that video.
Regards,
Hi Heidi,
it would be SO great, if you would release some play-along tracks from your album, where the Cajon-channel’s muted !
What do you think about this ?
Stefan.
Hey Stefan
I think you read my mind!!! 🙂 This has defo been on my to do list as soon as the album is out!! 🙂 Smart man!
Very cool – looking forward to this!
Hi Heidi.
I’m from Sicily and I’m waiting for start Skype lessons! 😉
PS: You’re fantastic! I always watch your videos on youtube while I play my cajon.
awesome to hear!!! 🙂 Keep it up!
x
Hello there,
Thank you for your initiative…I would certainly join the online classes.
Pier from Brussels
PS Grande Claudia
First, I must say “unbelievable”. This performance went straight to my soul. The melody, the style, and the playing was very inspirational. Watching you both perform on your instruments was mesmerizing. You both were in that special place. I’ve never seen or heard a hang drum. I’m going to have to get one of those.
Thank you for recording and sharing this performance.
In researching Cajons I came across your website. You totally blew me away with the amount of information and insight on the Cajon. Can you explain the set-up your using in the video. The drums, cymbals and stands. A similar set-up will suit me well being that I was born and raised a rock and pop drummer from the states.
You mentioned a piano string Cajon on your site. What is the difference between that and the guitar string instrument? Do you sell those also?
You should see a purchase for a Toro Cruz coming from me soon. I need to get a Cajon for my bands acoustic sets and feel a connection to purchase it from you.
I like what you do and why you do it.
Ciao
T.
Hello Heidi,
My first Cajudoo arrived safely on Friday, and I’ve had a good opportunity to play it alongside our collection of 20 or so udus, ghatams, hangs, and halos.
WOW! what a great little instrument. Beautifully made, and surprisingly loud for its size. I love the ease with which you can pitch bend the notes from the wooden “skin”. This is a versatile and high quality drum, which I’m sure will be used in our future gigs and workshops etc as the HANGHANGDUO.
My only (small) criticism is that the size of the large hole makes playing traditional udu style (playing both holes, one with either hand) difficult for anyone with smaller hands. (I have even modified my favourite Schlagwerk udu, reducing the hole size using white “Milliput” epoxy putty. This hasn’t affected the sound, but has made it a whole lot more comfortable to play) .
Also , at £55 , including the cost of a courier from Germany, a real bargain….. and we are delighted. Thanks for introducing us to them.
Barry
Hi Heidi! I have fallen in love with the cajon!
I’m going to be in London soon and i hope to able to join your school!
Will have the piano string cajon in your store soon? And is it much deferent than the guitar string cajon?
Hi Heidi,
Just one word about your lessons …awesome !!!!. I am from India/Bangalore and found cajons costly here and I ended up making my own !.I started practicing it with you 🙂 on youtube. Thanks a lot for your time and lessons.
Regards
Ranjith
Excellent comment thanks!!! would love to hear how it went making your own cajon!:-)
wow That was amazing…infact I sold my first Cajon and made my next one ready. It was really good with a snare inside and now I have made a string cajon. I am daily visitor on your video lessons and big fan of yours.
Thanks and Regards
Ranjith
Started making it more professionally and sound and build quality is up to the market standards. Need to start creating with more graphics.
Hi Ranjit,
Can you please help me with guidance to make one for myself too?
I have been struggling to find an option that fits my pocket and obviously do not want to compromise on the output as well.
Want to make one with the best possible material available in India that gives a sound output, that rocks.
Thanks for all the help in advance.
God bless!
Thanks and regards,
Tarun
I would really love to learn to play the cajon and I really admire the fact that you take healthy posture into account when crafting the Cruz Cajons. I really want to get myself one, i think it is my soul instrument! When do you think you will have more in stock to be shipped to the United States?
Namaste
Hello Laurent! Thanks for your enquiry. At the moment I am unsure about my stock as we are making major improvement changes to my cruz cajon brand as well as expanding the range, and this coupled with the fact that we have been experiencing such a huge amount of orders and demand, it might yet be a little while… however, I must say that it will be well worth the wait, seeing that the cruz cajon will be better than ever before when we stock up again! :-)) Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated!
I am from US and am interested in buying one of your Cruz Cajons. They say out of stock. What are the primary differences between Cruz and PRK name brand?
Hello Kim! I got your msg on FB, did you get my reply? Thanks for your enquiry. At the moment I am unsure about my stock as we are making major improvement changes to my cruz cajon brand as well as expanding the range, and this coupled with the fact that we have been experiencing such a huge amount of orders and demand, it might yet be a little while… however, I must say that it will be well worth the wait, seeing that the cruz cajon will be better than ever before when we stock up again! :-)) Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated!
Hi Heidi,
I would like the ask more bout your cajon, is there a difference with Cruz and Toro besides the color? Thinking of buy a new cajon and donating my old one to my church.
I have been watching your video on youtube and it’s very helpful. Practicing on it now. Thank you.
Firstly i would like to know what kind of wood you are using on ur Cajon? my present Cajon is made from rubber wood and equiped with Snare string(Snare Cajon). Hope you can help me understand more the differences between String Cajon and Snare Cajon. I don’t know the difference about these 2 Cajon. Saw a gig one night at a local pub usingthe cajon as drum and was super interested and went up to him asking bout it. Without thinking much and bought one for myself.
Hope to hear from you soon and God bless.
Adrian Tan (from Malaysia)
Thanks for your enquiry. At the moment I am unsure about my stock and also about woods as we are making major improvement changes to my cruz cajon brand as well as expanding the range, and this coupled with the fact that we have been experiencing such a huge amount of orders and demand, it might yet be a little while… however, I must say that it will be well worth the wait, seeing that the cruz cajon will be better than ever before made of much better wood when we stock up again! :-)) Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated!
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for your reply, i will wait for your good news!
thank you very much,
Adrian Tan
I’m new to cajon druming and need help on how to play better I think cajons are fab
I play the gembi and changed to cajon there verry nice and would love to be tot how to far with it
Heidi,
Hi, I’ve been playing cajon for about a year, i live in the u.s and where i’m located their are no cajon players to practice with. Would like to take skype lessons. Need to work on my rolls, my rolls are awlful. Maybe you’ll have some advice on perfecting the heel-toe technique on the cajon. I’m also intrested in buying a cajodoo. Which one do you think is the most useful?
Love your music!!!
Richard Lee
Hello Heidi,
from my point of view it is already a fact that you are the most motivated/ing cajon teacher… please keep on rocking and believing in god!
And… could you please tell me how I can participate in learning from you somehow, even if I live in Munich/Germany. I read something about DVDs, a europe tour or skype lessons. Maybe there is a possibility to come to your school for some sort of a 1 week intensive workshop or something similar?
In each case I would like to get more detailed information.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Jonny Taubitz
Great аrticle.
how can I purchase a Cruz cajon? how much is that in dollars? .
I’ve been also watching ypur videos for quite a ling time and brushing up my workshop thanks to your tutorials… I’m absolutely lovin’ them! THANK YOU…can’t wait till LEON is in stock again! My cajon is getting older and I’m looking for a new experience and tune 🙂
Cheers!
Excellent as always Heidi.
Have you tried two cymbals together as a closed hi-hat for short sounds versus the ringing out of the splash/crash? Short and metallic to complement rather than contrast the cajon sound.
Really interested in the online classes. I have never played percussion instruments but had a fasination after I heard a band with a Cajon drum. Bought one and immediatley began playing. I am fortunate to have good friends in bands and they have been inviting me to play with them every Wed and Sun. LOVE IT but really want to learn to be able to play better. Thank you!
Hi Heidi,
please sighn me in. I am interesting in skype lessons
Karin
Are the Pro Cajudoo Abayomis available for purchase? I don’t see them in the shop on your site. I am from the US. How much are they in US dollars and what is the shipping?
I think it sounds awesome. Is the main difference between it and the Cajudoo Abayomi that the Pro version comes with the built in mic? Thanks!
I am also interested in the Pro Cajudoo Sekayi. The 7 or 8 inch version. Do you have it available and if so, how much does it cost.
Thanks!
Hey Jamie!!1
we are restructuring our entire shopping page and updating our cajudoo page, but in the meantime, you can purchase a cajudoo directly from the maker at cajudoo.com!
And the classes begin?
Thank`s for this great website, Heidi thank’s for your patience and love for the music and the instrument.
Hi Heidi!
Now that I’m through your beginner’s lesson I feel also dedicated to leave a comment here. 🙂
I used to play the drums until 6 or 7 years ago and then stopped making music completely (however I never gave up the plan to starting again!).
Looking around on YouTube for good rhythms I found your lesson’s and inspired by this I decided to get me a cajon (unfortunately not a Cruz Cajón which I first recognized after ordering the first one). A few weeks ago I joined a Irish Folk Band. They were looking for a drummer and I suggested to try it with my cajón and me. This weekend we played the first time publically and it was great. I only can say thank you! When you’re playing with your band in Germany I would love to see and hear you playing.
All the best from snowy Berlin, Germany.
René
Hello Rene!!!!
Great great news!!! Thanks for letting me know how my free lessons has helped you to play your cajon, and now playing gigs with a band, wll done!!!! Send me some videos when you get some of you guys playing!!! Maybe I will see you in Germany when I visit your country soon!!
x
There is one from our 2nd gig we had (bad quality though! But I think it’s a long way to go till we have professional recordings 😉 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFUue4g2-WY&feature=youtu.be
It’s not the Bulerías played on the Cajon but it’s Irish Folk, quite simple music which makes it so sympathic.
I recently added Bongos and the Meinl Cajon Bongo to my repertoire of instruments. The last one I find very interesting. It has a special sound and I was really curious to play it. A hybrid of the Cajon snare sound and bongo sound. It’s invented by Meinl themselves, isn’t it?
P.S. I really looking forward seeing some more Bulerías lessons. I think you are right when you’re stating that this is what a Cajon is made for!
All the best for your record release!
René
I’m a new convert Heidi, and ran across your video in my search for ideas. You’re so clear – definitive. It’s also obvious that you love what you do which is completely inspiring. I’m a multi-instrumentalist producer / composer with a studio in the San Francisco bay area, and was looking for something fresh. That would be you, and many thanks to you for sharing your awesome lifeforce with all of us. All the best, David Sovereign – Owner, Studio J by the Bay, Embarcadero Cove
Hello David!
Wowo what nice msg to read!!! 🙂 Great to know that I have somehow inspired you with all this and I do hope to visit your studio in San Francisco!!! it sounds great!
hey
I’m Qmars from Iran, it hard for me to wright in english, but i try
i find your site and your video in searching about cajon, with our internet it’s really hard to watch your video, but i watch some of them, i bought a cajon last day, its not wonderfull but not bad.
i’ll start my class from next wednesday with a great master of cajon in iran, but i’ll folow your video too and learn from you because your music is great, i reallyyyy like your playing.
i wish that some day i can Participation in your music class
excuse me if i have mistake in my message… <3
Haiii Heidy… I just wanna ask how to tuning cajon… I’m new cajon player… thankyou… 🙂
I’m from Indonesia…
Very good question!!! I will make a nice video on this, it’s hard to explain and easier to show ok!!! Sign up to my newsletter and you will be the first to know when the vid is up!
Hello,
I live in Niagara Falls Canada. I am curious as to how I might get my hands on one of these fine percussive instruments, and what the damage would be. Please drop me a line when you find the time.
Thank you
Jason Daniel Orescanin
Hey Jason
Our cajudoo page is being updated, in the meanwhile you can buy one directly from the maker on cajudoo.com ok!
i was hoping to get my new toro cajon for my latest show coming up on april which is close to my birthday and i just realize it’s not ready to sell yet, 🙁 me frustra un poco por que te admiro demasiado. Como doy el amor a la musica que hago, asi no este a tu nivel, pero estoy en la onda que tu me enseñas, y Ole!!
Gracias…
Darwish Iregui
Miami Fl. Planet earth.
Hey!!!
Aaah sorry bout that, the cruz cajon is pretty popular it seems, I will let you know when I have stock again! OLe back to you! 🙂
Hello there!
Just curious as to how much one of these beautiful instruments costs with applicable shipping and taxes to Niagara Falls, Canada? You peeps rock!
Thank you
Jason Daniel Orescanin
Hey Jason!
The cajudoo page is being updated, in the meanwhile you can visit cajudoo.com to by one directly from the maker! hope this helps
I purchased a bag locally from a limited selection to have something for protection. Most bags don’t have an outside pocket for accessories like brushed, music, and pads. This bag looks like it could be designed to have a large outside pocket for accessories. Please consider adding a large outside pocket to the design.
Hello!!
Thanks for the heds up, this is something very important and I had thught of it before, it is essential to have an extra bag for shakers/papers/scores/sticks etc on the cajon bag….. 🙂
Hi Heidi
I am a drummer from Krugersdorp, South Africa. I currently play for an artist named Gert Koevert (Afrikaans Rock – Originals)(see on youtube). We needed to do some acoustic sets and after “discovering” you on youtube, decided to go the cajon route. I built my own cajon with adjustable snares and started playing after downloading your amazing lessons.(will send some pics and sound clips later)
The whole band loves the “tribal” sound and feel of the cajon and it is now an integral part of our band.
Many thanks for your efforts to teach and inform people about this great “drum kit”
Regards
GAVIN
Hey Gavin!
Lekker to hear from you all the way from Krugersdorp!!:-) Keep kicking and don’t forget to share some of your pics/vids with me!
Hi Heidi
Off to play at KKNK in Oudtshoorn, will post when I get back.
Congrats on the album, hope the launch will be awesome.(viewing some of your band vids I am sure it will be!)
Keep on drumming!!
Do you know when we be able to buy on or when they will be in stock again.
Hey Ryan!
Soon! If you are signed upto my newsletter you will be one of the first to know ok!
Signed up for the newsletter – so looking forward to the new models!
Can’t wait to get one to Western Australia for some jamming with my best mate when he visits from Sydney over Cristmas!
Thanks for all the vids and tips
Kev
Is it possible to buy your cajons in Canada?
Hey John
We are working on getting our cajons distributed in Canada very soon, at the moment we have not got any stocked in Canada, but soon!
Hi heidi. I am from nepal far away you….i used to play drums but its been a long time i didnt touch cuz its take big space and i dont have such a big space so i make my own cajon and trying learning by watching your videos so plz keep posting more videos so i can learn fromit
Hey! 🙂
Yip cajon is a good sub for the drum kit! 🙂 I will keep posting vids k!
..just fabulous…..playing from the heart and enjoying what you do as a artist …so commendable….jr
Yes! I am very interested in taking the onlie classes. i am from Malaysia.
Thank you for sharing it.
regards,
wei wei
I am stationed in Japan and don’t know where to go for Cajon lessons so online ones would definitely help. Please sign me up!
Heidi.. WE LOVE YOU!
Hahaha, right back at you Claudia!!!
Heidi!!
These are some great instructional videos you have going here. Really diggin it! They are totally a ton of help; so thanks so much for doing this. I would like to ask where you get your loops from in garageband. I really liked the way you had your iPhone playing the kickin bass lines for the Blues Shuffle in Lesson 5. If there is any way that I can grab that bass file from you or you can point me in the right direction so that I can grab some off the internet, it would be really cool. I’ve been trying to get the shuffle groove for awhile now and I think the garageband thing is an awesome idea. Thanks in advance,
~Ben
Hey Ben!! I will be uploading a video showing you exactly who to do it!! It;s hard to explain in words, so subscribe to my Youtube channel to make sure you get it when it comes out!
I have had the Cruz Cajon for a week now and have some observations. I took it to the local music store to purchase a bag and the staff was blown away by the sound and visual quality. I got to play it next to the store offerings and am pleased with my choice. The Cruz had a better sound, was more versatile, and just looks better. The staff thinks that I am a pro and I didn’t tell them that I am a guitar player.
The box has distinct zones for snare and bass at the top of the instrument and is comfortable to play. Your hands can stay at the top to save your back. That is a major selling point for us elderly or anyone that wants to put in serious time playing. The center zones have less snare so it is easy to change the sound by moving to the center of the box. The amount of attack required to practice is ver