So you want to use the cajon drums at your gig, but you are wondering what it would require to pull it off. One thing you should put in mind is that the cajon is just like every other instrument, and it needs good sound production if it is being used in a gathering. Often the cajon can serve this purpose on its own with its natural sound. However, it needs microphones and quality sound mixing if it is not used in a small gig or gathering.
Your gig has to be tight; else you would lose the support of the crowd. If you intend to build a fan base, your performance and sound quality would have volumes to say on the amount of support you would get at the end of the show. The exciting thing is that the cajon drum is that its requirements for gigs are simple, yet complicated. You should know that any acoustic instrument would require the support of microphones for the sounds to be produced. That is why the cajon needs good sound production from you so that it can give your fans the best.
What is the Cajon Drum?
It is a box-like shaped percussion instrument traditionally played and originated in Peru. It looks more like a coffee box if you look at it well enough, and you would notice the resemblance in no time. It is played by striking the surface of the box, especially the front face called the ‘tapa’ to produce sounds. The sounds that may emanate from the cajons are diverse and make the drums sound a bit complicated than it seems. The various sounds include striking the side faces, the edges, and even tilting the drum a bit while striking the faces to produce some sounds (this particular type of sound is usually hollow, like hitting an empty box).
The faces of the instrument are made with thin plywood. It is usually struck with the fingers and hands. However, some use mallets, brushes and even the traditional drums sticks to play it. The plywood used on the surfaces are not too thin that they might break from hitting, and they are not also too thick that they might produce a very hard sound. The idea of using plywood for the cajon drums is a modification of the traditional instrument. The conventional instrument is usually made out of packing crates, and how it produces its groovy sound is something that is astonishing.
The instrument is famous in Afro-Peruvian music, and other styles of music such as in flamenco, Latin, and host of others. The thin plywood sheets used for the cajon are about 0.5 to 0.75 inches thick on the five sides of the box. The sixth side or face, known as the batter head (tapa), is made from thinner plywood attached to the rest to form the box shape. The batter head is called the ‘tapa’ by the traditional folk. Its sounds can be controlled, and one way of doing that is by cutting a circular hole at the back of the box opposite the ‘tapa.’ The hole at the back also serves as a release for the bass sounds, and it is where you place your microphone if you want to get the boomy sound of the drum box.
The versatility of the cajon drum is one to reckon with, and one can but wonder if there are limits to its use in the music industry.
The Cajon as an Accessory in Hip Hop GIG
If you feel the cajon drum is necessary as an accessory in your gig, then prepare to provide the essential requirements. Miking the drum requires two microphones; one in the front for the tapa and another at the back for the hole. These two microphones work hand in hand, although, one is reversed in polarity because the two microphones are facing each other in opposite directions. The ideal microphone for the tapa is the Cardioid capacitor microphone. It is suitable for capturing the bright surface sounds of the cajon drum. You may wonder how to choose the right one for me, no worries The Best Cajon Drum of 2018: The Definitve Guide will get you prepeared in no time.
The instrument requires a full range capacitor microphone for the back hole, to produce and enhance the bassy effect of the drum.
If you are considering gig on a lower budget, we can assume that every accessory or auxiliary instrument would not be provided quality equipment as the primary instruments. So to make ends meet, you can get a cheap booth or an isolation screen to ensure that the sounds of do not escape.
