Love it! I've used this exact setup for over a hundred gigs over the past few of years, I just use bongos instead of a djembe. I also attached a strip of metal to the front of the cajon to attach my pedal to. The heel technique does take a while to develop. I actually backward engineered a double pedal so I could play in the conventional way, I used it for a while but eventually went back to this setup.
The only thing I can recommend is to angle the djembe the other way, away from you, since you're hitting it with your hands the angle of attack will be a lot more natural and won't hurt your wrists plus you'll be able to use the edge of the drum to create a nice high pitch slap that's very typical of the djembe, and in adition to the open tones you're already doing.
I'm using a Meinl "Bass-Box" cajon and a Meinl "Mountable" Cajon Snare with Zildjian cymbals 13" ZBT Hi-Hat 12" ZXT Splash and I'm using a old Yamaha 14" Top Hi-Hat cymbal use as a mini Crash/Ride
Been playing a cajon with nylon brushes for a band that does the retirement home circuit for a while now. I've just added a high hat and because of this video, I've just picked up a kick pedal. I added a tuned port to the cajon hole (it really increased the bottom end). For miking, I use a B52 clone in the port and a SM57 in front. Those short mike stands really are a help. Thanks for the ideas and the suggestions.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who plays the cajon as a kick in this way. While the cajon pedals that are out there are great & all, they seem an unnecessary purchase when you can just play like this. Great stuff here, brother! You inspire more than I have words for.🤘🏻🤘🏻
Great video Stephen. The Cajon used to drive me nuts, so I bought a metal clamp that clamps the cajon and includes a lip to attach pedal to. I started with a wooden snare and a travelling conga, which sounds gorgeous. It's very inventive and liberating and eventually you just grab your snare and hi-hat and ride and go. Peace.
At some point u said "cajons usually don't generate much lower end" and I immediately looked at my DIY cajon made from OSB and a random piece of plywood (for front) which generates more low end than my friend's normal bass drum 😅 I definitely encourage you to try to build one yourself if u wanna check out something new. For everyone trying to build their own ones: don't follow tutorials - just think. For example, I built my cajon with a detachable top that lets me store things inside - no tutorial will suggest u such things and onestly it's great. I also made a strap for cajon, some attachments (like for ex. small attachable tambourine) and a dedicated pillow, which lets me use it as a normal workchair. I also made this thing which lets u hit the front with your heel, but it's not that great.
I'm not much of a drummer, but I play percussion for our group, and I've been playing a djembe with left hand and jazz brush in the right for years. It's a great, small rhythm package.
Amazing how much we drummers can get away with little money. Thanks for the advice. I inherited my grandpas Cajon. He had put a machine driven beater on it and now I've freed it from it's old home and plan to build a sweet percussion kit.
I love these ideas! Thanks .. I'm too old to sit on the cajon for more than 5 minutes without doing myself permanent damage -) so I went with the Pearl Traveler 'mini' kit with a couple of additions - like the HH for sure. Thanks for posting this.
There are also cajon pedals connected via a cable or direct-drive (I have both), so it’s more like a standard kick pedal (heel play not required). My mini-kit was cajon with cajon pedal, snare drum, hihat, ride cymbal, crash cymbal. But recently I switched to an Octapad-based mini-kit with external electronic hihats, snare, kick pedal, and crash cymbal.
Thanks, I made me own direct drive pedal so I can use the ball and toes of my foot insteadv of the heal. It is truly neat but as you say the cajon low end doesn't travel too far, though that depends on the cajon and the space you are playing in, if playing on the street you can back onto some nice recessed shop fronts that are great sound reflectors
Thank you! I was going to buy one of those pedal adaptors for my cajon, but now I see I can use some scrap wood to build a platform. Also will enhance resonance.
Hello.. This is a great video... And "this" is the kick sound i want. Can i learn the model of the cajon and the mic you used while recording.. Thanx .
Great vid! I call my clone of your cocktail kit my “coffeehouse” kit. For a snare I have a gretsch ash 10x6 side snare mounted to my Hihat stand but I do have a cymbal stand with a 12” splash/10” trashformer effects cymbal mounted on it. Like you, I also use a shure pg52 as my kick mic but I don’t set it inside like you do, you see down here in Texas we don’t have cool things like white elephant parties 🤣 in fact, I have yet to take my drum set out of the house to play, and instead I’ve always used this because of its portability. It plays quiet and with additional mics, can get just as loud as I’ll ever need. Also being in Texas, this kit is very practical with all the open mic guys wanting to play sad/slow country western songs that I only use the cajon itself on😐 Another difference is I use a DW5000 cajon pedal that has been my answer to cable driven pedals and the cables stretching and breaking. If I really want to get fancy, instead of a djembe’, I bring along the small 14x10 floor Tom from my old pearl roadshow kit. Thanks for the great vids! I’ll try to send ya an email with pics of my coffeehouse kit bro!
I was thinking about doing this exact same thing for the cajon and a kick drum pedal. Build a little platform I can clip a pedal to, elevated to level out the platform. I also have a snare cajon so with nylon brushes and a hat this will be my perfect latin practice kit. The snare octo cajon is too cool. I'll play my left hand over the port hole to pitch bend the bass timbre of the octo snare. I need to break out my table saw and make that platform.
I’ve been thinking about how to attach a pedal to a suitcase bass drum and the method you just shared is the way to go it think. Thanks man! Happy drumming! Bret - Echo 13 podcast
Yes good stuff! I have a similar set up with guitar, bass, looper pedal, etc...one man band. A cut tennis ball with cloth on it works well for a beater by, I put it over the beater.
very interesting Stephen, I play with cajon snare hihat and instead the djembe i Have the roland spd sx! with rock bands I used to add a crash rider for specific beats!
My setup is pretty unique. I’ll share it with you some time in the future... but it’s unique, and uses no sticks, no high hat, and no cymbals. You’d be surprised at what the mind can come up with when you find out that the provided drum kit... didn’t include a snare, but they didn’t give you that information prior to arrival, and there was no time to go get one. That is what started my journey into forming a compact kit that was extremely out of the ordinary. It allows me to play Latin, calypso, rock, country, disco, funk, swing, r&b... whatever you can dream up.
I've just built pretty similar setup recently. Still learning, as I used to play just cajon before, veeery little real drums set (cymbals, hihat, ..). Nice to see some tips/tricks... Thanks, also for other videos, really good job! Oh, and good to see that more people find this legit 8-)
Thanks! Do you have a video that breaks down the first demo beat you're playing at 3:47? I feel I should be able to play it but I can't... with all those sick ghost notes.
Such a great tone with this compact kit. Is that the Evans EC frosted snare head? It sounds more resonant than what I’d expect for a twin ply but I’m guessing that’s what it is.
Mr. Clark YOU ROCK!! So nice (your playing Less Loud) & technique . Inspiring & funny how resourceful . Hitting on 2 things I've cared about for many years- Play less Loud & resources as a lifestyle, Americans are shameful regarding waste. I'm not super tech savvy nor as great a player as you, though likely have put in more hours. My home burned down 7+ mo. ago.Lost most of my life's possessions SO MUCH EQUIP. 😿. Re- upping on 🎵stuff but MY writing has always been too unorthodox for radio ('cept college?) I'll continue to ✔️you out but have resigned to doing standup, though Music will always be my ♥️. Luv comedy but truly has shelf life of milk. Great Music is more timeless. Not Gay, though do perhaps over use emojis✌🏻. REALLY impressed by your play- very nuanced !
John Robinson that way he doesn’t have to bring a throne along with the kit. As he said, he’s kind of a minimalist, so using the cajon as a seat just makes one less thing to bring to gigs
Absolutely, my man and dynamite presentation. Did a lot of busking with drummers. There is something to creativity and stripped down eq. The most balanced volume came across when the bandana was on the snare and haven't decided if it's because of the nature of the cajon being a less resonant instrument overall or the beat itself was more spartan. Perhaps both. Once again, excellent demonstration.
Stephen, this is FANTASTIC!! Well done! I love all of the various sounds youre able to get with this setup. Id love to know which djembe youre using? I actually have a cajon and a few different piccolos to use. Im inspired to try this! Thanks dude!
I have a Cajon, it is very uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time. I thought using a pad on top would heart the sound. But you have one. Do you use a special type? Or does it matter? I looked but didn't see any videos on your channel about this topic.. Help
My cajon always move forward after a couple of hits during the gigs.. How can i fix this problem?(i dont use it with the heels but like a normal bass drum)
Dude, there is some great playing going on here FOR SURE. I just dont think this actually functions (sonically) as a very realistic drumset alternative. I'd say trade the djembe for a 18' Zildjian Uptown Ride!
Wow that towel trick on the cajon just solved my hatred for cajon kits. It actually sounds like a damn kick drum and not a $180 plywood box.
No Kidding. Best kick drum sound I've heard in a year or two
Thanks for using stuff you already have instead of having to buy a bunch of new stuff
Love it! I've used this exact setup for over a hundred gigs over the past few of years, I just use bongos instead of a djembe. I also attached a strip of metal to the front of the cajon to attach my pedal to. The heel technique does take a while to develop. I actually backward engineered a double pedal so I could play in the conventional way, I used it for a while but eventually went back to this setup.
The only thing I can recommend is to angle the djembe the other way, away from you, since you're hitting it with your hands the angle of attack will be a lot more natural and won't hurt your wrists plus you'll be able to use the edge of the drum to create a nice high pitch slap that's very typical of the djembe, and in adition to the open tones you're already doing.
I play my snare tilted away, traditional grip, so that's a good call. Thanks.
I'm using a Meinl "Bass-Box" cajon and a Meinl "Mountable" Cajon Snare with Zildjian cymbals 13" ZBT Hi-Hat 12" ZXT Splash and I'm using a old Yamaha 14" Top Hi-Hat cymbal use as a mini Crash/Ride
the way you set the pedal and sit on the cajon is genius! Already subbed but you definitely are a gifted musician!
Been playing a cajon with nylon brushes for a band that does the retirement home circuit for a while now. I've just added a high hat and because of this video, I've just picked up a kick pedal. I added a tuned port to the cajon hole (it really increased the bottom end). For miking, I use a B52 clone in the port and a SM57 in front. Those short mike stands really are a help.
Thanks for the ideas and the suggestions.
As a fellow minimalist and DYI type guy, I tip my hat off to you sir. Absolutely Brilliant!
6:28 - 6:44 My FAV part...esp when you brought in the djembe! Nice groove!!
Good, creative ideas! Best takeaway for me was the towel on the cajon for the beater! I'll also try a towel inside the cajon. Thanks!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who plays the cajon as a kick in this way. While the cajon pedals that are out there are great & all, they seem an unnecessary purchase when you can just play like this.
Great stuff here, brother! You inspire more than I have words for.🤘🏻🤘🏻
Great video Stephen. The Cajon used to drive me nuts, so I bought a metal clamp that clamps the cajon and includes a lip to attach pedal to. I started with a wooden snare and a travelling conga, which sounds gorgeous. It's very inventive and liberating and eventually you just grab your snare and hi-hat and ride and go. Peace.
sounds fabulously fantastic
but let’s say 70% is your playing 20% the kit
10% your enthusiasm
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😎
Thanks so much for this video. I really enjoyed using my "new" mini-kit at practice tonight, even the band leader was impressed!
At some point u said "cajons usually don't generate much lower end" and I immediately looked at my DIY cajon made from OSB and a random piece of plywood (for front) which generates more low end than my friend's normal bass drum 😅
I definitely encourage you to try to build one yourself if u wanna check out something new.
For everyone trying to build their own ones: don't follow tutorials - just think.
For example, I built my cajon with a detachable top that lets me store things inside - no tutorial will suggest u such things and onestly it's great. I also made a strap for cajon, some attachments (like for ex. small attachable tambourine) and a dedicated pillow, which lets me use it as a normal workchair.
I also made this thing which lets u hit the front with your heel, but it's not that great.
I'm not much of a drummer, but I play percussion for our group, and I've been playing a djembe with left hand and jazz brush in the right for years. It's a great, small rhythm package.
Amazing how much we drummers can get away with little money. Thanks for the advice. I inherited my grandpas Cajon.
He had put a machine driven beater on it and now I've freed it from it's old home and plan to build a sweet percussion kit.
just love your setup, which sounds great. love the minimal uncluttered feel. you've certainly
got your own sound which sounds really jazzy and cool
I love these ideas! Thanks .. I'm too old to sit on the cajon for more than 5 minutes without doing myself permanent damage -) so I went with the Pearl Traveler 'mini' kit with a couple of additions - like the HH for sure. Thanks for posting this.
Brought the funk at 5:42 ! Excellent playing and great sounding setup!
Thank you. A lot of little big tips and advice.
Thanks for teaching me how to use the bass pedal to plywood method. It works great! I saved money from buying a $300 cajon pedal. You're the best!
There are also cajon pedals connected via a cable or direct-drive (I have both), so it’s more like a standard kick pedal (heel play not required). My mini-kit was cajon with cajon pedal, snare drum, hihat, ride cymbal, crash cymbal. But recently I switched to an Octapad-based mini-kit with external electronic hihats, snare, kick pedal, and crash cymbal.
Thanks, I made me own direct drive pedal so I can use the ball and toes of my foot insteadv of the heal. It is truly neat but as you say the cajon low end doesn't travel too far, though that depends on the cajon and the space you are playing in, if playing on the street you can back onto some nice recessed shop fronts that are great sound reflectors
Great video. Just in process of getting a "cocktail kit" together so I will be using some of your ideas. Thanks so much.
just received my Meinl heel kick peddle! will be woking it so soon should be second nature... thanks! - R
Very creative. Minimalist and versatile. Awesome.
Thanks ready to make music. Love the explanation on the elephant mic cajon . Gotta love those xmass presents.🇦🇺👍
man that works so well !!! I'm so impressed, i'm definitely gonna try to do something like this ! :p
Amazing playing
That piece of plywood was a great idea....... Really helped a lot :)
Thank you! I was going to buy one of those pedal adaptors for my cajon, but now I see I can use some scrap wood to build a platform. Also will enhance resonance.
Hello.. This is a great video... And "this" is the kick sound i want. Can i learn the model of the cajon and the mic you used while recording.. Thanx .
Great vid! I call my clone of your cocktail kit my “coffeehouse” kit. For a snare I have a gretsch ash 10x6 side snare mounted to my Hihat stand but I do have a cymbal stand with a 12” splash/10” trashformer effects cymbal mounted on it. Like you, I also use a shure pg52 as my kick mic but I don’t set it inside like you do, you see down here in Texas we don’t have cool things like white elephant parties 🤣 in fact, I have yet to take my drum set out of the house to play, and instead I’ve always used this because of its portability. It plays quiet and with additional mics, can get just as loud as I’ll ever need.
Also being in Texas, this kit is very practical with all the open mic guys wanting to play sad/slow country western songs that I only use the cajon itself on😐 Another difference is I use a DW5000 cajon pedal that has been my answer to cable driven pedals and the cables stretching and breaking. If I really want to get fancy, instead of a djembe’, I bring along the small 14x10 floor Tom from my old pearl roadshow kit. Thanks for the great vids! I’ll try to send ya an email with pics of my coffeehouse kit bro!
Love it! My wife and kids love that it’s quieter as well haha!
I was thinking about doing this exact same thing for the cajon and a kick drum pedal. Build a little platform I can clip a pedal to, elevated to level out the platform. I also have a snare cajon so with nylon brushes and a hat this will be my perfect latin practice kit. The snare octo cajon is too cool. I'll play my left hand over the port hole to pitch bend the bass timbre of the octo snare. I need to break out my table saw and make that platform.
I love the grooves man👏🏼🙌🏼✊🏼👍🏿
Sounds amazing!
What a great drummer
I’ve been thinking about how to attach a pedal to a suitcase bass drum and the method you just shared is the way to go it think. Thanks man! Happy drumming!
Bret - Echo 13 podcast
Nice! I would use smaller diameter hihats also
Awesome presentation bredren 👍🏾 Thanks for sharing
Like adding towel to the inside to change the sound all depends on thicker or lighter towels
Gracias me ayudado mucho, estoy tratando de configurar mi percusion para lugares pequeños o grandes con microfonos.
Now this was cool--definately one of the more creative things I have seen in some time. What a clever and great sounding set up. Chapeau bas monsieur!
You literally just saved my best friend’s wedding surprise show for his bride with this hack, thanks a lot man
Yes good stuff! I have a similar set up with guitar, bass, looper pedal, etc...one man band. A cut tennis ball with cloth on it works well for a beater by, I put it over the beater.
Found this video useful, thanks for giving great video brother. Cheers 🥂
Dope set up, found you typing diy cahon pedal ,🙏thx man
what are those nylon brushes you're using? thanks
Such a lovely sound.
Awesome Stephen! What a creative setup and ideas. You play with those brushes extremely well! This video is really cool! Thanks!
That’s a genius Cajon bass drum setup. You could throw some L80 hi hats on it too if you wanted to make it super quiet
You can make so much music with a tiny minimal kit!
This is exactly the setup I need for recording!
Superb drumming
Sounds great!! NIce job brother!!
very interesting Stephen, I play with cajon snare hihat and instead the djembe i Have the roland spd sx! with rock bands I used to add a crash rider for specific beats!
I muted my hihat with a piece of fabric inside of hats.
You can make some kind of loop around a rod and it shortens the sound nicely
Very good video and pointers! Maybe a low volume hat would aid in the mix?
Awesome video!!! Thank you! You’ve given me a lot of inspiration!!!
Excellent and super helpful. Thanks!!!
My setup is pretty unique. I’ll share it with you some time in the future... but it’s unique, and uses no sticks, no high hat, and no cymbals. You’d be surprised at what the mind can come up with when you find out that the provided drum kit... didn’t include a snare, but they didn’t give you that information prior to arrival, and there was no time to go get one. That is what started my journey into forming a compact kit that was extremely out of the ordinary. It allows me to play Latin, calypso, rock, country, disco, funk, swing, r&b... whatever you can dream up.
You made me curious! 😉 Details, please? 🙏
Really inspiring, thanks. I really want to buy a cajon now and start experimenting with set ups.
I've just built pretty similar setup recently. Still learning, as I used to play just cajon before, veeery little real drums set (cymbals, hihat, ..). Nice to see some tips/tricks... Thanks, also for other videos, really good job!
Oh, and good to see that more people find this legit 8-)
Excellent information stay safe
Amazing combinations,thousands sound to go!
Thanks! Do you have a video that breaks down the first demo beat you're playing at 3:47? I feel I should be able to play it but I can't... with all those sick ghost notes.
I like the heel drive pedal. I air drum that way a lot, wish I could do it at the kit.
Such a great tone with this compact kit. Is that the Evans EC frosted snare head? It sounds more resonant than what I’d expect for a twin ply but I’m guessing that’s what it is.
stephen: your kit sounds really good and your playing is wonderful. do you have a special bass drum mic? how will it sound without amplification?
Mr. Clark YOU ROCK!! So nice (your playing Less Loud) & technique . Inspiring & funny how resourceful . Hitting on 2 things I've cared about for many years- Play less Loud & resources as a lifestyle, Americans are shameful regarding waste. I'm not super tech savvy nor as great a player as you, though likely have put in more hours. My home burned down 7+ mo. ago.Lost most of my life's possessions SO MUCH EQUIP. 😿. Re- upping on 🎵stuff but MY writing has always been too unorthodox for radio ('cept college?) I'll continue to ✔️you out but have resigned to doing standup, though Music will always be my ♥️. Luv comedy but truly has shelf life of milk. Great Music is more timeless. Not Gay, though do perhaps over use emojis✌🏻. REALLY impressed by your play- very nuanced !
Hi, wich brushes do you use at 4:20? TY! :)
THANKS VERY HELPFUL
This is so cool
Nice setup! I've never used a cajon as a bass drum. What's the reason for putting it behind you rather than in front of you like a real bass drum?
John Robinson that way he doesn’t have to bring a throne along with the kit. As he said, he’s kind of a minimalist, so using the cajon as a seat just makes one less thing to bring to gigs
Absolutely, my man and dynamite presentation. Did a lot of busking with drummers. There is something to creativity and stripped down eq.
The most balanced volume came across when the bandana was on the snare and haven't decided if it's because of the nature of the cajon being a less resonant instrument overall or the beat itself was more spartan. Perhaps both. Once again, excellent demonstration.
Very nice. Piccolo got a surprisingly good cross stick sound too. That the EC2 head?
Stephen, this is FANTASTIC!!
Well done! I love all of the various sounds youre able to get with this setup.
Id love to know which djembe youre using? I actually have a cajon and a few different piccolos to use.
Im inspired to try this!
Thanks dude!
Whats the stand you use for the djembe?
Thanks for this 😊
Might do this for an acoustic set I have next week.
How are you muting the snare wires in cajon?
What about replacing the cajon with a stompbox and small amp to get the low end if you have to mic the cajon anyway?
I have a Cajon, it is very uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time. I thought using a pad on top would heart the sound. But you have one. Do you use a special type? Or does it matter? I looked but didn't see any videos on your channel about this topic.. Help
You can also use you Zildjian L80s on this kind of kit I guess :-)
@Stephen would you mind sharing the actual equipment you are showing here? Especially the kick pedal kit...
Gibraltar pedal.
What do you use to attach the djembe to the stand ?
Bro! Go to Gym! Build some muscle! Awesome channel by the way. Heel down dudes rock!
Nice brother thanks
Can you play summer of 69 on this kit? Or just jazz?
Stephen, I am experimenting without a snare and playing a conga and cajon and hi hat. It forces me to play very differently....
Dope👌🏼🔥
nice
Does anyone know the inches for the Djembe? It´s a travel one?
Thank You!
Hey I see a black rectangle stick in your bass cajon. What is that?
How do you not have shin splints w that kick angle? Love the sounds tho
My cajon always move forward after a couple of hits during the gigs.. How can i fix this problem?(i dont use it with the heels but like a normal bass drum)
I need cajon gadgets !
Fun!
Getting a little Benny Greb feeling here 😊👍
Dude, there is some great playing going on here FOR SURE. I just dont think this actually functions (sonically) as a very realistic drumset alternative. I'd say trade the djembe for a 18' Zildjian Uptown Ride!