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Have you ever seen a percussionist sitting a wooden box beating it? If yes, then you might have a question in your mind that what instrument was the percussionist beating? You should read out this post, which has the answers to all your questions.

Before moving further, you need to know that the instrument which the percussionist is beating is Cajon. It is one such musical instrument that always finds a place in a recording studio. Do you know from where the name Cajon was discovered? The word Cajon is a Spanish word, which means a box. It has been in many cultures throughout the world. However, this instrument traces its roots to Spanish colonies in American countries including Cuba, Peru, and other Caribbean nations.

One of the first images of a Cajon was from Peru where it was depicted in a drawing by Peruvian artist Ignacio Merino in the year 1841. The first Peruvian Cajon is a six-sided instrument with a soundhole cut into its back panel.  The front panel, which is called ‘Tapa’ is made from thin wood, which gives it resonance. The sound produced with this lovely device is dry and the root tone is bass.

Cuba is another country, where Cajon is equally famous just like it is popular in Peru. Cuban Cajons are usually held in a lap. While tracing the roots of Cajon in rumba, scholar David Penalosa once said, “the side of a cabinet functioned in the role of the present-day tumba or salidor, while an overturned drawer served as the quinto.”

This is all about the origin of Cajons, now we will discuss how this beautiful instrument is played. Cajon is played similar to a hand drum and you get two basic sounds in the result when you beat it. You need to hit the center of the Cajon with the palm of your hand and in return, you will get a ‘dum’ or ‘uh’ sound. If you beat the drum’s surface closer to the edges, then you will get a light ‘bek’ or ‘ah’ sound. You can mix these sounds to make patterns.

In case, you are worried about buying a Kandu Cajon or any other Cajon, then there is no need to worry. The increasing popularity of this musical instrument has forced musical instrument retailers to include it in their product portfolio.

When you go to the market in order to make a purchase, then all you need to do is look for the material, which holds more importance than anything else. However, if you are making your purchase online, then you need to check the reputation of the retailer. The reputation of the retailer decides about the quality of Cajon. Always check reviews of previous buyers, which will give you an overview of the quality of the Cajon you are going to purchase. All this will help you find the best Cajon for yourself.