Challenge percussion! A collection of songs I want to play on the cajón
The cajón, a musical instrument born in Peru.
At first glance it looks like a wooden box, and it’s a percussion instrument you play while sitting on it like a chair.
Its hallmark is that the sound changes depending on where you strike it—the center of the playing surface, the upper area, the lower area, and so on.
And the best thing about the cajón is how easy and casual it is to play!
Just move both hands rhythmically and you can groove right along with the music.
It’s a great instrument not only for adults but also for small children.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of songs we’d love for you to try playing on the cajón.
Whether you’re a beginner or someone getting more comfortable with the cajón, be sure to read to the end!
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Challenge yourself with percussion! A collection of songs I want to play on the cajón (11–20)
That’s Why I Gave Up MusicYorushika
Yorushika is a two-member rock band known for their refreshing, fast-paced songs! Among them, “Dakara Boku wa Ongaku wo Yameta” has a pleasant piano melody and a lively rhythm, making it a very exhilarating piece to play.
Since the original track uses drums, you’ll need to adapt the drum beats so they can be played on cajón.
Some slightly complex rhythm patterns appear, but once you can play them well, it feels great! If you have a hand-splash cymbal that can be struck by hand, I think you can perform with a vibe even closer to the original.
PretenderOfficial髭男dism
This song is one of Official HIGE DANDism’s signature tracks and a big hit from 2019, known for its appealing, sophisticated, and stylish vibe delivered through a clear, transparent band sound.
There are parts where you can faithfully recreate the original drum phrases, and I’m also really excited to see how the B-melody phrases can be arranged on the cajón.
It’s hard to call this a beginner-friendly song, but if you’re getting comfortable with the cajón, definitely give it a try.
Shut up.Ado
Ado, the suddenly emerging female singer, has a signature song called “Usseewa,” which is extremely difficult, but I think it would be interesting to try playing it on cajón.
The song is very up-tempo at 178 BPM, and its beat is intricate with lots of strokes.
When played on a drum set, each phrase is distributed across hands and feet, but when playing it on a cajón, you have to play everything with both hands, which increases the difficulty.
It’s a recommended piece for those who have become fairly comfortable with cajón playing or are aiming to improve further.
Robinsonsupittsu
This song is one of Spitz’s most well-known and representative tracks.
The laid-back tempo paired with the crisp, satisfying beat feels great, doesn’t it? You can play it with the original beat as is, or add finer phrases in a cajon-like style—both approaches will work really well.
It could be fun to experiment with how to express the original tom-based fills by switching up the cajon’s tones and articulations.
Tomorrow never knowsMr.Children
If it’s a song everyone knows, it’s easier to choose when performing in front of people.
Mr.Children’s songs are great candidates when you want to prioritize name recognition.
Among them, “Tomorrow never knows” is one of their signature tracks, and because it has a relaxed, ballad-like feel, I think it’s approachable even for beginners.
It’s best to base your playing on a simple beat and aim to support the song as a whole.
typhoon→Pia-no-jaC←
If I had to name a song I want to play on cajón, I can’t leave out →Pia-no-jaC←! →Pia-no-jaC← is an instrumental duo consisting of piano and cajón.
They’re a very compelling artist whose music incorporates a variety of genres, including jazz and rock.
This song is one of their most popular pieces—a beautiful track with a jazzy vibe.
It’s packed with phrases that make full use of diverse rhythms and timbres, and on top of that, the tempo changes partway through, making it a highly challenging piece.
It’s not something you can master easily, but why not set a goal to be able to play this song and keep practicing toward it?
In conclusion
Have you found a piece you feel you can take on? I hope the simple yet profound appeal of the cajón has come across.
It looks easy but it’s actually tough, right? Whether you strike with your palm or play with your fingertips… once you get serious, it takes a lot of effort.
But that’s exactly why it’s worth the challenge! Let’s get better at it!