CAJÓN · Cajon Guide
From zero, learn the cajon in 10 chapters
Dongci (咚次) — an onomatopoeia of the drum: dong, the bass thump; ci, the ghost touch.
One wooden box, two hands. From meeting the cajon to folk accompaniment — a complete10-chapter method that builds step by step. 3 self-check questions per chapter, paired with a rhythm practice player: read it, play it.
10-Chapter Guide
From first tones to song accompaniment, one step at a time
Meeting the Cajon: A Wooden Box That Sings
History, construction, and why a wooden box can make so many sounds
CHAPTER 02Posture and the Three Basic Tones: From Sitting Down to Striking Clean
Posture, hand shape, striking position — tone perception for Exercises 2.2-2.4
CHAPTER 03Rhythm and Notation Basics: Read the Score, Feel the Beat
Time signatures, note values, BPM, and this tutorial's notation system — the foundation of rhythm practice
CHAPTER 04Your First Rhythm Pattern: High-Low Alternation
Exercise 4.1 — B S B S, a rhythm as natural as walking
CHAPTER 05Anchor Groove: The Ghost Note Makes Its Debut
Exercise 5.1 — B S s S, bass anchor + ghost-note fill
CHAPTER 06Syncopation and the Off-Beat: The Tension of Empty and Full
Exercise 6.1 — B · S ·, turning rests into music
CHAPTER 07Eighth-Note Fills and Dynamics: Making the Rhythm Speak
Exercise 7.1 — B s S s, accented on-beats with ghost-note off-beats
CHAPTER 08Tempo Training: Building Speed Safely
The metronome ladder method — slow first, and add +5 BPM only when every beat is stable
CHAPTER 09A Folk Rhythm Pattern Library: Singing Your Song into the Drum
Five folk rhythm skeletons — Flowing Phrasing, Narrative Space, Dense Drive, Light Bounce, Triple Swing
CHAPTER 10Fills and Variations: From Practice to Performance
The four essential fills — entering on a rest, the double-slap roll, dynamic gradation, and a full practice piece
Learning Path
Four stages — each one is the foundation of the next
Stage 1 · Foundations Chapters 1-3
Meet the cajon, proper posture, the B/S/s tones, and reading rhythm notation
Stage 2 · Basics Chapters 4-7
Bass-slap alternation, anchor groove, off-beat syncopation, eighth-note fills
Stage 3 · Tempo Chapter 8
Staircase tempo training with a metronome — slow first, +5 BPM per notch
Stage 4 · Performance Chapters 9-10
The folk rhythm library (Flowing Phrasing / Narrative Space / Dense Drive / Light Bounce / Triple Swing) and fills
Learn by Playing
Practice pairs with every lesson — play it and the score makes sense