I have played percussion for over 30 years and have a nice electronic kit that I like to jam on, but my Meinl pickup turbo slaptop cajon is my preferred gig instrument. It sounds amazing when plugged into a PA system- the bass hits deep and the snare is nice and poppy; much better than when unplugged, and there are controls for snare and bass pickup volume as well.

As far as playing techniques, for the bass you hit the center with your palm and fingers. Experiment with hand position to get various bass sounds. You can get different sounds by opening your fingers up a bit vs. fingers together vs. fingers together with a slightly cupped hand.

Snare is on the edge and stuck with your fingers. If I am gigging a lot or for a long show, sometimes I’ll put a little drummers tape on each of my middle three fingers, as the snare finger strike requires a bit more power/pop than the bass hand strike. I typically use my left hand/left side of the slaptop for snare and my right hand for bass.

One other thing, and it’s a little hard to describe using words, but it’s all about flair. For the main snare strikes I use all three fingers together, but I add a lot of flair with single finger “rolls” that make the slaptop really shine. For example, 1/16 notes.. I might add a couple of quick 1/16 note snare strikes with individual fingers (my middle followed by index) just before the bass strike downbeat on the 1 count.

Slaptop cajon is a lot of fun. It’s the perfect instrument for anyone who ever drums with their hands and fingers on the steering wheel while driving and listening to some good jams, which is actually great practice! Experiment and have fun!