Mike Masuda's Cajon Setup

Recorded on 2010-02-18, this documents the most current compact cajon setup I employ in flamenco gigs as well as "unplugged" acoustic jams. It features Meinl and Schlagwerk products, as well as some homemade items. It also features the pitch changing technique I discovered back in 1993--which I showed Rubem Dantas and Paco de Lucia (percussionist for Paco De Lucia) backstage in 1994. In 1995, Dantas was using it onstage too! Anyways, the setup is quite versatile and can be used where a drum kit is considered too loud--like a coffeehouse gig. It took me many years to refine the setup--I just wanted to document it and present it on the Internet. If anyone else has really nifty new ideas for a cajon setup, I'd love to trade ideas. And as far as the zils and cajon kick pedal mods--bear witness that you saw it here first!

If there are any reps from Schlagwerk, Tama, or Meinl who would like to collaborate with me on future cajon setups or products, I'd love to hear from you. I have many more cajon-related ideas!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Cajon
• cocktail
• kit

[Lucas17187]

Do you think it is possible to do the same pedal set up with a single kick drum pedal (not reversed) ?? Good job and thanks a lot for your video !!

[MikeMMasuda]

@Lucas17187 It is possible and I've seen it done, but it is a totally different leg movement that needs to be mastered. Instead of pushing down with your toe and pivoting on your heel, you have to push down with the whole leg and pivot on your toes. It's doable, but you can't do Bonham triplet fills so easily with that setup, and I do Led Zeppelin.

[ocal832]

where did you buy your Schlagwerk stuff, i cant find a website thats sell it in the usa

[MikeMMasuda]

@ocal832 I had to call around a number of places--and ended up contacting a small music shop somewhere in Arkansas that had 1 of these in stock. They are not easy to find, but after a few phone calls I was able to locate one. I'm sure you'll be able to do the same.

[samsok4evr]

how did you modify the drum pedal?

[MikeMMasuda]

@samsok4evr I completely took it apart, turned the axle mechanism the other way around and reinstalled the chain. It took a few tries, but with some fine tuning it finally moved the right amount of angle to get a decent sound. Take a picture of the pedal before taking it apart, then disassemble it and figure out a way to make the axle turn the opposite direction for your setup.

[wehkah]

yeah great setup!



[MrMotivations]

Mike, Indeed, clever, creative applications with practical solutions.

[1Frustr8dMusician]

Great idea with the bass drum pedal. I'm going to borrow that idea;-)

[MelboyPhotography]

smaaaart

[DenimRoad]

I am wondering if it might be easier to modify a double pedal designed for left footed players. Then you would use the slave pedal as the main pedal (this would be the left footed player's right pedal, the one that is near the high hat. Then you would not have to take the entire pedal apart to connect the drive shaft assembly that connects to two sections of the pedal

[hmason76]

Will it Fly? lol



[reygalindo]

That is awesome what you have come with. I wonder how much yo ended spending on parts total. You get a unique percussion set. :))

[abdulmalikabusamah]

so brilliant n creative... this video really give me an idea to make a simple drums setup without using a drumset.. TQ TQ TQ TQ