Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn the cajón
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The cajón is a wooden box you sit on and play with your hands, and it can give you something close to a bass drum and a snare from one instrument. It came from Afro-Peruvian music and reached flamenco in the late 1970s; beginners' workshops teach the tones and basic rhythms in a day.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What you are learning
Long & McQuade, the music retailer, explains the basics: the player sits on the box and strikes the front faceplate, using the middle for bass hits and the top edge for treble sounds. Some cajóns have wires inside that add a snare-like sound, and on enhanced models they can be tuned.
Peru's official country-brand site, Perú Info, traces the cajón to enslaved Africans in Lima who, the usual story goes, played wooden boxes in place of banned drums, and says it is now considered National Cultural Heritage. Around 1977 it reached the percussionist in Paco de Lucía's band, and from there it entered flamenco.
Classes cover tones, exercises and rhythms. The Stables says its workshop suits kit drummers and hand drummers alike, and the San Francisco Community Music Center runs a separate later section for people with no cajón experience.
Ways in, and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| The Stables (UK) | Cajon Beginners Workshop: one day from 12.30pm; adults and 15+; bring a cajón with snare wires or ask to borrow one | £32 |
| La Peña Cultural Center (US) | CAJON for Adults: one-hour class, 11am to noon; all levels; bring your own cajón | $15 drop-in, or $10 a class in a bundle of five |
| San Francisco Community Music Center | Afro-Peruvian Cajon: adults and older teens; the 7.45 section needs no prior experience (from the centre's courses page) | Not listed; tuition assistance available; winter quarter runs 4 January to 29 March |
La Peña's page says to contact an instructor if you need to buy or rent a cajón for the day.
How to start
- Book a beginners' cajón workshop or class at an arts centre or community music school.
- Ask whether cajóns are lent. The Stables lends a limited number; La Peña asks you to bring your own.
- Start with the two basic sounds, the bass in the middle of the front face and the sharper treble at the top edge.
Where to go
- The Stables: Cajon Beginners Workshop UK
- San Francisco Community Music Center: Afro-Peruvian Cajon US
- La Peña Cultural Center: CAJON for Adults US
We opened these links on 14 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Two ways to plan it.
Plan it yourself Free
The links you need to book it, get there, find somewhere to stay and eat, and see what else there is to do nearby. They are searches for you to run; nothing is saved.
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Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Is the cajón easy to learn?
Beginners' workshops such as The Stables' cover the tones, exercises and rhythms in a single day.
Do I need my own cajón for a class?
Often, yes. La Peña asks students to bring one; The Stables lends a limited number if you email ahead.
Where does the cajón come from?
Peru. Perú Info traces it to Afro-Peruvian communities in Lima; it reached flamenco around 1977 through Paco de Lucía's band.
What are the wires inside a cajón for?
They produce alternate, snare-like sounds; on enhanced models the wires can be tuned.
Where this comes from: Long & McQuade, How to Play the Cajon - Everything You Need to Know; Perú Info, Peruvian Cajón: the history and importance of one of the most surprising instruments in the world; Thomann, The History of the Cajón; Yamaha Singapore, Cajon Course; The Stables, Cajon Beginners Workshop; La Peña Cultural Center, CAJON for Adults; San Francisco Community Music Center, courses; San Francisco Community Music Center, Afro-Peruvian Cajon. Opened 14 November 2026.
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