Make a sit-upon cajón drum — perfect for tapping out rhythms of Afro, Caribbean and Peruvian music — as you learn to use some of the key power tools in the BARN woodshop.
In Spanish, cajón means box, drawer or crate, reflecting the humble origins of this instrument. Spanish colonies in the Americas, as well as some states in the United States, banned slaves from Africa from drumming because of fears that they might use the sounds as code to plan insurrections. As Article 36 of the Slave Code of South Carolina put it in 1740, “It is absolutely necessary to the safety of this Province, that all due care be taken to restrain Negroes from using or keeping of drums, which may call together or give sign or notice to one another of their wicked designs and purposes.” But the laws didn't kill the beat; the slaves just made do by turning over boxes or taking drawers out of dressers and tapping the bottoms. Today, cajón drums enliven everything from impromptu street band performances to glittering stage shows.
In this class you will build your six-sided drum from high-quality Baltic birch plywood, using thinner material on the front. You will use the table saw to cut the pieces and shape dado joints, the drill press to cut a sound hole, the router table and a trim router to detail the edges, and sanders to smooth the surface. You will learn about different options for finishing your drum and can choose to stain the wood or leave it with its natural color. If there's time, we'll even make some music on the last day.
Class open to youth ages 14-18.
Find more information and register by clicking on the ticket link or call the registrar at 206-842-4475 x216. Tuition assistance is available. Click here to apply.
Phone: 206-842-4475 x216
2019/08/05 - 2019/08/09
Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN)
8890 Three Tree Lane NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Free parking is available onsite.