The stomp-strum movement that has emerged in recent years has empowered many guitarists to take their full-band live energy to the solo stage. The percussion market has responded in kind with a flood of footworn and foot-controlled percussion instruments. And fortunately, these options keep getting better and smaller — all the easier to travel around town with. Here are some of my favorite tools for bringing the fire even when you’re all alone onstage.
My Setup
I colead music at a small church where, most weeks, I’m one of only two performers on the platform. This has forced Brittany (our keyboardist) and me to get creative when it comes to filling space. One such way we’ve found is for me to play foot percussion while I strum guitar. Combined with the percussive nature of the acoustic, the floor percussion adds some kit-like textures which really help tie our songs together.
I’ll share more about my setup in the following sections. Here are some options that I’ve used and stand behind.
Bass Drum
Old, ratty, discarded kick drums stuffed with foam and insulation are easy to come by on Craigslist and are guaranteed to give you that Nashville street cred. If you’re looking for something classier, the PDP Concept Maple bass drums come in some great rustic finishes and are big on output and tone.
Converted Floor Tom
If you want the acoustic vibe and energy of a kick drum in a smaller package, consider a floor tom conversion kit. These kits turn any standard upright floor tom into a pocket-sized 14″, 16″, or 18″ kick drum you can play with a pedal. Sweetwater carries several options, from the entry-priced Pearl Jungle Gig to the fully loaded DW 9909.
Meinl BassBoX
The briefcase-sized Meinl BassBoX is one of two pieces I use every Sunday morning. Its sound is surprisingly big, and for my purposes, its output is just right — controlled enough to play on an unplugged stage, but loud enough to keep up with our PA. The soundboard is made from Baltic birch, which is the same material used in many upscale cajons. Though I don’t currently mic mine, I went ahead and installed one of these flange mounts next to the soundhole and threw an Audix D6 on it in case the occasion ever demands. The BassBoX comes with an L-shaped foam beater (required), so if you’ve already got a kick pedal, you’re good to go.
Foot Tambourine and Shaker
If you’re just looking to add some simple movement and texture to your solo guitar playing, the LP Foot Tambourine, which slips over the toe of your shoe, and Meinl Heel Shaker, which wedges against your heel like a shoehorn, can do just that. Be advised that these solutions are fairly low volume — best intended for fully acoustic gigs or ones where you can mike up the floor.
Stompboxes
Logjam and Finhol have introduced a new world of percussion stompboxes — wood- and aluminum-bodied portable stomp instruments with internal piezo pickups. Plugged directly into an amp or PA, these stompboxes deliver a big, organic bass sound with virtually zero stage volume. This affords you or your sound mixer total control over your kick level to front of house and stage monitors.
Stompboxes range from simple to complex. The Microlog is as barebones as they come, with an ultra-compact form factor and just a 1/4″ out. On the other end of the spectrum is the sample-loaded digital Cajokick, which gives you 12 selectable instrument sounds and adjustable sensitivity for choosy kickers.
If you’re more of a 2-and-4 player, the Logjam Rattlebox works well for backbeats to bluegrass upbeats.
Seated Cajon
The first time I saw my friend seated on his cajon, toe-up, playing a kick pedal with his heel as he strummed a guitar, was a revelation. This solves two issues commonly faced by cajon-kick players. Number one, it prevents the cajon from sliding. Number two, the heel stomp is a more natural motion for new pedal players — many guitarists do this subconsciously as they play anyway. All you need is a standard bass pedal like the Pearl P530 and a cajon pedal mount.
If you’re using a cajon as a bass drum, you’ll want to be sure to invest in one with some brawny low end; the Meinl Subwoofer and Pearl Sonic Boom cajons are good starting points. You might also consider a Peruvian-style cajon without snare wires, or one with removable snares, such as the Schlagwerk 2inOne.
Two other upgrades that can make this setup a home run are a cajon seat for comfort and a soft cajon beater, which enhances warmth and protects your cajon’s soundboard.
LP Gajate Pedal Mounts
The LP Gajate is the other of only two mission-critical parts of my Sunday setup. This device lets you play any mountable percussion with a foot pedal. I use mine with a Latin Percussion tambourine or 10″ Pearl snare, but anything with a 3/8″ mounting bolt (cowbell, jam blocks, etc.) will do. Together with a dedicated bass instrument, the Gajate is great for creating backbeats and complex rhythms. One drawback to the single Gajate is that it can take some time to swap out instruments. If you’re looking for something you can use to alternate between voices, consider the 3-way rotating Multi-Stem Gajate.
When All Else Fails — Get Creative
Buying instruments is fine, but you know what’s even more gratifying? Creating your own percussion solutions. DC-area pop band Jukebox the Ghost recently performed an acoustic set at Sweetwater. For kick drum, percussionist Jesse Kristin played guitarist Tommy Siegel’s acoustic guitar case with his foot. And you know what? For the occasion, it was perfect. And this sort of multitasking saves precious van space and fuel costs out on the road. Use what you have until you get your footing (so to speak) with self-percussion, then upgrade as necessary.
Reach Out
If you have already stepped into the brave new world of self-percussion, let us know what you’re using — what’s worked and what hasn’t. If you’re in the market for the best prices on percussion gear for your stomp-strum setup, reach out to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700.