NAMM 2016: The Roland EC-10 EL Cajon

NAMM 2016 has only just begun, but Roland already revealed something pretty special: the Roland EC-10 EL Cajon! At first glance, you might mistake it for a regular cajon, but Roland wouldn't be Roland if they didn't a few clever electronic surprises to the mix. The EL (Electronic Layered) Cajon is a hybrid cajon that allows you to embellish the acoustic cajon sound with various percussion and drum samples.

Acoustic, electric or hybrid

The EL Cajon's frontplate is made of sapele while the body's made of fibreboard, it has two snare wires attached to the inside, and it measures in at 50 cm high, and 30 cm wide and deep. So far it sounds like a fairly common acoustic cajon, that you'd use just like any other model. However, if you feel you're lacking a bit of volume or depth, or simply want to try a completely different sound, Roland's hybrid allows you to simply switch on the module. This module contains three sound banks Each sound bank has two times ten samples. That's because the cajon features two playing surfaces with sensors that trigger the samples. One sensor is positioned in the centre of the frontplate, while the other one is positioned at the middle of the top edge. What's more, you can even adjust the balance between those two sensors and their respective sensitivity levels.

Amplification

Thanks to the built-in amplifier and speaker, you can perfectly match the electronic sound to the acoustic sound. The amplifier provides plenty of power for small gigs, or outdoor performances on the street or in a park, for instance. Six fully-charged batteries will allow you to play all day long, without having to recharge. When you move up to bigger stages and feel you need a bit more power, you can use the Electronic Sound Output. Using a standard jack cable, just like you would with a guitar or keyboard, you can send your samples to a larger amplifier or PA system. Do keep in mind, however, that the cajon's acoustic sound will be drowned out if things get too loud. In that case, you might want to place a microphone near the instrument's sound hole, like you would with a regular cajon. Finally, one of this cajon's fun new features is the ability to connect an MP3 player. This allows you to play along to your favourite music, or music that you've pre-recorded, which is particularly handy for buskers, for instance.

Check out more news on our NAMM 2016 overview page!

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