The Cahang: A Percussion Instrument Inspired by Feedback - Part 1

The Story of Gert Meulemans

The first instrument that I made together with Ward was a small hanging cajon with a detachable drum snare on the outside. This was at the time that the band Spiegelei inC had just been founded, a group formed by friends from the youth choir Rejoice. As a cooking parent, I went along on the choir weekend, together with Gert Meulemans among others. One evening, the band Spiegelei inC, together with some other choir members, played their music. This was the moment that Gert Meulemans saw the hang-cajon for the first time.

Gert Meulemans has been playing with the band Snakes in Exile since 1992. This Belgian folk band is mainly known in Flanders and mainly plays Irish and Scottish folk. They have built up a loyal following through their performances in various settings, from small pubs to larger concert halls and festivals. Their music has a Celtic influence, which makes them popular with fans of this genre. Although they are most famous in Belgium, they have also performed abroad, which shows that they have an international fan base.

A New Instrument; Not Just an Idea

Creating a new musical instrument is not an easy task. It often starts with an idea, which is then elaborated and tested. But what is especially important is to investigate whether the instrument you have in mind actually adds something unique to the musical world. That is why it is crucial to consult amateur, semi-professional, and professional musicians. You pluck up the courage and make contact. We did not really have to look for the first person. This one came spontaneously, Gert Meulemans.

Gert was immediately enthusiastic about the small hang-cajon and spoke to me about it. During the performance, we sat together at a table, where we talked, came up with the craziest ideas, shared technical knowledge about sound and sound displacement, and made small designs of new hang-cajons with attributes to create even more external sounds. This is where the foundation was laid for making a new instrument for my son, so that the sound would be better and fuller than the current instrument. In fact, we can say that the Cahang is the indirect physical creation of our friendship.

This choir weekend not only laid the foundation for a friendship with Gert but also for making instruments. Gert has always motivated me to think further and has given me many tips and tricks on what could be improved with every prototype I made. In all those years, he is one of the people I show my creations to first and whose comments I like to take to heart.

More Information About Gert’s Bands

Snakes in Exile: https://www.snakesinexile.com

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