Please note that the following sections assume the player is right-handed. If you play left-handed please just swap the sides where mentioned.

How to Hold the Caixa

The caixa can be held several different ways, here are some of them:

Shoulder Strap

Using a shoulder strap over the left shoulder, usually hooking through one of the drum rods adjacent to the snare wires. The drum should hang at an angle in front of the waist with the high side on your left. This style requires playing the drum using a traditional grip as this allows your left hand to remain comfortably in a higher position.

This style is common in Rio-style samba.

Although it is not traditional, a standard guitar strap with a carabiner each end can also make an excellent shoulder strap as the carabiners can be secured through two adjacent rods, holding the caixa securely in playing position.

Waist Strap

The waist strap is a two-hook strap that goes around the waist and hooks through separate rods on the caixa. This holds the caixa low and level in front of the waist. Having the caixa level in front of the body allows it to be played with a matched grip.

This style is more common in Bahian samba.

Em Cima

"Em Cima" means "Up" or "Above". This is where you hold the caixa above your left arm and against your chest, with your left hand far enough in front of the drum to play the skin. This is a traditional way of holding the drum which does not require a strap. It also allows the player greater mobility to dance and move around while playing, and it looks great! The disadvantage is that it is a more difficult playing style and requires more practice to master.

This style favours playing patterns that are biased towards the right hand, as the left has less travel while it is holding the drum and cannot strike as hard. Fortunately, some of the best caixa patterns for samba are great for playing Em Cima.

How to Hold the Sticks

In typical kit playing, the sticks may be held in either a "matched" grip or a "traditional" grip. In samba, things tend to be a little more relaxed, and all sorts of grips are used depending on the circumstances. However, it's a good idea to become proficient playing using both of the standard grips to help prevent adopting bad habits. This will also allow the most flexibility when playing caixa.

Here's a short video from InnerBeat Drum School showing how to hold the drumsticks:

Grips vary, but the principles tend to remain the same. The stick needs to be able to pivot on an axis. With a matched grip, the axis is where you grip the stick between your thumb and forefinger. With a traditional grip, the axis (left hand) is between your thumb and the side of your hand. Your other fingers do not grip the stick tightly, they merely provide extra control of the stick as it pivots on the axis.The stick must be able to bounce in your hand.

The axis (where you grip the stick) is usually about a quarter to a third of the way in from the end of the stick.

When using a proper grip it should be possible to play a basic pattern of notes and accents without involving your arms, ie. using your wrists and fingers only. If you cannot hit the drum without pivoting from your elbow or shoulder then something is wrong. Of course, it's fine to move your arms when necessary, but this should not be 100% of the time.

Tools for Practice

All you need to practice caixa is a pair of sticks and a surface to play on. A practice pad and a metronome are also extremely useful.

Drum sticks come in various sizes and weights. If you're buying your first pair of sticks, try something like a 5A. Sticks are commonly made of either Maple or Hickory. Maple sticks are lighter and easier to play, but less durable. Hickory sticks are extremely strong, but are heavier.

Cheapo $5 sticks may be OK for practice, until you play a rimshot and the top half of your stick goes flying off behind you.

A practice pad is also a great idea if you're serious about learning caixa. Otherwise you can practice on a table, a chair, your cat, or the passenger in front of you. If you're using a hard flat surface try laying something soft on it like a piece of rubber, or perhaps a book you don't like.

You can get free metronome apps for your smartphone, or use a free online metronome like this one.