Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?

Subject: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 24 May 03 - 09:26 AM

Ole!

Rummaging around, I ran across an old pair of castanets last night, and realized that I have no idea how you play them. Hard to describe I am sure, but here are some questions that may help a payos:

(1) What finger do you put the threads on?

(2) Are the threads tight, so as to spring the castanets open, or what?

(3) I assume the fingers roll on the cover of one of the shells, hitting the other. Do you cup the castanets in your hand, or is the hand open?

(4) Anything else one needs to know?

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 24 May 03 - 10:26 AM

You've "assumed" about what I've heard about it. There is a nice (and fairly clear) picture of what one might presume to be a "conventional" player at Carmen de Vicente's homepage, showing the strings around the thumbs. She gives lessons...

My impression is that castanets are conventionally played only by the dancer(s) - and the technique appears to be part of several "dance class" offerings, but doesn't appear much as a separate "subject."

You can get "castanets on a stick" (like the riveted-together spoons ) and "castanet machines" so the percussion section of your orchestra can get the sound without actually learning to play traditional castanets.

The obvious first answer to the question "how do you play castanets?" would be "why would you want to?," but that's the result of their frequent appearance in the hands of vagrant urchins who's (non-musical) parents bought them to "shut the snot-nosed-little-brats up" at the "junk booth" at the festival. They're usually one of the cheaper items for sale.

The serious side of "why would you want to" is - "what are the legitimate and traditional uses for the instrument?." They seem to be commonly used now almost exclusively by "Spanish dancers," although they appear in the work of a number of "Orientalist" painters as though they are a "Harem dancer" accessory - implying a rather different (more "eastern") origin.

I recall a third(?) grade teacher using hers for "mob control." A quick click would instantly get the attention of the class, and a "roll" meant somebody was in deep s... I've also seen them used by "elevator attendants" to signal arrivals and to "dispatch" the next car - back in the days of manually operated and attended elevators. In at least one restaurant I visited in the early 50s the "mayter dee" used castanets to signal the waiters (fancy restaurant, no "waitresses").

But I'd be interested in anyone's comment on musical traditions of the things.

John

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Lidy
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:16 AM

I reckon castanets are southern european/ north african in origin. Because when I used to be a belly dancer (i'm serious, i have crammed a great deal into my 19 years!), I used to use castanet-type finger cymbals which are actually separate discs, but look a lot like castanets!
As to why you would want play castanets, I'm drawing a blank!!

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: JennyO
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:27 AM

I used to play those finger cymbals (called Zills) when I was learning belly dancing. I have no idea though whether they are related in any way to castanets.

Jenny

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Alice
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:29 AM

How to hold the castanets is the key to playing them. There is a good illustration at this web page:

http://www.flamencoshop.com/playcastanets.htm

I took a flamenco dance class a few years ago. Very dramatic. Have fun.

Alice

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:55 AM

According to my flamenco book, the old timers scorned the castanets (it seems to have got its name from looking like opened chestnuts). yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:58 AM

Dear Mr. Guest, Peter T.,

We are in receipt of your request for castanet instruction dated 24 May. While we regret that we are unable to provide castanet instruction at this time, we are pleased to offer this ensemble which has helped launch the career of many successful castanetists. We are confident that you will find this to be good value for the dollar and that it will provide many years of service to you.

Best wishes,

A.R. Snarfwingle
Ace Tropical Attire and Props Company

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,RumbA MAN
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:07 PM

DeAR MR. SnarfWingle,

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Yours,
Castanet Anseewotchewget Franco
TRopicanada Fruit Exchange
c/o de Box in the back Alley

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:12 PM

Dear Mr. Franco,

Provided that the pazooza to U.S. dollar exchange rate is favorable, I am sure that we can work something out.

Please have you people contact our people.

Is flypaper included in your proposal?

ARS

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Peter T.
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:13 PM

The article and picture don't show/tell you how the strings are wound around the thumb. Is there a complete turn/loop around the thumb? (see how hard it is to describe in words something that is easily shown in a fraction of a section)? yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,RumbA Man
Date: 24 May 03 - 12:18 PM

Dear ARS (if I may),
        Flypaper! We got you name it with REgards to Flies! Paper, pencil, plaCemats, PosterS. FruitsFlies everywhere!! You got no idea, man.

Our MOTTO: Buzziness is Buzziness,
Castanets InGalilee Franco

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,GUEST,LizL
Date: 24 May 03 - 03:23 PM

Dear Peter,

I lived in Spain years ago on a study abroad program, and took a few dance classes while I was there. I've just dug my own castanets out of my instrument box...now to see if I can describe what to do to play them properly. You slip the loop (the part without the knot) onto your thumb (second joint), then you slip the second loop onto your thumb, about halfway between the joint and the thumbnail. If the knot is tied properly, you should be able to tighten it just by pulling on one of the strings (obviously, pulling on the other string will loosen it again). You want it fairly tight, so that the two halves of the castanet are apart.

Then, to play them, you can use either your middle two fingers to get a nice, solid "thwack," or, starting with your pinky finger and working your way up to your index finger, quickly touch the edge of the castanet and then curl your finger off and away (as if your fingertips were on the edge of the piano keys, and you wanted to play a descending [right hand] or ascending [left hand] scale really quickly and then get your fingers off the keys).

See if you can get some flamenco/sevillanas music to get a feel for the rhythm you want to achieve. Think red wine, impassioned glances, etc.--you get the idea.

(It's so much easier to show than to describe; I hope this gives you an idea.)

Cheers and have fun with it,

Liz

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 May 03 - 03:34 PM

Gracias, Liz. I can see that the problem is that the strings I have are too short to make two complete loops, one inside the two castanets, and one outside. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,LizL
Date: 24 May 03 - 03:51 PM

Hmm. I suppose you could restring them. The strings on mine look like thick shoelaces, coated tips and all, and the entire piece of string is about 12-14 inches long and between 1/8" and 1/4" thick.

If you hold the castanet in one hand and pull the two string ends tight, then the other "loop" disappears (because it's snug against the outside of the other half of the castanet). Try just loosening it by pulling it out a bit so that there's room to slip it over your thumb, and then the other side should fit over your thumb as well. I'm not quite sure what you mean by a loop inside the castanets; there really shouldn't be one inside, since the string just passes through the top to keep the two sides together.

You can see how the strings should go fairly well in the picture on Carmen de Vicente's home page (the link that someone posted earlier).

Does this make sense?

--Liz

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: M.Ted
Date: 24 May 03 - 03:56 PM

Get someone to show you how to hold them, Peter--Find a restaurant with Flamenco dancers, call for a reservation and go. Ask one of them to show you how to hold them, and how to get them to speak. While your at it, strike up a conversation with the guitar player(he/she plays the same rhythm patterns that the dancers use, both with their feet and with the castanets).

you'll learn some music, and it will do you good to get out--

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 May 03 - 04:05 PM

Thank you for the advice, M. Ted, but I have become fascinated by how difficult it is to describe this in a way that someone who hasn't had them before can make sense. The picture on the web site only makes sense if you know what is happening in 3-D, otherwise it is useless. It is a good reminder, not a good tool!


If I get what you are saying, Liz, there is a loop on the outside of both castanets, one one side and one on the other when both castanets are pressed tightly together. You stick the thumb through both loops, thus bringing the castenets, still tight together, up against the inside body of the thumb. Yes? yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: M.Ted
Date: 24 May 03 - 10:46 PM

So is this an exercise in the use of language? I don't think plain language is precise enough to give you the information that you need. There is special language that flamenco teachers use, but its function is to catalog positions and movements that have been demonstrated for the student. Without the experiential information, the language has no meaning. As you have pointed out, even pictures, which contain more information than the language does, don't contain enough information to be useful. I don't think you can get it unless some shows you how to do it, and even then, you'll need a lot of practice to learn it--

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,LizL
Date: 26 May 03 - 08:34 AM

Hi Peter -

Tried to log in yesterday and couldn't. Yes, I think you've got it. You want to pull the string tight enough so that the halves of the castanets are apart (maybe a 30- to 40-degree angle?), but not so tight that you cut off your circulation. Then you keep your fingers cupped around the castanet to play, as I described earlier.

It doesn't take too much time or practice to begin to get a fairly decent sound, which is encouraging, but to get the really intricate rhythms is lots of work. I never achieved that higher level in the semester I lived there, but I did gain more fluency with the language and had a lot of fun besides.

Cheers,

Liz

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: polaitaly
Date: 27 May 03 - 05:56 AM

The castanets are a common instrument in the traditional music of south Italy, for the dances as tammurriata or taranta , or to accompany songs. They are used in a different way then the spanish : the string is put around the middle finger, and it is loose enough to let the castanets hang a little from the finger ; you play it with your whole hand, closing it suddenly between the fingers and the hand's palm .They are used to give a strong, hypnotic rhythm under the music.
paola

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Peter T.
Date: 27 May 03 - 09:14 AM

Ah, I knew there was a reason I had the other picture in my head. Thanks to all. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 05 - 07:04 PM

Agood way to start is to put the two loops over the thumb as Liz describes above then imagine you're sitting at a lunch counter waiting impatiently for the waitress. Then start drumming your fingers on the counter. Start with the little finger of the left hand and tap the shell of the castinet just hard enough to make the two halves come together to make a clack sound. Then tap with the next (ring) finger, then the middle finger then the index finger. Then repeat this with the right hand. Then the left hand again. When you can finally do it fast enough and evensounding enough, you've done a tremolo or roll like a drum. To accompany music thus tap youur fingers on the castanets to the music. Or if you read music, there's music available to show youu when to tap the castanet. That's it in a nut shell as basics. It's more involved than this but you can get started and develop technique this way, at least.
walt

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Rumncoke
Date: 25 Mar 05 - 08:16 PM

I just happen to have a pair of castanets in the kitchen - OK the mice have nibbled off the pompoms - one disadvantage of having a wild garden is the wildlife which seems to think it can just wander in and out - mind you I sometimes think that the spiders could easily catch mice if they really tried and they wouldn't have to gang up on them either.

anyway - I found that having the tassels where the pompoms used to be on the free end of the thumb meant that they dangled down and got in the way, so muffling the noise.

Reversing them so the knot was at the base of the thumb got the trailing ends out of the way. Then the smooth loop goes at the base of the nail and the two halves hang slightly open.   

These are small oleday souvenires with bullfighters on them so taping them sharply with the ring fingers is the only option to get a good clicky clacky sound - just a little practise and realising that they should be clicked alternately for a continuous 'roll' or together for emphasis and I got complaints from the offspring about the disturbance to their computer games.

Hmmm - that good eh?

I think you need to stick your elbows out for best effect, and strut, that seems essential.

Anne

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Flash Company
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 09:14 AM

I thought that you just rattled them and stamped your feet until you made an 'ole in the floor!

I'll get me coat.

FC

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Guest, Andrea O. Boyer
Date: 11 Jul 05 - 02:10 PM

This is long. But hopefully it will give someone a good start. Please don't reproduce this without contacting me. [e-mail]

Andrea

Castanets, a centuries-old percussion instrument, are part of the musical heritage of Spain. They consist of two pairs of shallow, cup-shaped, pieces of wood. A piece of strong cord, is passed through a pair of holes drilled into each half and closed by a sliding knot. The sliding knot allows the cord to be adjusted to the finger size of the musician.

One castanet of the pair is higher pitched. She is the female, in Spanish called the hembra, but also known as the chatterer. The other is lower pitched. He is the male, the macho, an instrument of few words in comparison to his partner. The hembra is held in the dominant hand of the musician. For most people that means the right hand. Many beginner castanets will have some sort of mark to designate the macho if you can't hear the pitch difference.

Carmen de Vicente says this of castanets:

The Castanets, part of Spain's musical heritage, are a percussion instrument popular in various Spanish dances. Mastery of the castanets requires separate study from dance to gain maximum artistic expression. (footnote 1)

And she should know, being one of less than four professional castanet players in the world.

Castanets are used differently depending on whether you are doing regional dances from the south or north of Spain.

A common northern dance that uses castanets is the Jota. (pronounced [HOH-tah]). The strings are slipped onto the middle finger of each hand. The larger knuckle is in between the two sides of the string loop. The castanets are struck with the middle two fingers of each hand. During this dance, the arms are often held extended above the head, or extended out to the side. The palms are facing the ground. The castanets dangle open. This method of playing is generally not what people mean when they want to know how to play castanets. However, it is considered the more ancient method.

The castanet playing that accompanies the sevillanas [seh-vee-LYAH-nahs], a southern regional dance from Seville, is the more commonly known method of playing the castanets around the world. This is because the sevillanas has been adopted in the flamenco dance repertoire. Flamenco is the best-known type of Spanish dance and is taught all over the world.

Back to learning how to play the castanets. A basic rhythmic component of this method is the carretilla, which means the little cart. But in English it is generally called a roll. A roll consists of 5 beats, four on the hembra with the macho having the final word.

To begin the roll, start with the pinky and strike the hembra near the edge around 5 o'clock if you imagine a clock face on the castanet. Curl the fingers toward the palm of the hand. Continue with the ring, middle and index fingers. Finish the roll with a strong golpe by using middle two finger pads in approximately the middle of the macho.

Start out slowly. Each strike of the castanets should be evenly paced, including the golpe. Ra-ta-ta-ta-TAT. The golpe of the macho should sound slightly stronger or louder, but only slightly. It's like putting a period on the end of a statement. With practice comes proficiency and with proficiency comes speed. There is no need to rush it. The consistency of the sound is more important. A golpe, striking the center of the castanet with the two middle fingers, can be done on either the hembra or the macho. But during a carretilla, it is always done with the macho.

After becoming competent with the carretilla, it is important to learn some rhythms that accompany different dances. In _The_Language_of_Spanish_Dance_ by Matteo, he identifies patterns for four different dances. These would be an excellent starting point. The instructions are written for a musician who is right hand dominant. If you have matching sheet music and a recording, this may help you match the castanet rhythm to the dance time signature.

Vals (Waltz) 3/4 time

Both Left Roll

1 2 &3

Sevillanas 6/8 time

Left Roll Roll Right

1 &2 &3 &

Bolero 3/4 time

Both Left Roll Left Roll Both

1 & 2 & 3 &

Pasodoble 2/4 time

Both Left Roll Both

1 & 2 & (footnote 2)

1 http://www.carmendevicente.com/castanet.html

2 Matteo, The Language of Spanish Dance, Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1990, pg. 28.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Jul 05 - 02:25 PM

Thank you! THAT was interesting!!!! Well written too!

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Allan C.
Date: 11 Jul 05 - 04:23 PM

Far more important than knowing how to play castinets is knowing when NOT to play them. Carol C, Jack the Sailor and I attended a singaround last year at which there were some fine musicians, playing some great music. Also in attendance was a woman who had the foresight to bring along her castinets, apparently believing that these would be appropriate for the occasion. After a few drinks she started playing the damned things during every tune or song that was played. We saw no point in remaining at the gathering to endure more of this or to see whatever carnage might follow and so quickly motored away from the scene.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,maryann price
Date: 29 Dec 05 - 02:45 AM

How do you tie the little loops so they can be tightened or loosened easily? Is there a picture of the knot??
MP
[e-mail]
Austin, TX
USA

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Linda Goodman Zebooker
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 12:52 AM

Ah, the Mudcat! I've been away from it for a few months. But I want to accompany a rendition of "Hernando's Hideaway" in a couple of weeks and so want to learn to do a little riff on the castanets if I can. I found this thread through a search. Yep, instructions on how to play the castanets, on the Mudcat. Of course!

--Linda Goodman

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Ana
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:25 PM

Hi,

I play the castanets since a was a child, then stop for a few good years and lately treated myself with a new pair in a bigger size (proff. this time!)

There are different types of castanets. They can be wood or fibreglass. Mines are the second option but it all depends of which sound you want to achieve.

There is a very good method from Emma Maleras, well known around the world, in Germany this method is widely use.

the knot bit goes at the base of your thomb on the top of you hand no underneath. They have to be tight as this makes them sound better and help you to get the 'carretilla' sound easily.

You can try firs to play slow like an scale, with your right hand with your little finger and all the way up.

Castanets pairs are male and female. For right handed people the female goes on the right hand and the male on the left. You can see a little mark on the male (normally in most of the semi or proffessional models, not sure if the souvenirs have this) This makes your life easier so you where each castanet goes.

The sound of the castanets is normally described as TA-RRI-PI, TA is the sound of the left hand with the two middle fingers, RRI is the sound of the right hand playing with the four fingers starting from the little finger, and the last sound PI is the sound of the two middle fingers with your right hand.

If you are left handed you have to change this and use the male castanet in your right hand and the female on your left.

This should be much easier to explain if I could demostrate!

I hope this helps. I also read somewhere about the origin of the castanets and although they are very old and link to the Egyptians, others believe that they come from Greece.

Good luck with your learning!

Ana

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: open mike
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 06:38 PM

Anyone Know How to Play Canasta?

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 10 Jun 08 - 11:15 AM

Does this remind anyone of an old Monty Python (French taunting)routine? Well.....someone had to digress...

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Susan Hamilton
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 02:17 PM

A fortnight ago I found a single pair of souvenir castanets (male or female, no way of telling) that my late father brought back from Spain in 1963. Remembering that no one in the family had ever been able to get a decent "clack" out of them I decided to learn to play them and found some excellent demonstrations on UTube. Now I'm hooked on the idea and such is my determination that I've ordered a breeding pair from a Spanish Flamenco supply company. Oh, and a reel of cord, as they are supplied unstrung.

Now!

May I please repeat a question that was asked several years ago on this thread as I am, like other readers, most anxious to know:

How does one tie the sliding knot?

Kind regards to you all, & perhaps we can form an international amateur castanet orchestra sometime?!?
Susan

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Cristina
Date: 21 May 10 - 04:53 PM

You have some very good descriptions of the castanuelas (castanets) however I'd like to add castanets are not traditionaly flamenco. Flamenco is the dance of the gypsies,which has become a permanent part of spanish culture for quite some time now :). However, what is known as classical spanish (think spanish ballet) the castanets are a vital part of the dance and music. In Andalusian folk dance (sevillanas which you could call a courting dance) castanets are regularly played. In other spanish dances (the jota) they are also played but a bit differently. There are many stereotypes of flamenco and spanish dance, it's much more intricate then stomping your feet around and saying "ole!" the feet become a part of the percussion, every sound is very intention and stays on a particular rythm depending depending on the sound. Every flamenco song has a particular count which is always the same for each song. Dancing is not as simple as moving or even keeping rhythm. The dancer has to keep in mind the count, there are certain steps you will move to communicate with the singer or guitarist. There are down beats, you can even dance in counter time. All this while doing something I can only describe as more difficult than rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time. Your arms, head, feet and legs can be going in different directions while having to understand the intricate music. So please give us flamencos a little more credit for what we do. Dancers are not just dancers, but also musicians :D

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,Kevin Christensen
Date: 22 Jun 10 - 03:09 PM

For people wondering how to tie the castanet knot goto this website. http://www.flamencoshop.com/playcastanets.htm

there is a diagram that shows the knot on the left. Basically, you take the left string and cross it over both of the strings bases. Then the left string continues around the back and comes through the hole it made on the left.

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: GUEST,cast
Date: 24 Sep 10 - 11:47 AM

If in Florida; we teach castanets in Jacksonville.

Christina made a very good point in her post. Castanets are not originally Flamenco but more Spanish folk and Spanish dance.
There are a few Flamenco rhythms where castanets can or may be used.

Sometimes people prefer to practice a bit of castanets on their own to accompany their dance, which can be fine.

However castanets are actually considered a musical instrument and proper or, let's say a more classical instruction can go up to 4 and 5 years.

Hope this is a bit helpful.... cast

Subject: RE: Anyone Know How to Play Castanets?
From: Rumncoke
Date: 24 Sep 10 - 06:38 PM

Mine are tied in a reef knot - to change the size of the loop you just change it into a larks head and slide it along, then turn it back into a reef knot again.

Ask any sailor or boy scout to show you how.

Anne