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