Castanets

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Round pieces of wood tied together with black string. The wood is painted with images of Spanish culture and the text "Espana"

Castanets are a Spanish folk instrument associated with Flamenco dance and music. They are typically made of wood and hung from the thumb, which provides various options for arm positions when dancing. Then, a player taps one piece of wood into the other with individual fingers to make a warm, rich percussive sound.

How to Obtain

You can find castanets online for low prices. Detailed craftmanship and nice quality wood (like ebony or rosewood) will increase the price somewhat.

How to Learn

To create complex patterns with speed and visual grace requires much practice, but to start making simple rhythms with just the middle fingers is quite accessible! It’s important to put them onto your thumb so that the string is not too tight or too loose.

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