Castanets are probably the most neglected instruments when it comes to orchestral playing. Because of their inherent technical difficulty, percussionists have used all sorts of substitutes to play them (handles, machines, etc.) while avoiding learning proper technique. That, sadly, produces very poor musical results.

Flamenco technique is, indeed, a very developed and capable technique but also a very difficult one to master. It presents a steep learning curve, and the benefit versus time spent to develop it ratio is, let us be honest, not very attractive. That may be the reason why percussionists, seeking immediate benefit, avoid learning a difficult technique and resort, then, to a plethora of mechanical devices and tricks.

In this session, I will teach a specific castanet technique coming from Spanish folklore. It uses the middle finger (instead of the thumb) to hold the castanets and, because of its very nature, it produces single strokes, double strokes, and “redobles” in an effortless way. It is a technique that allows playing every single excerpt in the orchestral repertoire (including very long rolls like in Wagner’s Tannhäuser) very easily. Also, it can be mastered in minutes.

To prove the above, I will teach this specific technique to volunteers among the audience with no previous experience in castanet playing. In five minutes, they will be playing the most colorful “redobles.” If they are capable of playing the most difficult castanet technique (a roll), they will also be capable of playing any rhythmical pattern using singles and doubles. They will learn how to incorporate this technique into any passage in the orchestral repertoire, all while keeping the great intrinsic visual aspect of the instrument.

I will also teach about sizes, materials, “macho” and “hembra,” laces, works featuring the castanets, and special effects (like the “posticeo”) that greatly enrich their music-making capabilities. Proper castanet technique!