Castanets

Learning the art of playing diverse musical instruments enhances your cognitive and physical aptitudes. Since the dexterity of music is recondite and deep, you should approach it with passion and delight. The castanets are one such instrument you can find in the market. These instruments not only enhance your coordination but also foster brain development and listening skills. Check out this guide below if you want to shop for the best castanet instruments online in a hassle-free manner. 

Let’s begin by defining the instrument. Castanets are musical instruments that comprise a pair of concave shells. These shells bind together on one edge by a string. For playing, you need to hold them in one hand and carry out rhythmic clicks. These flicks produce rhythmic accents. You can also use them to create rattling or ripping sounds accompanied by a series of clicks. Now, remember, just like any other instrument, these too have different variations. They might differ in terms of construction material, design, style, colour, and so on. Therefore, you should be well aware of at least a few types to be confident enough to shop for one. So, let’s check out their types next! 

The different types of castanets and their features 

Before we check out their types, let us dig into a bit of their history. Clicking together hand-held devices to accompany a certain dancing style was common among the Egyptians and Greeks in ancient times. In the modern era, the clicking of spoons and bones in the jug band music may be considered a form of playing the antique castanets. The discovery of wooden castanets is attributed to the Phoenicians who invented clicking sticks while dancing more than 3000 years ago. The Phoenicians considered castanets as sacred instruments that were mainly used for religious ceremonies. Owing to commercial relations among states, the knowledge and skill of playing the castanets has spread throughout the world. Now that you know their origin let’s explore their variation in detail. 

The classic or semi-professional Spanish castanets

Castanets have always been an integral part of Spanish folkloric dances such as the Sevillanas. Today, you’ll see them in Flamenco music and dance. Dancers play the Spanish castanets by resting one pair in each hand with the instrument string looped around the thumb. If you’re past the position of a beginner, then you really need to check out this semi-professional model from Jale. Beautifully carved out of mahogany, they’re an apt choice for semi-professional players. Apart from being sleek in style, they also guarantee higher quality and reliability. 

The Sanba or the Japanese castanets

Japanese Castanets, or as the Japanese call them – Sanba, is a percussion musical instrument from the Islands of Okinawa. The name itself indicates ‘three slabs’ or ‘three boards/planks’. This means the instrument features three shards of ebony or other woods held together with twine. Plucking the twines produces a variety of clicking sounds similar to that of the castanets. Professionally, you play them by placing the shards in between the fingers of one hand and using the other to flick the wooden pieces together. You can play them for both slow and fast rhythms. 

The best value wooden hand castanets

As mentioned earlier, wooden materials are an ideal choice of material when it comes to castanets. That’s because a wooden castanet promotes enhanced sounds with minimum effort. Well, if you’re in search of such a model, then try investing in a pair of handheld instruments from LP Aspire. This particular pair of castanets come in hardwood only. This preserves the classic sound of the musical instrument. Usually, the manufacturers keep the wooden material untouched, and only a layer of polish on it, to maintain an authentic look.                                                                 

A pair of 2 finger castanets for kids

All children love playing instruments, as they can make sounds with them, and it is fun to work with them. However, if you’re not sure which instrument to buy for your child and which one is the best to get started, then do get them these finger castanets. This set of castanets has been especially craved, keeping the children in mind. They come in wooden materials that tend to be safe and light at the same time. Besides, they aren’t treated for dyed. The surface of the instruments has a smooth finish, and the size tends to be ideal too. In short, your tots wouldn’t have any problems playing them. 

The black wood Cajon castanet

If you’re interested in buying castanets with a contemporary appearance and characteristics, then do give a try at Meinl percussion Cajon. Indeed, the manufacturers have carved them out of wood. However, the design adopted by them makes them transform into modern instruments. This castanet comes with a spring that’ll open as soon as you release it from your grip. Besides, you can stick them anywhere you want with the help of just adhesive tape. Well, this design tends to be very practical and convenient when you’re not using your instrument.