How to Play the Castanets in Flamenco Dancing: Part 2

Video Transcript

"My name is Yvette Parrish. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and you can do this practicing at home and what happens is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, turns into a roll and this is a good way to practice. So at first it’ll be awkward, get the castanets that’s right for your hand size. If you have small hands a size 4, a size 5 would be good I believe this is a size 4, they have them all the way to size 8, size 9 for a large male hand. If you get castanets they’re going to be too large for you you’re not going to be able to hold them, you’re going to wonder why your fingers aren’t doing it you’re going to think it’s you, it’s not you but simply not the right size. So I would say depending on your hand size if you have very large hands then get a larger castanets. If you have small hands get a smaller size. A size 3 is usually for children so size 4, size 5 is for a small adult hand and these are a 4 I’m very comfortable with them. I like a smaller one but also when they’re smaller it’s a little bit more of a high pitch chirpy sound. The larger the size a little bit more deep bass of a sound. So they really have a different sound and when you have a group of flamenco dancers all using the castanets is called the symphony and we have the higher chirpy sounds and then we have the deep, deep sounds. So it’s a beautiful as a group if you can get two or three other flamenco dancers and all of you practice together it’s as beautiful as a group."