Spoon (musical instrument)

Spoons are a percussion instrument used in pairs from the group of Gegenschlagidiophone, which are mainly used in folk music and dance accompaniment. Their sound is similar to that of castanets.

Game art

To play either using two spoons, which are pinched between the fingers of one hand. With the help of the other hand the spoons struck together. However, there are other playing techniques. Other spoon players use two spoons pairs simultaneously, by keeping one pair in the right and the other pair in the left hand and hit the spoon against the thigh or other body parts. In traditional Russian music mostly three spoons are used, with a spoon against two other beaten.

Sound

The sound of the bucket is dependent on several factors. Firstly, under the material from which the spoons are made, the sound characteristics. The metal spoon sound harder and lighter than the wooden spoon. The wooden spoons for the type of wood the sound is a decisive factor. Secondly, the sound of the art of the player is. So you can create a bright and open, a dark and muted sound especially with the wooden spoons. The spoon size determines the tonal character.

Dissemination

Spoons as a musical instrument are in Russian folk music under the name Loschki ( Russian: Ложки ) spread. There they were used in the 18th century by the farmers to the accompaniment of singing. The spoons were often misused in the feasts and used from the whim as percussion. From the 19th century, made ​​of extra for instruments intended spoon. These were used in the folk vocal and instrumental ensembles in Russia.

In the rural Turkish folk music spoons ( Kaşık ) of wood usually played in pairs in each hand for dance accompaniment, davul partly as the only rhythm instrument or in connection with the frame drum. Wooden spoons are concentrated in the western central Anatolia to use and occasionally in the popular on the Aegean coast Zeybek dances. From the urban Turkish popular music spoons are gone today. From the 16th to the 18th century spoons were distributed, whose Turkish name was derived from the Persian çarpara Chahār para ( " four parts "). In Persian sources are Chahār para mapped since the 12th century, whose form and function as the Indian karatāla (derived from the ancient crotales ), correspond to the Turkish dervish rattling chalpara or qarāqib in the Maghreb.

Spoon is also used in the American folk music. In Indonesian gamelan kemanak called a spoon like Schlagidiophon bronze is used. Some kemanaks have a strongly inwardly curved shape and are therefore counted among the log drums.

In the alpine folk music ( Alpenländisches spoon beating ) or about the Löffelpolka spoons are used. There are special music spoon made ​​of wood, which are connected at the handle end and either made ​​themselves or bought in music shops.