Playing The Spoons - A Fun Folk Music and Percussion Instrument

Using spoons to produce rhythmic percussion music has been popular since ancient times. The sounds are made by striking the bowl of one spoon against the bowl of another, by striking spoons against other objects or by doing both of these things at the same time. Creating a variety of sounds and rhythms with spoons is a fun process even in its simplest form, with one spoon in each hand, and becomes even more enjoyable as new playing techniques are learned. Modern spoon players often hold two spoons between different fingers in the same hand. Controlling the spoons in this position requires a bit of practice, but is worthwhile because it enables new rhythms to be produced. Other players hold two spoons in one hand and a third in the other. Any method used to create music with spoons is enjoyable!

Spoons are played by professional folk musicians, but are also used by some jazz, rock and classical musicians, as well as amateurs. The sound produced by playing the spoons depends on their composition, the way that they are held, the parts of the spoons that collide with each other and the items that the spoons strike. Spoon players may hit their spoons against different parts of their bodies, inanimate objects or other percussive instruments, such as tuning forks. These options allow for considerable versatility in the sounds that are produced. In addition, the body movements of the players often become an important part of professional performances.

In the most common method of playing the spoons in North America, two spoons are held in one hand with the concave surfaces facing each other. Each spoon is held between a different pair of fingers so that there is a small space between them. The upper spoon is then struck against the lower spoon at the same time as the lower spoon is struck against the thigh, creating a percussive sound. This motion is repeated to create a rhythm.

Paired spoons are struck against other body surfaces, including the knee, palm, fingers, head and jaw. They’re also used to hit other objects, and two spoons held in one hand can be struck together in the air, like castanets.

Spoons are a type of idiophone - an instrument that produces sound from the vibrations of the instrument itself instead of the vibrations of a string or a membrane attached to the instrument. The tradition of playing spoons is thought to have begun with "playing the bones", a technique in which music was created when two rib bones from a sheep or another animal were struck together. Playing the bones is still a popular activity, although now artificial “bones” are generally used. Spoons have been used as eating utensils since Paleolithic times, so it’s possible that playing the spoons developed very early in our history.

Using spoons to produce music is popular in many countries, including Ireland, Russia, some European countries, Australia, Canada and the United States. New sounds and rhythms are continually being produced by creative players. Some people have even played electrically amplified spoons!

Spoons have been widely played because they are an inexpensive and easily obtained instrument, aren’t hard to master, are portable and can provide an exciting, percussive rhythm that is appealing to our senses, just like the beat of a drum, although the sound of musical spoons is generally weaker than the sound of a drum beat. Even if you’ve never played spoons or another instrument before, you can get spoons from your kitchen right now and start creating music with them! Learning new playing techniques will increase your enjoyment, though.

At first, manipulating two spoons in one hand will probably be hard, as it was for me. The spoons will flop around in your hand and it will be hard to coordinate their movements and slap them together. Very quickly though, you will develop some control over your new instrument - I did before the end of the first practice session - and if you practice for a short time each day your control will improve, enabling you to create the enticing rhythms played in the videos in this hub.

Experts say that the best spoons for playing have wide and flat handle tips as well as a flat shank. Spoons made of pure silver dent too easily when played. Some people like to collect different types of spoons to see what sorts of sounds they make and what they feel like when they’re played. Collecting unusual spoons becomes an extension of their music hobby. It’s good to practice with different types of spoons, including the usual kinds that most people have in their kitchen, so that even when you’re visiting friends or relatives without your own spoons you can still create music.

Spoons are all you need to have fun with rhythm, but combining playing spoons with playing other instruments or with singing will give an added dimension to your music. This isn’t necessary though - playing the spoons on their own is a very enjoyable activity.