Playing the rhythm bones [short video]

[JoePasko]

First of all, I never intended to "shout" about rhythm bones. I was trying to search on the topic to see if there had been any discussion prior to my joining up. I guess I entered it in the wrong box !

I've been playing the spoons for over 40 years. My dad taught me as a kid. I got really good. I used to win talent shows in school. I've even played spoons onstage with some well-known artists (the legendary Commander Cody; Grammy-winning polka band Brave Combo). In the 80's and 90's, I played electric bass in a bunch of different bands. We'd usually have one or two tunes where I'd hand the bass off to one of the guitarists, and rip on spoons. Folks loved it.

So when I decided to take up the bones a few years ago, I thought I'd be a natural. I thought the transition from spoons to bones would be easy. Man was I wrong ! With the spoons, as with most percussion, the beats are direct and deliberate. When playing the bones, it's a different approach ... your beats come on the backdraft, so to speak.

Took me much longer to master than I thought it would, and I still have a way to go. Learning to play at a softer volume, without losing any clarity or precision, is my current challenge. (That is not easy, even for a halfway decent bones player.)

Here is 2 minutes of an old-timey fiddle tune, shot by my 12-yr. old son. I have the foot-castanet going too :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEJ8wJwmz60

[thunderstruck]

Very cool!