Frequently Asked Questions

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Theprofessional Fibre castanets in Grained Black with a Normal Soundbox or Double Soundbox are the best option for conservatory students, since they are the most versatile castanets in our range.

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Choosing the ideal castanet size is a very personal choice, but to help you decide, we will show you the following illustration.

You should measure your hand from point A to point B. Once you have the measurements, you can compare them to the following image:

If you wish, you can access our section Choose your castanet size where you can enter the measurements in our calculator to know which size best adjusts to your hand according to the model.

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In the area where we put the thumb for adjustment, we can see that it has a mark or stripe and the other does not. The castanet that has the mark is the right (female or carretilla) and the one that doesn’t have the mark is the left (male or golpeo). In the case of left-handed people it is the opposite.

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For so many years we have been accustomed to hearing this question and we don’t stop to think if it’s real or not and why. It is a question that people ask us a lot.

The castanet is not better because we feel they are “warm” in our hands, since it is not made of natural wood, it is made of synthetic materials, so the temperature it’s at doesn’t contribute anything to the castanet, it isn’t a benefit or a damage. It will sound the same at any temperature. Distinct from everything else, is the fact that the feel of the castanets in our hands is more pleasant when they are “warm” than when they are cold. The fact that our castanets come with a case lined with fleece is not so that they are “warm”, it is simply because if they fall while they are in the case, the fleece will cushion their fall.

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They can only be cleaned with a dry microfibre cloth after each use. Clean both inside and out. Do not use liquids nor soaps or the castanet could decay.

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1Two types of castanets: Depending on if they are flamenco or Spanish dance and jota castanets, they are put on the thumb or the middle finger. In the first case they are put on the thumb and the second, on the middle finger.

2Identify each castanet: one of the castanets will have a higher-pitched sound and the other a deeper sound, which are usually known as female and male, respectively. The “female” castanet is put on the right hand and the “male” castanet on the left.

3Put the string on the thumb or middle finger: the castanets are divided in two parts that are held together by a string. The thumb or middle finger (as appropriate) should be inserted into the strings so that it is on the bottom part and the base of the thumb or middle finger. The loop should rest on the knuckles.

4Adjust the castanets: Once the strings are on the thumbs, adjust the pressure with the loop of the string, so that they aren’t too loose. Do some sound checks to make sure they are perfectly placed.

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In the section where we explain the different materials that we work with, we explain the sound that each material offers.

The choice of sound is very personal, since it doesn’t only depend on the use that we are going to make of each castanet, but it also depends on our tapping, that is, how loudly or gently we play.

Our recommendation is that if we have a gentle tapping, we choose the material that offers a medium sound like grained fibre or materials that give a high-pitched and bright sound such as Glass or Granadillo wood. In this way, we won’t need to play loudly to make them sound, their high-pitched sound will help us to not have to strain too much if we don’t have very much strength in our hands….they will do the hard work.

If we have strong tapping, we can play any material, they will all be fine; but it is true that the materials that give us a high-pitched sound will sound too loud; so we recommend materials that give us deep sounds, like Pressed Fabric. They will sound more beautifully and with a cleaner and more pleasant nuance.

But as we always say, the customer has the final word. It is them that must feel good about the chosen material and sound, since sometimes it is the castanet that chooses the person.

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We recommend practicing for half an hour, 5 days a week.

This exercise is also useful to exercise our hands and fingers and make our forearms stronger. So… practice!

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Consol Grau is a concert performer in our country that plays the castanets in a very special way. She specialises in classical music.

We wanted to make a special model for her way of playing and which was comfortable, so she was in our factory for several days trying castanets until we created the one that best suited her way of playing.

This castanet is produced in Granadillo wood and it has a distinct form from the rest. Let’s say it’s finer and weighs less than the rest. It is very easy to play.

We recommend it for classical music or for people with gentle tapping.

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As it couldn’t be any other way, we also chose Mar Bezana to make a special castanet.

Mar Bezana is also a great concert performer in our country.

In this case, we also chose the Granadillo wood material, since its aesthetic is one of the most striking. For her, we chose to produce it with our Capricho model design.

This castanet is characterised by having a high-pitched sound, since it is the sound that Mar Bezana likes the most.

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