Castanets

Castanets, percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow shells of hardwood, ivory, or composition material loosely bound together by a cord. The cord is generally fastened around the first finger and thumb of the performer's hand. When the other fingers strike the two castanets together, a hollow, clicking sound is produced. Used chiefly with Spanish music to accent the rhythm of the piece being performed, castanets are also played by female performers of Spanish dances, who usually hold one instrument in each hand. The pair held in the left hand is of the lower pitch. Wood and ivory instruments similar to castanets were used in ancient times, but the modern term is derived from the Spanish word for “chestnut” (castaño), from which wood castanets were commonly made.