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Bones, Ebony, Pair
Bones, Ebony, Pair

Bones, Ebony, Pair

Bones, Ebony, Pair
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The bones are an iconic musical folk instrument. The technique arrived in the U.S. via Irish immigrants, but has a history stretching back to ancient China, Egypt, Greece and Rome. They have contributed to many varied music genres, including 19th century minstrel shows, traditional Irish music, the blues, bluegrass, zydeco, French-Canadian music and music from Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.

They are typically about 5" to 7" in length and curved, roughly resembling miniature barrel staves. They are played by holding them between one's fingers, convex surfaces facing one another, and moving one's wrist in such a way that they knock against each other. The customary method involves placing the bones to either side of the middle finger such that approximately two-thirds of their length extends along the palm while the remainder protrudes above the fingers on the backside of the hand. The hand is held in a loose fist with the bones and the curled fingers roughly parallel to the palm. Usually, the bone closest to the ring finger is gently held against the palm by the tip of the ring finger placed on its edge, while the other bone is left free to move in the "hinge" formed by the index and middle fingers as they gently hold it.

A critical element to playing the bones is not trying to force them to make contact with one another, through finger manipulation, but allowing their momentum to do the work. By moving the hand back and forth across the chest, with just enough force on the bones to keep them from falling out of the hand, a patient learner can produce a triple click. This "click-it-y" sound is the essential ingredient to playing the bones. A double-click can be produced by the same movement of the hand with the addition of a bit of pressure to the bones to suppress the third click. Once these elemental triple and double figures have been mastered, they can be combined to create complex combinations of rhythmic sounds. The effect is further enhanced by the use of two pairs of bones, one in each hand. A skilled practitioner can produce a wide variety of percussive sounds reminiscent of those made by a tap dancer.

This professional quality set consists of two smooth Blackwood bones: 7" long x 7/8" wide, with a slight curve. The thickness tapers over the length from 1/16" to 1/4". The dense hard Blackwood gives a most desirably clear, sharp tone when struck.